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Energy Procedia 88 (2016) 363 – 367

CUE2015-Applied Energy Symposium and Summit 2015: Low carbon cities and urban
energy systems

A preliminary study for determining photovoltaic panel for a

smart photovoltaic blind considering usability and
constructability issues
Taehoon Honga, Kwangbok Jeongb,*, Choongwan Kooc, Jimin Kimb,
Minhyun Leed
a
Associate Professor, Department of Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
b
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
c
Visiting Scholar, Division of Construction Engineering and Management, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906 & Research
Professor, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
d
Ph.D. Student, Department of Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea

Abstract

Many countries have implemented PV systems in buildings to solve environmental pollution and energy shortage
issues. A smart photovoltaic blind (SPB) reduces indoor energy consumption with a shading device and substitutes
energy consumption through a PV system. This study aims to determine a PV technique, which can be implemented
in the development of the SPB as an initial step. Toward this end, usability issues (i.e., efficiency, shading effect, and
harmful effect) and constructability issues (i.e., size and weight) were reviewed. Results demonstrated that the second
PV technique (i.e., a-Si and CIGS) can be applied to the SPB.

© 2016
© 2015The TheAuthors. Published
Authors. by Elsevier
Published Ltd. This
by Elsevier Ltd.is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of CUE
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of CUE 2015
Keywords: Smart photovoltaic blind; Amorphous silicon; Copper indium gallium selenide

1. Introduction

Global environmental pollution and energy shortage are considered to be urgent issues that need
resolution. [1-4]. The building sector accounts for about 40% of the global resources and energy
consumption in global economic activities, and much effort is being made to reduce energy consumption
[5]. To solve these issues, the South Korean government has established various policies. First, it

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +82-2-2123-7457; fax: +82-2-365-4668.

E-mail address: kbjeong7@yonsei.ac.kr.

1876-6102 © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of CUE 2015
doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2016.06.135
364 Taehoon Hong et al. / Energy Procedia 88 (2016) 363 – 367

established the ‘4th Renewable Energy Penetration Plan’, which expanded among NREs the ratio of the
PV generation ratio from 2.7% (2015) to 4.1% (2030) [6-8]. However, the substitution of energy
consumption from the existing rooftop PV system is limited [9]. Accordingly, it is essential to introduce
and expand the PV system installed on the building envelops, not just on the rooftops. Second, the
government established the ‘Act on the promotion of green buildings’, which makes it compulsory to
install shading devices in public buildings (office buildings and education facilities) whose total floor area
is over 3,000m2 with outer walls that have windows or are made in glass [10].

The smart photovoltaic blind (SPB) combines three functions: electricity generation, automatic control,
and real time monitoring and management. The SPB can satisfy both the shading function of the window
blind and the electricity generation of a PV system. However, there is a lack of previous research on
determining the PV technique applicable to the SPB. Therefore, this study aims to determine PV
techniques applicable to the SPB in the initial stage of SPB development considering usability and
constructability issues.

Nomenclature

a-Si Amorphous silicon

CdTe Cadmium telluride
CIGS Copper-indium-gallium-selenide
Mono-si Mono-crystalline silicon
NRE New and renewable energy
Poly-Si Poly crystalline silicon
PV Photovoltaic
SPB Smart photovoltaic blind

2. Various issues in developing a smart photovoltaic blind

Commercially available PV techniques can be generally categorized into two generations: (i) First
generation PV technique (i.e., mono-crystalline silicon (mono-si) and poly-crystalline silicon (poly-Si));
and (ii) Second generation PV technique (amorphous silicon (a-Si), copper-indium-gallium-selenide
(CIGS), and cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film) [11-13]. To determine the PV techniques applicable to
the SPB, this study considered usability issues and constructability issues.

2.1. Usability issues for developing smart photovoltaic blind

Table 1 shows the usability issue (i.e., efficiency, shading effect, and toxic material) of PV panels.
First, compared to the first generation PV technique (i.e., mono-si: 14.5% and poly-si: 14.0%), the second
generation PV technique (a-Si: 5.8%, CIGS: 10.5%, and CdTe: 9.9%) is less efficient. However,
compared to the first generation PV technique, the second generation PV technique uses an thin film PV
technique, which improves the applicability of the PV system [14, 15]. Second, compared to the second
 Taehoon Hong et al. / Energy Procedia 88 (2016) 363 – 367 365

generation PV technique, generally, the efficiency of first generation PV technique is decrease sharply by
shadow. Namely, in in terms of the shading effects, of compared to the first generation PV technique, the
second generation PV technique is superior than the first generation PV technique [16-18]. Third, CdTd is
developed based on toxic materials including cadmium and tellurium, resulting in harmful effect.
Accordingly, its use is not considered in South Korea based on the ‘Enforcement rule of act on the
promotion of the development, use and diffusion of new and renewable energy’ [19,20]. Thus, in terms of
usability, the a-Si and CIGS PV panel of the second generation PV technique can be used in the
development of the SPB.

Table 1. Usability issues of the smart photovoltaic blind

First generation PV technique Second generation PV technique

Class
mono-Si poly-Si a-Si CIGS CdTe
Efficiency (%) 14.5 14.0 5.8 10.5 9.9
Shading effect High High Low Low Low
Harmful effect O O O O ¯

2.2. Constructability issues for developing a smart photovoltaic blind

Table 2 shows the constructability issues (i.e., size and weight) of SPB. This study reviewed the
weight and size of the SPB based on the wood venetian blind which is used heavier slat than other blind
(e.g., aluminum venetian blind, fabric venetian blind, and etc.). First, in terms of size, both the first
generation PV technique and the second generation PV technique satisfy the criteria of the wood venetian
blind. For example, in terms of length, the maximum length at which the wood venetian blind can be
manufactured is 2,438mm, and both the first generation PV technique (mono-Si: 125mm and poly-Si:
60mm) and the second generation PV technique (a-Si: 125mm and CIGS: customized) satisfy the criteria.
Second, in terms of weight, the second generation PV technique (a-Si: 1.95kg/m2 and CIGS: 0.31kg/m2)
satisfies the criteria for the wood venetian blind, whereas the first generation PV technique (mono-Si:
5.1kg/m2 and poly-Si: 4.17kg/m2) does not [21]. As a result, in terms of constructability, the development
of the SPB can use the a-Si and CIGS PV panel of the second generation PV technique.

Table 2. Constructability issues of smart photovoltaic blind

First generation PV technique Second generation PV technique

Class Wood venetian blind
mono-Si poly-Si a-Si CIGS
Size Width 25.4mm, 50.8mm, 63.5mm 63 ΀ 44 ΀ 60 ΀ Customized
Length Length ≤ 2,438mm 125 ΀ 60 ΀ 205 ΀ Customized
Thickness 3mm 3΀ 3΀ 1΀ 1΀
Interval Interval ≤ Width Controllable using braided ladders
Height Height ≤ 3,048mm Controllable using braided ladders
2 2
Weight 3kg/m 5.1kg/m 4.17kg/m2 1.95kg/m2 0.31kg/m2
366 Taehoon Hong et al. / Energy Procedia 88 (2016) 363 – 367

3. Conclusions

This study aimed to conduct a preliminary study to determine a photovoltaic panel for SPB
considering usability and constructability issues. Toward this end, the study analyzed PV techniques
applicable to the SPB based on two viewpoints: usability issues and constructability issues. First, in terms
of usability issues (i.e., efficiency, shading effect, and harmful effect), the second generation PV
technique (i.e., a-Si and CIGS) can be used in SPB development. Second, from the constructability issue
(i.e., size and weight), the second generation PV technique (i.e., a-Si and CIGS) can be used in SPB
development.

Based on results of this study, future research will focus on developing the prototype model that takes
into account not only the electricity generation based on the PV panel, but also automatic control, real-
time monitoring and management.

4. Copyright

Authors keep full copyright over papers published in Energy Procedia

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the
Korea government (MSIP; Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning) (No.NRF-
2015R1A2A1A05001657) .

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Biography
Kwangbok Jeong is a graduate research assistant and Ph.D. candidate at the
Department of Architectural Engineering in Yonsei University, Seoul. He is working
at the SUStainable COnstruction Management (SUSCOM) laboratory and interested
in the following research areas: Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Cost Analysis,
Environmental Management, Green Construction Management and Decision Making
Process.