You are on page 1of 20

sustainability

Review
Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) in Southeast Asian
Countries: Review of Effects and Challenges
Haitham Esam Rababah * , Azhar Ghazali * and Mohd Hafizal Mohd Isa

School of Housing Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, George Town 11800, Malaysia;
hafizal@usm.my
* Correspondence: haithamrababah@student.usm.my (H.E.R.); azhar.ghazali@usm.my (A.G.)

Abstract: Fossil fuel consumption for electricity generation in the building sector is at an all-time
high in line with the country’s economic growth. This scenario will increase the global CO2 emissions
and large carbon footprints, thus leading to global warming. In recent years, most of the research
related to the building sector has focused on the development of new techniques to reduce buildings’
energy consumption through energy conservation, energy efficiency, and the implementation of
renewable energy technologies. The introduction of photovoltaic (PV) technology has become the
most prominent renewable energy (RE) that can be integrated into building components. Even
though the Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) has been available for decades, but its implemen-
tation in Southeast Asian countries has not gained widespread acceptance compared to European
countries and other parts of Asia. This paper aims to investigate the effects and challenges of BIPV
implementation in Southeast Asian Countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore,
Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines), focusing on climate effects, the initial cost of PV technology,
 government policies, and initiatives. An in-depth literature review from past research, policies, and

reports taken between 2016 to 2021 has been conducted and found that the environmental parameters
Citation: Rababah, H.E.; Ghazali, A.;
directly influence the performance of BIPV systems and affect efficiency. This study pointed at
Mohd Isa, M.H. Building Integrated
Feed-in Tariff (FiT), policies and initiatives offered by the government in Southeast Asian countries
Photovoltaic (BIPV) in Southeast
are not beneficial and discourage building owners to adopt the BIPV technology or any other RE
Asian Countries: Review of Effects
technology. Governments should revise the current policies to promote and attract more building
and Challenges. Sustainability 2021,
13, 12952. https://doi.org/10.3390/
owners to take part in the efforts to minimize CO2 emissions from the building industry.
su132312952
Keywords: building-integrated photovoltaics; renewable energy; energy efficiency
Academic Editor: Domenico Mazzeo

Received: 25 August 2021


Accepted: 5 November 2021 1. Introduction
Published: 23 November 2021 In recent years, most research related to building components and design are focused
on energy conservation, energy efficiency and the integration of RE technologies into
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral building components or systems to make buildings more sustainable and resilient towards
with regard to jurisdictional claims in
climate change and global warming. BIPV are the most promising technologies, especially
published maps and institutional affil-
when combined with a semi-transparent solar cell, due to the ability to generate electricity
iations.
without affecting the design of the building’s facade, particularly in glazed high-rise
buildings [1]. Semi-transparent photovoltaics (STPVs) have shown that they can produce
renewable energy and provide the occupant with a decent amount of natural daylight.
Despite the many advantages of BIPV technology for the building owner and its occupants,
Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. the implementation of such technologies is not widely used in certain countries, especially
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. in the southeast Asia region. According to Southeast Asia Energy Outlook 2019, the
This article is an open access article
contribution of solar and wind energy to the total energy supply remains small [2,3]. This
distributed under the terms and
paper aims to conduct an overall review of the recent literature of BIPV, applications,
conditions of the Creative Commons
challenges, and how governments are initiating and promoting PV technologies through
Attribution (CC BY) license (https://
feed-in tariff methods in some Southeast Asian countries, by analysing the collected data
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
to find out which country managed to operate with the full potential of BIPV technology.
4.0/).

Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132312952 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability


Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 2 of 20

Moreover, this paper investigates and explores the potential of BIPV in Southeast Asian
countries and maximise the applications of BIPV not only on rooftops of the buildings but
also on the building’s façade [4].
A thorough review was conducted from past research articles and government reports
between 2016 to 2021 regarding the BIPV application in Southeast Asian countries. This
paper will focus on the current state of BIPV technologies, initial cost, the feed-in tariff
policy and government initiatives. The data collected in this paper will include data
from the members of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC), which
includes Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the
Philippines. Information from other Asian and European regions was used to compare and
evaluate the findings. Figure 1 shows the framework of this study [5–7].

Figure 1. The framework for this study.


Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 3 of 20

1.1. Economic Growth and CO2 Emission


Despite an ongoing energy revolution and economic transformation, China and India
are the leaders in renewable energy generation in Asia. Meanwhile, Southeast Asian coun-
tries continue to rely on fossil fuels for electricity generation, despite having demonstrated
potential for sustainable energy sources. This step, however, is fraught with difficulties [8].
Moreover, Southeast Asia’s economies have expanded rapidly in recent decades, resulting
in increased energy dependency and CO2 emissions as shown in Figure 2. Thailand, Singa-
pore, and Vietnam had a downward curve between the years 1991 to 2007, then witnessed
a surprisingly upward trend afterwards, which can be related to the increase in energy
consumption. Moreover, the Philippines and Malaysia share a rising linear load in their
CO2 emissions. On the other hand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Indonesia show similarities
in their CO2 emissions, which are increasing rapidly.

Figure 2. CO2 emissions in Southeast Asia Countries [9].

The ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2016–2025 [10] includes
more strategic goals and sensitive plans for renewable energy, which is divided into two
phases: Phase 1: 2016–2020 and Phase 2: 2020–2025. The combined goal is to generate 23%
of the Southeast Asia region’s (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand,
Vietnam, and the Philippines) with renewable energy by the year 2025. In the Total Primary
Energy Supply (TPES), a million tonnes of oil equivalent (MTOE) value of 625 in 2017 is
projected to increase 2.5 times to 1589 in 2040. Furthermore, according to the 6th ASEAN
Energy Outlook [2], the MTOE value of 874 is targeted for 2025.

1.2. Climate Conditions in Southeast Asia Countries


PV technology requires the amount of solar radiation to generate useable energy. Un-
derstanding the climate condition especially solar radiation and sky condition is important
in BIPV application. Southeast Asian countries are located within the equatorial which has
a tropical climate. This region experiences a fairly constant climate, with abundant rain-
fall, high humidity and temperatures throughout the years. This region also experiences
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 4 of 20

clear and partly cloudy sky conditions with relatively high average yearly solar radiation.
Table 1 summarize the climate condition for Southeast Asian countries.

Table 1. Climate Conditions in Southeast Asian countries [11,12].

Cambodia Indonesia Laos Malaysia Singapore Thailand Vietnam Philippines


Kuala
Capital City Phnom Penh Jakarta Vientiane Singapore Bangkok Hanoi Manila
Lumpur
Average
Solar
1500 1168 1314 1022 1580 1241 1296 1703
Radiation,
kWh/m2 kWh/m2 kWh/m2 kWh/m2 kWh/m2 kWh/m2 kWh/m2 kWh/m2
yearly.
(2007–2018)
Clear and Clear and Clear and
partly cloudy partly cloudy partly cloudy Clear and Clear and Clear and Overcast and
49%, 37%, 68%, partly cloudy partly cloudy partly cloudy mostly
overcast and overcast and overcast and 26%, mostly 24%, mostly 58%, mostly Overcast and cloudy 92%
mostly mostly mostly cloudy 74% cloudy 76% cloudy 42% mostly and lasts for
Sky Condi- cloudy 51% cloudy 63% cloudy 32% (Dec– (Jan– (Nov– cloudy 92%, almost 7
tion/Average (Nov– (May– (Oct– Mar)/overcast Apr)/overcast Mar)/overcast clear and months
in the year Mar)/overcast Oct)/overcast Apr)/overcast and mostly and mostly and mostly mostly clear (Apr–Nov),
2020 and mostly and mostly and mostly cloudy 91%, cloudy 91%, cloudy 93%, 68% lasts for and clear
cloudy 92%, cloudy 90%, cloudy 92%, clear and clear and clear and 7 months and mostly
clear and clear and clear and mostly clear mostly clear mostly clear (Oct–May). clear 52%
partly cloudy partly cloudy partly cloudy 9% 9% 7% lasts for 5
8% 10% 8% (Mar–Dec) (Apr–Jan) (Nov–Mar) (Nov–Apr).
(Mar–Nov) (Oct–May) (Apr–Oct)
11◦ 330 44.8200 6◦ 120 52.6300 1◦ 170 22.8100 13◦ 450 14.3300
17◦ 580 0.0100 3◦ 80 28.3200 N,
Latitude N, S, N, N, 21◦ 040 3100 N, 14◦ 360 0300 N,
N, 102◦ 360 000 101◦ 410 11.5100
Longitude 104◦ 540 57.6400 106◦ 500 42.4700 103◦ 510 0.2500 100◦ 300 5.1800 105◦ 480 5900 E 120◦ 590 0300 E
E E
E E E E

2. Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)


BIPV technology has transformed the building façade into a sustainable energy gen-
erator. PV is seen as a clean and safe solution to the pressing problems of climate change
and fossil fuel depletion. PV technologies have evolved into a significant area of research
and development because of many scientific publications and patents. Aside from cell
technologies, the balance of systems (BoS) components such as panels, electronics, and
energy storage are being researched. PV is considered “the cleanest and safest technology
for generating electricity even at the GW production scale” among the broad range of
current renewable energy sources. Since the discovery of the PV effect in the nineteenth
century, technology has progressed dramatically. This progression is vertical in terms of
solar cell forms, technological generations and efficiencies, as well as horizontal in terms of
its related technical fields in chemistry, physics, electronics, and mechanics, as well as at
the production and implementation market dynamics level [13].

2.1. Application of Building Integrated Photovoltaics


The main photovoltaic systems implementation is off-grid residential solar modules,
off-grid photovoltaic, grid-connected PV systems [14]. The integration of PV systems into
the building can be seen as cladding components in external shading devices, roofing tiles,
rain-screen cladding, curtain walling and ventilated facades [15]. Figure 3 indicates the
integration of PV panels into building components. Figure 4a shows the integration of
opaque PV module in motorized shading device panel, while Figure 4b shows opaque PV
cells in semi-transparent glazing panel. About 80% of the BIPV market are roof-mounted
and the other 20% of the BIPV market are façade-mounted. Yun 2007 examined and stated
that the installation of PV modules in a building must take into consideration, the design
of the interior rooms and the artificial lighting loads, the type of use of the glazing and the
presence of shading devices [16].
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 5 of 20

Figure 3. Different strategies and approaches on BIPV implementation [4,6].

The integration of opaque modules as buildings’ double-skin façade may increase


the heat gain into building due to the photovoltaic effects. By adding a ventilated air
gap behind the PV facade and roof, the increase in building surface temperature can be
reduced [15,16]. The ventilated air break could provide natural ventilation and daylight
in the room, in addition to reducing the building surface temperature. Yoo et al. [17]
also found that ventilation gaps behind the photovoltaic module will help to decrease the
module temperature, thus increasing the system performance.
Norton [18] investigated the double façade of BIPV, i.e., air gaps can improve energy
efficiency on both sides of the photovoltaic system. The air gap shall be small, but main-
tenance shall be sufficient. It was also proposed to carry out experiments to achieve fins
behind PV modules, which reduce building surface temperature. The distance between
the fins should be greater, fewer fine materials are needed and the temperature of the PV
module should be controlled [18,19].

Figure 4. The integration of PV module and cell (a) Motorized shading device panel [19]. (b) Semi-
transparent glazing panel [20].
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 6 of 20

The PV modules must consider the angle and direction of the inclination to increase
BIPV performance [21]. In addition, the climate status and location of buildings must be
analysed, to find the best performing BIPV integration strategy [5]. Building the surround-
ing environment and location play a significant role in BIPV integration. The main factor
is that the site needs a sufficient amount of solar radiation to generate power [22]. For
example, a fully glazed facade is not recommended for tropical climate countries unless
the shading is provided. The technology not only reduces solar thermal gain by shading
the building in façade-mounted BIPV applications but also absorbs the solar radiation and
converts it into electricity for the buildings’ use [23].
In terms of daylight and view, there is sometimes a conflict between architectural
goals and the energy performance of BIPV to achieve maximum power generation [24].
But according to architectural creativity, different approaches to the BIPV system can be
made based on climatic conditions. Ghazali [25] evaluated the cost and performance of
Photovoltaic (PV) façade on building envelope (facade) using System Advisor Model (SAM)
developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to estimate the potential
of PV that applied on a vertical facade in Malaysia. A Heterojunction Intrinsic Thin-film
module (HIT-Si) had been used with 15.6% of nominal efficiency. Moreover, the study
addressed that the PVs applied on the facade have the potential to generate energy from
400 MWh to 700 MWh annually, while the PVs on the roof generate energy about 240 MWh
annually. According to the results, the vertical façade of BIPV components facing east and
west collects a maximum solar incident compared to the other six directions. The south
and the north, however, are less irradiating. Although the roof of the building (horizontal
facade) received higher incident radiation than the skin of the building (vertical facade) due
to the wider area, it maximised the vertical facade to the east and west, employing a panel
system that could produce significantly higher energy per year, of around 800 MWh [25].
In addition, the integration of STPV with building facades helps improve the thermal
consumption of the building by changing thermal resistance and significantly affecting the
transmission of heat through the façade of the building. The primary issue was the heat
generated by the sun0 s solar rays since PVs replace a part of the building that is built into the
building. Over the years, numerous design approaches have been developed in line with
the study of the integration of PV modules into buildings. Allowing for an air gap behind
the PV panel, placing PV cells with clear glass between them, and changing the angle
of inclination to enhance solar receptivity were all used to improve solar receptivity [26].
Architectural techniques not only improve energy efficiency, but also promote indirect
daylight and, in some cases, natural ventilation.

2.2. Technologies of Building Integrated Photovoltaics


Despite this, the use of semi-transparent solar cells in building facades is still limited
because they depend on the orientation of the building, the number of users, the size of the
space and the climate conditions [1,27]. However, over the past few decades, most research
has focused on BIPV and tried to find many alternatives by using the latest technologies
available to achieve the best possible transparency and power [28].
Tak et al. [1] have studied the effect of changeable organic semi-transparent solar
(COSW), in which the transparency can be amended by adjusting its temperature and sol-
vent vapor pressure. This research used a simulation by evaluating the energy consumption,
electricity production and thermal effect. According to the findings, the semi-transparent
solar cell window has a great deal of potential in terms of user convenience and energy
conservation. In terms of energy consumption, the proposed semi-transparent solar cell
window reduced consumption by 14.80 kW/m2 , 11.51 kW/m2 and 15.02 kW/m2 for
the south-facing, east-facing, and west-facing facades, respectively, and increases user
satisfaction, particularly in spring and autumn.
Kim et al. [29] created a well-developed design of PV cladding systems that will make
a significant contribution to meeting the targets for renewable energy and zero-energy
building. Normally, photovoltaic panels built into buildings are vertically oriented with
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 7 of 20

no batteries attached [29]. However, this study proposed a BIPV system for each location
that is linked to one or more storage batteries, making the system independent of the
other generation of power in the building and referred to as the “Perma-Power Connection
Building” cladding feature (Figure 5). The proposed design is intended to be a standalone
device that will be extremely convenient for installation, maintenance, and operation [29].

Figure 5. (a) PV panel is part of the façade, and the battery is enclosed in the wall with power outlets available inside.
(b) Sample of the shelf battery suitable for a BPPL cladding panel system [29].

Corrao [30], performed mechanical tests new BIPV component, the proposed compo-
nent showed the potential to have insulation properties and structural functions in addition
to power generation in highrise buildings [30,31]. Green energy production, building pro-
tection, and energy conservation can all be ensured in harmony with the climate and the
needs of the users. The use of a support structure made from polypropylene materials
for the 3D glass sub-components integrated with transparent and coloured dye-sensitized
solar cells could increase the panel’s mechanical resistance to horizontal forces caused by
winds and earthquakes, thus ensuring that stable translucent and active building envelopes
are constructed [31].
Attoye [25] researched to determine the potential of BIPV in apartment construction in
North Cyprus. This study used BIM software to create a 3D model of an existing building
and analysed numerous cost considerations as well as the benefits of including BIPV
systems into apartment complexes during the design stage [25]. Furthermore, qualitative
methodologies were employed in the study, as well as an economic analysis, to determine
the practicality and feasibility of this technology and to assess willingness to pay.

2.3. Building Integrated Photovoltaics and Climate Effect


2.3.1. Heating and Cooling Performance of Building Integrated Photovoltaics
Mesloub [32] has researched an Algerian office (Figure 6) to determine the best BIPV
window efficiency for total energy consumption in a semi-arid environment. Extensive
simulations were used in the analysis for base-model, as well as nine commercially available
BIPV modules with different Window Wall Ratios (WWR), tilting angles and cardinal
orientations [32,33]. According to the findings, the best BIPV window design included
double-glazed PV modules with a medium WWR towards the south facade and double-
glazed PV modules with a maximum energy saving of 60% towards the south orientation.
On the other hand, an contrasted the effects of semi-transparent photovoltaics with low-
emissivity (Low-E) glass double-layer, clear glass double-layer, and heat-absorbing glass
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 8 of 20

double-layer in a building with semi-transparent photovoltaics. Furthermore, the effects


of temperature settings, air penetration, and changes in building operating time were
investigated, as all factors have a significant impact on heating and cooling loads [33–35].
When BIPV was used instead of clear glass windows, the study found that heating and
cooling loads had been reduced by 18%. In addition, the study found that increasing
temperature and air penetration reduced the reduction of heating and cooling loads and
that these features could be better managed if Si-BIPV were installed in the building [34].

Figure 6. The tested BIPV window was placed in the office building chosen for the experiment [32].

Lu and Law investigated the power and thermal behaviour of a semi-transparent


single-glazed photovoltaic window for the Hong Kong office building [36], which helped
them estimate energy output in terms of power generation and heat gain. According to the
research, the annual savings for cooling water and air conditioning systems are between
900 and 1300 kWh. Furthermore, Figure 7 shows the difference in the annual total heat gain
between clear glass and BIPV modules. Moreover, Figure 7 shows that heat gain cut down
by almost 65% throughout all the five orientations, which is related to that transmittance of
glass is much higher than that of BIPV modules [36]. Tian et al. [37] examined the energy
potential of semi-transparent photovoltaic windows in terms of energy output, the energy
consumption of lighting and energy consumption of air conditioning. The result showed
that semi-transparent photovoltaic windows able to save nearly 30% of the total building
load on a standard sunny day.

2.3.2. Daylighting and Shading, and The Performance of Building Integrated Photovoltaics
BIPV has recently become a component of environmentally friendly building design,
allowing for façades and the generation of renewable energy [3,38]. Additionally, dye-
sensitized solar cells, cadmium telluride, crystalline silicon, copper indium gallium selenide,
and amorphous silicon are now available as PV cells. Despite the low energy efficiency
of amorphous silicon solar cells, a-Si semi-transparent photovoltaic glazing will admit
some daylighting, providing better visual comfort than opaque crystalline silicon solar
cell-based PV glazing [3]. Furthermore, active and passive strategies have been tested
to maintain heating issues by using photovoltaics as a shading system, which aids in
improving the energy efficiency of the building [38]. It has been demonstrated that by
implementing these techniques, the energy consumption of a typical family house can be
reduced by half. PV cells can be used in more than just windows; they can also be used
in other types of house glazing, such as skylights. Fan [39] used the DAYS programme in
their research to create a static and dynamic analysis of the indoor light environment for
a specific skylight photovoltaic glass, which aids in determining the required area ratio
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 9 of 20

of PV materials, see Figure 8, which shows an enclosed atrium form that had been used.
The study also discovered that, depending on the environment and location, the optimal
area ratio ranges between 30% and 70%. Moreover, Mesloub [32,33] studied photovoltaic
integrated shading devices and semi-transparent photovoltaics in a hot environment to see
how they influenced energy efficiency and visual comfort, refer to Figure 9 that shows the
BIPV window that had been tested. An unfilled egg-crate photovoltaic integrated shading
device, a louvre photovoltaic integrated shading device with ten slats tilted 30 degrees
outward, a louvre photovoltaic integrated shading device with five slats tilted 30 degrees
outward, and an inclined single panel photovoltaic integrated shading device was also
investigated. This study also showed that using photovoltaic integrated shading devices
significantly improved the overall energy efficiency [32,39].

Figure 7. Annual total heat gain through PV window and clear glass window [36].

Figure 8. Spatial form 65 of atrium space (Enclosed Four Directional) [39].


Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 10 of 20

Figure 9. The different PVSDs configurations were used in the simulations [33].

Despite the fact that PV systems have been on the market for a long time, unfortunately,
Southeast Asian countries are still holding back in taking full advantage of PVs and
continue to rely on fossil fuels. Southeast Asia’s climate hosts significant environmental
support for PV systems to fully perform since there are no heating loads, for example.
Furthermore, applying BIPV technologies proved to rapidly decrease the glare index, which
can be a problem in tropical countries, and leads to relying on artificial lighting even during
the daytime. Moreover, Table 2 summarise past studies in non-tropical countries for BIPV
technologies, which can be applied to Southeast Asian countries [34,35,40].

Table 2. Summary of past studies shows the heating and cooling set-points for each study’s model and its effect on the
performance of BIPV.

Setting Points (Hourly &


Author/Year Location Findings
Daily)
Heating set-point 21 ◦ C The appropriate BIPV window design was
Abdelhakim Mesloub, (08:00–17:00) double-glazing PV modules with medium WWR.
Algeria
2020 [34] Cooling set-point 24 ◦ C The PV significantly minimize the glare index compared
(08:00–17:00) to the base model.
The PVSDs improved overall energy performance and
reduced glare.
Abdelhakim Mesloub, Saudi Heating set-point 31.1 ◦ C
The PVSD had a conversion efficiency of 20% and was
2020 [35] Arabia Cooling set-point 10.6 ◦ C
generated.
extra energy.
The vacuum PV glazing balanced daylighting
availability and visual comfort by providing sufficient
Different
daylight.
climate Heating set-point 25 ◦ C
Changyu Qiu, 2020 [3] The vacuum glazing leads to additional cooling
zones in Cooling set-point 22 ◦ C
consumption in the moderate climate zone.
China
The vacuum PV glazing has an energy-saving potential
between 35% to 66% depends on the climate zone.
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 11 of 20

Table 2. Cont.

Setting Points (Hourly &


Author/Year Location Findings
Daily)
PV openings reduce energy consumption by 50% and
cut down up to 400 kWh of energy consumption
John Emmanuel Ogbeba,
Cyprus ASHRAE Standard 55 through the year.
2019 [38]
PV generates 2800 W, which provides up to 50% of the
electricity demand.
STPV windows provide 0.26 kWh/per day, which saves
Heating set-point 26 ◦ C around 30% of building load on a typical sunny day.
Hao Tian, 2018 [37] China
Cooling set-point 18 ◦ C Energy-saving of STPV windows was predicted with a
substantial value of 54% in one of the case studies
Using the BIVP model reduced the heating and cooling
Heating set-point 24◦ C loads by 18.2%.
Hyung Jun An, 2018 [34] Korea
Cooling set-point 22 ◦ C The increase in temperature settings affected the
reduction of the heating and cooling loads.

2.3.3. Building Integrated Photovoltaics, Environmental Energy Production


BIPV managed to improve the overall energy performance [33]; for example, PVs have
the potential to cut down around 400 kWh of energy consumption throughout the year,
which provides almost 50% of electricity demand for a single-family detached housing unit
in Cyprus. Solar PV will make a significant contribution to addressing current environ-
mental and energy issues because it is carbon-free and emits no toxins. Furthermore, the
production of cells PV panels requires a significant amount of energy, as well as the use of
toxic chemicals. Silicon tetrachloride, sulphur hexafluoride, and cadmium are examples
of potentially hazardous environmental materials. To address these concerns, many gov-
ernments have enacted policies and legislation to prevent environmental degradation [40].
This includes the recycling of obsolete PV equipment, as well as the disposal of electronic
equipment and the manufacturer0 s responsibility for the eventual disposal or recycling of
the electronic equipment [41]. Although the BIPV method necessitates energy consumption
during the panel0 s cell construction, it is regarded as a far superior alternative to relying on
fossil fuels, which emit greenhouse gases. BIPV use on a large scale can help to mitigate
the greenhouse effect on the atmosphere, as well as other environmental issues like global
warming and air pollution [22].

3. Current State of Renewable Energy/PV Generated


Southeast Asian countries recently moved toward reducing their CO2 emission, and to
reach that target Southeast Asian countries moved on to make Renewable Energy resources
effective in generating. Table 3 summarise the approximate power generation in Southeast
Asian countries using Renewable Energy and focusing on solar PV.

3.1. Initial Cost of the PV Installation in Southeast Asia


Improving building energy efficiency at a later stage is more expensive and sometimes
ineffective. As a result, making early energy design decisions is the most cost-effective
way [42]. According to Shukla [5], in the coming years, BIPV will become more appealing
and competitive. A cost reduction of 25–50% is expected to be sufficient to open the BIPV
market with little or no government support [5]. Furthermore, increasing the accuracy
in electricity yield estimation and applying a structured tariff for the cost analysis will
help to promote the application of PV technology for a more sustainable future [43]. BIPV
adoption in the construction industry remains low due to the high initial capital cost, the
high cost of the BIPV module, and the high cost of BIPV construction [44,45].
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 12 of 20

Table 3. The current state of Renewable Energy and solar energy generation in Southeast Countries
in Megawatt (MW) [8].

Country RE (Hydro, Geothermal, Wind) Solar (PV)


Cambodia 1270 MW 6 MW
Indonesia 6660 MW 12 MW
Laos 4170 MW 1 MW
Malaysia 5470 MW 182 MW
Singapore - 57 MW
Thailand 6023 MW 1.610 MW
Vietnam 46,410 MW -
Philippines 6557 MW 132 MW

3.2. Initial Cost of the PV Installation in Southeast Asia


Improving building energy efficiency at a later stage is more expensive and sometimes
ineffective. As a result, making early energy design decisions is the most cost-effective
way [42]. According to Shukla [5], in the coming years, BIPV will become more appealing
and competitive. A cost reduction of 25–50% is expected to be sufficient to open the BIPV
market with little or no government support [5]. Furthermore, increasing the accuracy
in electricity yield estimation and applying a structured tariff for the cost analysis will
help to promote the application of PV technology for a more sustainable future [43]. BIPV
adoption in the construction industry remains low due to the high initial capital cost, the
high cost of the BIPV module, and the high cost of BIPV construction [44,45].
BIPV performance indicates that all socioeconomic variables should be optimised for
maximum electricity production while maintaining overall thermal comfort in spaces [39].
The integration of PV system as part of building component (wall and glazing panel) is
financially beneficial to the buildings’ in the long-term as it can protect the building at
the same time generate on-site electricity for the buildings’ use [40]. Buildings with PV
systems as glazing reduce energy consumption, electricity costs, CO2 emissions, and have
a shorter payback period due to the PV system0 s one-time installation cost [46]. As a result,
there would be significant cost savings in terms of building materials and labour when
compared to non-solar energy systems [22]. Installation methods have an impact on BIPV
performance, as does payback time. If the installation is done correctly, the payback period
can be reduced to just nine years [22,23]. However, if only a grid-connected PV system
or PV array is used, it should be cost-effective in the long overall 20-year life cycle value.
The life-cycle cost process will be used to measure and assess the payback period, which
includes measuring the current value and the system’s life-cycle time [46,47].
Compared to Europe and North America, the initial cost of BIPV in Southeast Asia
is considered high; for example, the market price range for 4 kW to 12 kW solar PVs
in Malaysia is between $3500 and $9500, which is three times the average price in other
countries. This can be attributed to the country0 s high labour costs and high living costs in
comparison to its neighbouring countries such as Thailand and Indonesia [48]. In addition,
the minimum price of solar modules in Indonesia is $235/kWh prices quickly rise to
between $970/kW and $1400/kW depending on module size, quality, and location [49].
In the United Kingdom, on the other hand, the average price of PV continues to fall.
For example, in 2014, the 3.8 kW PV system cost more than $11,000, but by 2020, the average
cost for 4 kWp is around $8652, which means that there is a 25% loss in just six years [50].
Furthermore, the US market0 s price range for 4 kW is around $8318 after the federal solar
tax credit.

3.3. Feed-in Tariff Policies in Southeast Asia Countries


In 2015, Cambodia was classified as a lower-middle-income country. From 1998 to
2018, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 8%. Despite these
magnificent, Cambodia’s GDP per capita in 2019 is around $1643, ranking it as one of the
lowest in Southeast Asia. Furthermore, approximately five million Cambodians remain
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 13 of 20

without electricity, while electricity tariffs were high because of the country0 s heavy reliance
on imported fossil fuels for power generation, limiting economic competitiveness [51]. In
February 2016, when global solar PV prices had begun to fall, the government issued its
first large-scale tender for a 10 MW solar PV facility at Bavet in Svay Rieng Province. The
tender resulted in a competitive tariff of $0.091 kWh, which is slightly lower than Electricité
du Cambodge (EDC) average supply cost ($0.095 /kWh in 2015) [51].
In 2017, the national cost of production in Indonesia was $0.07/kWh, which indicates
that in areas like West Java, which is mostly powered by low-cost coal-fired power plants,
the government will not spend more than $0.07 /kWh to construct renewable energy
projects [52]. Meanwhile, the cost for solar technology was $0.10/kWh in 2017, making it
difficult for solar technology to compete with coal in Java at such prices Regional production
costs are greater in more distant places, such as Eastern Indonesia. Hence, the state-owned
electric provider Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) will pay more to expand renewables.
In East Nusa Tenggara, for example, the 2017 local production benchmark was around
$0.18/kWh, and the tariff for remote grids is limited to $0.20/kWh [52]. Certain projects
may be feasible at those rates. Renewables are unlikely to be financially viable in areas
where low-cost coal is prevalent, such as Sumatra and Java. Every year, the cost of
production benchmark will change, undermining one of the main benefits of FITs: long-
term and consistent pricing.
On the other hand, Laos announced a goal in 2011 to achieve 30% small-scale renew-
ables in the energy mix by 2025 as part of its renewable energy development strategy.
Laos now has a lot of promise in small-scale hydro and solar energy, which is a more
cost-effective and convenient alternative than large-scale deployment. Laos has not yet
implemented a feed-in tariff or auction policy for the year 2020 [53]. Laos has a limited re-
newable energy regulatory framework and has yet to announce any price rates. For Laos to
provide attractive tax and other fiscal incentives for investors, feed-in tariff mechanisms are
the favoured alternative [53]. For the time being, Laos lacks a separate authority to set elec-
tricity pricing and oversee the execution of power sector operations; each power purchase
agreement is negotiated on an individual basis between the ministry and power producers.
Moreover, Malaysia established a goal of generating roughly 1000 MW of renewable
energy between 2011 and 2015, accounting for 5.5% of the country’s total electricity genera-
tion mix [54]. However, the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) began to
promote sustainable energy as a viable option for the country to achieve energy security,
and to that end, SEDA implemented a FIT programme for holders of a guaranteed quota
generation of electricity from solar panels. The amount of electricity generated is usually
measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), which is based on the amount of sunlight insolated.
In addition, a PV panel with a peak power of 1 watt (1 Wp) can generate 1 to 2 kWh of
electricity per year [54]. Malaysia receives 4 kWh/m2 of daily solar radiation, as well as
more than 10 h of daily sunshine; all these factors make PV system applications more
suitable for generating electricity in Malaysia.
Recently, advanced BIPV system development has increased the life span of PV
systems to more than 30 years, and the estimated minimum payback period for a solar
PV system on Malaysia’s roof façade is six years, making investments in this sector very
profitable, particularly in tropical countries like Malaysia [54,55]. Surprisingly, Singapore’s
government has not implemented any subsidies, such as FIT, but has instead taken steps
to promote and facilitate the use of renewable energy when such technologies become
economically feasible. Another option is to create an R&D support and funding structure
for renewables to create capabilities within the industry [56]. In addition, the Energy
Market Authority (EMA) continues to reduce its regulations to foster corporate innovation.
Thailand’s average daily solar radiation is 5.6–6.7 kWh/m2 , indicating that the country
can use solar radiation as an alternative energy source across the country, potentially
strengthening energy security in the future [57]. Couture and Gagnon’s classification
of FIT remuneration includes four payment elements: technology or fuel, project size,
resource quality at a specific site, and location. Rooftop and ground-mounted PV systems
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 14 of 20

are now eligible for a fixed-price FIT of $0.17/kWh for ground-mounted PV systems
beginning in 2014.
As it is known, FIT are the feed laws, minimum price payments, energy payments, and
standard offer contracts. Furthermore, advanced renewable tariffs, have been demonstrated
to be more effective in stimulating the development of renewable energy resources than
other policies [58]. Currently, a Ministry of Energy does not yet exist in Vietnam. As a
result, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and the government are responsible for
all energy-related policies. In Vietnam, the Electricity Corporation of Vietnam (EVN) has
announced that it will purchase solar power from partners at a rate of $0.0935 kWh, but
this decision only applies to solar photovoltaic technology, unfortunately, not for other
types of solar power generation such as solar concentrators [59]. Furthermore, FIT was
implemented logically and straightforwardly as part of a comprehensive and long-term
programme that included financial incentives. Since its start, the sole modification to the
programme has been a reduction in the rate provided for solar in response to higher-than-
expected demand from developers [52]. In 2016, the Philippines’ FIT policies were deemed
to have one of the highest retail prices in Southeast Asia, which were approximately
$0.17 kWh. Furthermore, the high cost of electricity in the Philippines led to an immediate
increase in renewable energy from 2012 to 2017 [52].

3.4. Government Incentive in Southeast Asia Countries


Although Southeast Asian countries rely primarily on fossil fuels to meet their energy
needs, governments have recently been compelled to take action to develop sustainable
and environmentally friendly energy sources in response to rising energy demand [8].
Because the current policy is used to stabilise energy and ensure economic growth, the
Southeast Asian region is still energy stable. Cambodia’s government adopted a renewable
energy policy in 2013, intending to have 70% of households in all villages fully electrified
by 2030, and the government has published a “Strategic Plan for Green Growth by 2030,
which has been established as a national roadmap. A framework for planned renewable
energy development in rural areas has been developed. It intended to produce electricity
utilising dependable renewable energy technology through the Renewable Electricity
Action Plan [60,61].
The Indonesian government established a national energy policy in 2006. The policy’s
goal is to achieve optimal renewable energy consumption on a national scale by 2025.
Increased use of renewable energy is expected to reduce reliance on gas, coal, and oil by
30%, 33%, and 20%, respectively. Furthermore, renewable energy shares will increase
by 5%. The goal of national energy policy is to maximise the use of renewable energy
sources. Domestic energy demand is expected to quadruple or increase by 15%, by 2025
when compared to 2005 [8,62–64]. On the other hand, Laos has enacted a comprehensive
renewable energy development plan. Unfortunately, the programme did not include water-
based renewable energy, but it did establish a 30% renewable energy share and a 10%
biofuel consumption target. Laos has also built a rural electrification project to meet the
increased demand for electrical energy in the country’s outlying areas [65].
Malaysia, like other Southeast Asian countries, has pushed for a 5% renewable energy
consumption target by 2030 to meet its electrical energy needs. Malaysia made considerable
progress in developing a renewable energy technology roadmap in 2016, considering both
land and ocean potential. In addition, the government has charged The Directorate of
National Authority (NOD) with conducting marine surveillance on Malaysia’s renewable
energy potential [8,66]. Moreover, by 2012 the authority of sustainable energy developers
(SEDA) had been assigned the task to regulate the growth of renewable energy. For the
development of renewable energy, FIT has been introduced to benefit the developer [54].
In addition, the Singaporean government hopes to reduce GHG emissions by 16% by
2020 by signing a global agreement. Nonetheless, the Singapore government has made
several smart and efficient efforts to achieve efficient renewable energy, to achieve carbon
reductions at the BAU level of between 7% and 11% by 2020 [67].
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 15 of 20

Despite the lack of a national renewable energy policy, research institutes and aca-
demics continue to investigate and conduct research on renewable energy’s potential [68];
the Thai government enacted legislation to promote energy conservation (ENCON) through
Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), to achieve a 3–5% renewable energy use target for
all new power generation capacity developments [8,64,66]. The Alternative Energy Devel-
opment Planning Commission has designated geothermal energy and electricity generated
by the sea’s tidal wave as renewable energy sources (AEDP). The combined use of wave
energy and tidal current is expected to generate 2 MW of electricity. However, until recently,
it could not be used to generate electricity.
The Electricity Corporation of Vietnam (EVN) is the sole provider of electricity and the
wholesaler of electricity in Vietnam most of the time. Furthermore, Vietnam must establish
strong policies to encourage the private sector to engage in renewable energy, which will
be backed by energy policy, which may include international treaties, legislation, and
investment incentives. Furthermore, feed-in tariffs are the most appropriate mechanism
because it provides a stable environment for renewable energy investors by offering
either a long-term fixed-price or the electricity market price [59]. Previously, the energy
market in the Philippines was an integrated monopoly controlled by the National Power
Corporation, which oversaw generating, transmitting, and distributing power across the
country. However, since the passage of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, most of the
power generation in the Philippines has been managed by Independent Power Producers
(IPPs) [52]. Furthermore, the state-owned National Transmission Corporation was created
to take over many of the tasks of the National Power Corporation, which is also in charge of
the FIT Allowance fund, which oversees disbursing money to qualified renewable energy
companies. Tariffs collected on consumers support a large portion of the FIT Allowance
budget [52]. The Philippines established and authored the Renewable Energy Act, which
resulted in the formation of a National Renewable Energy Board to address renewable
energy policy, with the primary objective of enhancing the Philippines’ energy security.
In addition, the National Renewable Energy Board recommended FIT rates, which were
ultimately authorised in 2011 [52]. Table 4, summarizing Southeast Asia countries’ targets
for renewable energy generation, policies related to renewable energy, the initial rate of the
feed-in tariff, and initial PV cost for 4 kW PV.

Table 4. Summarise the solar renewable energy situation in Southeast Asia in terms of targets, policies, FIT rates, and the
initial cost of PVs.

Initial PV
Targets for Renewable Policies Related to Initial Rate of Feed-in
Country Cost for 4 kW
Energy Generation Renewable Energy Tariff (USD)
PV (USD)
Increase capacity of
Renewable Energy
Cambodia [51,60,61] hydropower to 2.241 MW $0.091 kWh -
Development Program
by 2020.
Increase share of new and
Energy Law (law no.30)
Indonesia (Java/East renewable energy in
National Energy
Nusa Tenggara) primary energy supply to $0.07/kWh/$0.20/kWh $4800
Implementation
[8,52,62–64,69] reach 23% by 2025
Program 2005–2025
and 31% by 2050.
Achieve 30% share of
Rural Electrification Master
Laos [53,65] renewables in primary - -
Plan (REMP) (2010–2020)
energy supply by 2025.
Renewable Energy Law
Increase the capacity of (2011)
Malaysia [8,48,54,55,66] renewables to 2.080 MW by SEDA Law (2011) $0.26/kWh $3500
2020 and 4.000 MW by 2030. Feed-in Tariff Scheme
(2011)
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 16 of 20

Table 4. Cont.

Initial PV
Targets for Renewable Policies Related to Initial Rate of Feed-in
Country Cost for 4 kW
Energy Generation Renewable Energy Tariff (USD)
PV (USD)
Increase solar photovoltaic
Singapore [56,67,69] capacity to 350 MW - - $13,317 (8 kW)
by 2020.
Rise in the growth of
Power Development Plan
renewable energy
2010–2013
consumption to 30% by 2036;
Renewable and Alternative
This includes
Energy
increasing the share of
Development Plan (AEDP
Thailand [56,58,68] renewables-based $0.12/kWh -
2012–2021)
power generation capacity to
Feed-in Premium (Adder):
20.11% and share
Feed-in tariff (2007)
of renewables in transport
amended (2009) review
fuel consumption to
rate (2013)
25.04% by 2036.
Increase the share of
non-hydro Government’s Decision No.
renewables-based power 37/2011/QD-TTg,
Vietnam [59] $0.0935/kWh -
generation capacity Renewable Energy Act
to 12.5% by 2025 and 21% by (2008)
2030.
Clean Metering,
Triple the installed capacity
Renewable Energy
of renewables-based power
Philippines [52,69] Representative $0.17/kWh $7200 (5 kW)
generation from 2010 level to
Funds, FITs, and Options
15 GW by 2030.
for Green Energy

3.5. Challenges of BIPV Application in Southeast Asia


3.5.1. Climate Challenges
Climate conditions have a significant impact on BIPV efficiency. The primary climatic
factors that influence BIPV efficiency are solar radiance, ambient temperature, cloud cover
and humidity. Continuous solar radiance ensures that the BIPV module or panel operates
at maximum efficiency. Aside from that, if the ambient temperature rises, so does the
temperature of the BIPV module, reducing the module’s performance. Any shading from
the cloud cover on the BIPV reduces power production because it reduces solar radiance.
Ismail [69], conducted a case study on Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB) in Singapore in
2013 and discovered that hybrid systems combining PV panels, battery banks, and diesel
generators were the best option when compared to stand-alone PV or diesel generators.
The BIPV method has had mixed results in other countries, such as India. Instead, it
resulted in the opposite of a poor BIPV method. According to Pillai [8], the hot climate
affected the temperature of internal air inside a BIPV structure and increased it higher than
the ambient outside temperature.
The outcome of any PV system depends on several factors such as type of module,
connection, site (location) and application. Humada et al., 2018 [70] has compared the
performance ratio of PV system output among Southeast Asian countries and found that
the average performance ratio ranges between 70.2% to 79%. This value is lower compared
to other regions, which can achieve up to 85% to 90%.

3.5.2. Feed-In Tariff Policies Challenges


There are several efforts and strategies to promote and support the use of renewable
energy. The feed-in tariff scheme is the most widely applied strategy and has proven
efficient in promoting RE technology by providing benefits to the project owner and
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 17 of 20

ratepayers [71]. However, the price of FIT as offered by the government can also be
unattractive to building owners to adopt the use of BIPV in Southeast Asian countries.
Cambodia was classed as a lower-middle-income country in 2015. Between 1998 and
2018, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose at an annual pace of 8%. Furthermore, this
tender resulted in a competitive rate of $0.091 kWh in 2016, which is slightly lower than
EDC’s average supply cost ($0.095/kWh in 2015). Furthermore, Renewables in Indonesia
are unlikely to be financially feasible in places where low-cost coal is prevalent, such as
Sumatra and Java. The cost of production baseline will change every year, undermining
one of the major benefits of FITs: long-term and stable pricing. However, the feed-in
tariff rates in Malaysia for individual solar PV 4 kW, can reach up to almost $0.26/kWh,
which is almost more than double Solar’s global rate of $0.10/kWh [52,54]. In addition, in
2017, the National Energy Policy Council (NEPC) in Thailand announced that government
agencies would receive a $0.12/kWh incentive (a 30% decrease from the $0.17/kWh rate)
(NEPC, 2017), which is still within range of the global solar rate of $0.1/kWh. Following
its implementation in 2006, the FIT policy increased the total accumulative capacity of
grid-connected New England Power Company projects from 6662 to 3024 MW between
2006 and 2017 [52,57].
Vietnam implemented FIT for solar-generated power in 2017, but the policy is unstable,
which may be linked to the unreasonable price at which electricity would be acquired from
the Electricity Corporation of Vietnam (EVN). As a result, Vietnam’s FIT policy does not
attract investors to invest in the renewable energy industry [59]. On the other hand, in
2016, the Philippines’ FIT regulations were regarded to have one of the highest retail costs
in Southeast Asia, at around $0.17 per kWh. Furthermore, from 2012 to 2017, the high cost
of power in the Philippines resulted in immediate growth in renewable energy.

4. Conclusions
BIPV has proven to be one of the most powerful systems for reducing thermal and
cooling energy consumption while also providing renewable energy. BIPV or energy-
efficient systems, on the other hand, necessitate a significant upfront investment, which
includes labour, delivery, design, and the cost of the modules themselves. However, overall,
it would benefit both consumers and the environment. Energy-saving technologies can be
viewed as a long-term investment toward a better future. Furthermore, the efficiency of
BIPV is affected by several factors such as environment, location, daylighting, and shading,
among others. Moreover, the weather is considered a huge challenge to the efficacy of
BIPV. The primary environmental parameters influencing BIPV efficiency are temperature,
humidity, and solar radiation. As the temperature of the surrounding air rises, so does
the temperature of the BIPV module, reducing the module’s performance. Furthermore,
the consistent sun brightness ensures that the BIPV module or panel functions optimally.
Electricity generation is lowered when the BIPV is shaded because of the sun’s brightness.
In recent years, several techniques as well as innovative technology/products, have
been introduced to improve the architectural integration of PVs in buildings, which im-
proves building comfort by integrating PVs into shading elements. Furthermore, because
user comfort varies from one area to the next, such as the differences between tropical and
moderate climates, the climate has a significant impact on cooling and heating energy use.
The high installing cost of BIPV is another challenge that Southeast Asian countries
face. The most significant impediment is the cost of implementing BIPV technology, which
can be broken down into labour costs, distribution costs, initial costs, and module costs.
Despite the government’s efforts to assist building owners in installing this equipment,
prices remain high. Aside from that, people are satisfied with existing electricity generation
methods such as geothermal and fossil fuel, which are significantly less expensive than
BIPV technology. Furthermore, the governments need to keep updating their feed-in tariff
policies in a way that grabs the householders attention, for example, Malaysia and the
Philippines feed-in tariff is considered successful and profitable, despite the high initial
cost of the PV ($3500–$9500), compared to its neighbouring countries. The basic FIT rate
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 18 of 20

in Malaysia and the Philippines is $0.17 /kWh, and the FIT policy in Malaysia provides
an extra bounce up to $0.9 /kWh when having one or more of the following criteria: use
as an installation in buildings or building structures, use as building materials, use of
locally manufactured or assembled solar PV modules, and use of locally manufactured or
assembled solar inverters. These types of policies give householders the motivation to start
to invest in BIPV, and all Southeast Asian countries should provide and adopt policies such
as these.

Author Contributions: Conceptualization, H.E.R. and A.G.; methodology, H.E.R., A.G. and M.H.M.I.;
validation, H.E.R., A.G. and M.H.M.I.; formal analysis, H.E.R.; investigation, H.E.R.; resources, H.E.R.;
data curation, A.G.; writing—original draft preparation, H.E.R. and A.G.; writing—review and
editing, H.E.R., A.G. and M.H.M.I.; visualization, H.E.R.; supervision, A.G.; project administration,
H.E.R. and A.G.; funding acquisition, A.G. All authors have read and agreed to the published version
of the manuscript.
Funding: This research received funding from Universiti Sains Malaysia Short-Term Research Grant
(304/PPBGN/6315430).
Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable.
Data Availability Statement: Not applicable.
Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank the School of Housing, Building, and Planning
and also Division of Research and Innovation, Universiti Sains Malaysia for providing financial support.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interests.

References
1. Tak, S.; Woo, S.; Park, J.; Park, S. Effect of the Changeable Organic Semi-Transparent Solar Cell Window on Building Energy
Efficiency and User Comfort. Sustainability 2017, 9, 950. [CrossRef]
2. IEA. Southeast Asia Energy Outlook 2019; IEA Publications: Paris, France, 2019.
3. Qiu, C.; Yang, H. Daylighting and overall energy performance of a novel semi-transparent photovoltaic vacuum glazing in
different climate zones. Appl. Energy 2020, 276, 115414. [CrossRef]
4. Krawietz, A.S.A. Sustainable Buildings and BIPV: An International Perspective. SETA Network. 2011. Available online: https:
//www.bre.co.uk/filelibrary/BIPV%202/Silke_Krawietz.pdf (accessed on 11 October 2021).
5. Shukla, A.K.; Sudhakar, K.; Baredar, P.; Mamat, R. BIPV in Southeast Asian countries—Opportunities and challenges. Renew.
Energy Focus 2017, 21, 25–32. [CrossRef]
6. Shukla, A.K.; Sudhakar, K.; Baredar, P.; Mamat, R. BIPV based sustainable building in South Asian countries. Sol. Energy 2018,
170, 1162–1170. [CrossRef]
7. Zomer, C.; Nobre, A.; Reindl, T.; Rüther, R. Shading analysis for rooftop BIPV embedded in a high-density environment: A case
study in Singapore. Energy Build. 2016, 121, 159–164. [CrossRef]
8. Mamat, R.; Sani, M.; Sudhakar, K. Renewable energy in Southeast Asia: Policies and recommendations. Sci. Total Environ. 2019,
670, 1095–1102.
9. Akbar, A.; Rehman, A.; Ullah, I.; Zeeshan, M.; Alam Afridi, F.E. Unraveling the Dynamic Nexus Between Trade Liberalization,
Energy Consumption, CO2 Emissions, and Health Expenditure in Southeast Asian Countries. Risk Manag. Healthc. Policy 2020, 13,
1915. [CrossRef]
10. Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre (A.P.E.R.C). APEC Energy Demand and Supply Outlook, 6th ed.; Asia Pacific Energy Research
Centre: Tokyo, Japan, 2016.
11. Solargis. Weather Data and Software for Solar Power Investments. 2021. Available online: https://solargis.com/ (accessed on 11
October 2021).
12. WeatherSpark.com, C.L.V. The Typical Weather Anywhere on Earth. 2020. Available online: https://weatherspark.com/
(accessed on 11 October 2021).
13. Shubbak, M.H. Reviews, Advances in solar photovoltaics. Technol. Rev. Pat. Trends 2019, 115, 109383.
14. Zahedi, A. Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy; latest developments in the building integrated and hybrid PV systems. Renew. Energy
2006, 31, 711–718. [CrossRef]
15. Bloem, J. Evaluation of a PV-integrated building application in a well-controlled outdoor test environment. Build. Environ. 2008,
43, 205–216. [CrossRef]
16. Yun, G.Y.; McEvoy, M.; Steemers, K. Design and overall energy performance of a ventilated photovoltaic façade. Sol. Energy 2007,
81, 383–394. [CrossRef]
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 19 of 20

17. Yoo, S.-H. Optimization of a BIPV system to mitigate greenhouse gas and indoor environment. Sol. Energy 2019, 188, 875–882.
[CrossRef]
18. Huang, M.J.; Eames, P.C.; Norton, B. Phase change materials for limiting temperature rise in building integrated photovoltaics.
Solar Energy 2006, 80, 1121–1130. [CrossRef]
19. Charron, R.; Athienitis, A.K. Optimization of the performance of double-facades with integrated photovoltaic panels and
motorized blinds. Solar Energy 2006, 80, 482–491. [CrossRef]
20. Fung, T.Y.; Yang, H. Study on thermal performance of semi-transparent building-integrated photovoltaic glazings. Energy Build.
2008, 40, 341–350. [CrossRef]
21. Budhiyanto, A.; Suryabrata, J.A.; Saragih, S. Study of Shading Device Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Performance on Energy Saving;
Petra Christian University: Jawa Timur, Indonezia, 2018.
22. Alim, M.A.; Tao, Z.; Hassan, M.K.; Rahman, A.; Wang, B.; Zhang, C.; Samali, B. Is it time to embrace building integrated
Photovoltaics? A review with particular focus on Australia. Solar Energy 2019, 188, 1118–1133. [CrossRef]
23. Mendis, T.; Pathirana, K.; Kumara, W. Optimised Building Integrated Photovoltaic Systems for Utilisation on Facades in the
Tropical Climate. 2019. Available online: http://ir.kdu.ac.lk/handle/345/2322 (accessed on 11 October 2021).
24. Attoye, D.E.; Hassan, A.; Aoul, K.A.T. A Review on Building Integrated Photovoltaic Façade Customization Potentials. Sustain-
ability 2017, 9, 2287. [CrossRef]
25. Ghazali, A.; Salleh, E.I.; Haw, L.C.; Mat, S.; Sopian, K. Performance and financial evaluation of various photovoltaic vertical
facades on high-rise building in Malaysia. Energy Build. 2017, 134, 306–318. [CrossRef]
26. Radhi, H. Energy analysis of façade-integrated photovoltaic systems applied to UAE commercial buildings. Sol. Energy 2010, 84,
2009–2021. [CrossRef]
27. Attoye, D.E.; Adekunle, T.O.; Tabet Aoul, K.A.; Hassan, A.; Attoye, S.O. A conceptual framework for a building integrated
photovoltaics (BIPV) educative-communication approach. Sustainability 2018, 10, 3781. [CrossRef]
28. Song, A.; Lu, L.; Liu, Z.; Wong, M.S. A Study of Incentive Policies for Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Technology in Hong Kong.
Sustainability 2016, 8, 769. [CrossRef]
29. Kim, A.A.; Reed, D.A.; Choe, Y.; Wang, S.; Recart, C. New building cladding system using independent tilted BIPV panels with
battery storage capability. Sustainability 2019, 11, 5546. [CrossRef]
30. Kim, J.H.; Kim, S.M.; Kim, J.T. Experimental Performance of an Advanced Air-Type Photovoltaic/Thermal (PVT) Collector with
Direct Expansion Air Handling Unit (AHU). Sustainability 2021, 13, 888. [CrossRef]
31. Corrao, R. Mechanical tests on innovative BIPV façade components for energy, seismic, and aesthetic renovation of high-rise
buildings. Sustainability 2018, 10, 4523. [CrossRef]
32. Mesloub, A.; Albaqawy, G.A.; Kandar, M.Z. The OPTIMUM performance of Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) windows
under a semi-arid climate in algerian office buildings. Sustainability 2020, 12, 1654. [CrossRef]
33. Mesloub, A.; Ghosh, A.; Touahmia, M.; Albaqawy, G.; Noaime, E.; Alsolami, B. Performance Analysis of Photovoltaic Integrated
Shading Devices (PVSDs) and Semi-Transparent Photovoltaic (STPV) Devices Retrofitted to a Prototype Office Building in a Hot
Desert Climate. Sustainability 2020, 12, 10145. [CrossRef]
34. An, H.J.; Yoon, J.H.; An, Y.S.; Heo, E. Heating and Cooling Performance of Office Buildings with a-Si BIPV Windows Considering
Operating Conditions in Temperate Climates: The Case of Korea. Sustainability 2018, 10, 4856. [CrossRef]
35. Peng, C.; Huang, Y.; Wu, Z. Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) in architectural design in China. Energy Build. 2011, 43,
3592–3598. [CrossRef]
36. Lu, L.; Law, K.M. Overall energy performance of semi-transparent single-glazed photovoltaic (PV) window for a typical office in
Hong Kong. Renew. Energy 2013, 49, 250–254. [CrossRef]
37. Tian, H.; Zhang, W.; Xie, L.; Wu, Y.; Sun, Y.; Chen, M.; Wang, W.; Wu, X. Study on the Energy Saving Potential for Semi-Transparent
PV Window in Southwest China. Energies 2018, 11, 3239. [CrossRef]
38. Ogbeba, J.E.; Hoskara, E. The Evaluation of Single-Family Detached Housing Units in terms of Integrated Photovoltaic Shading
Devices: The Case of Northern Cyprus. Sustainability 2019, 11, 593. [CrossRef]
39. Fan, Z.; Yang, Z.; Yang, L. Daylight performance assessment of atrium skylight with integrated semi-transparent photovoltaic for
different climate zones in China. Build. Environ. 2021, 190, 107299. [CrossRef]
40. Ismail, A.M.; Ramirez-Iniguez, R.; Asif, M.; Munir, A.B.; Muhammad-Sukki, F. Progress of solar photovoltaic in ASEAN countries:
A review. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 2015, 48, 399–412. [CrossRef]
41. Vaka, M.; Walvekar, R.; Rasheed, A.K.; Khalid, M. A review on Malaysia’s solar energy pathway towards carbon-neutral Malaysia
beyond Covid’19 pandemic. J. Clean. Prod. 2020, 273, 122834. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
42. Yau, Y.; Lim, K. Energy analysis of green office buildings in the tropics—Photovoltaic system. Energy Build. 2016, 126, 177–193.
[CrossRef]
43. Van Vuuren, D.J.; Marnewick, A.L.; Pretorius, J.H.C. Validation of a Simulation-Based Pre-Assessment Process for Solar Photo-
voltaic Technology Implemented on Rooftops of South African Shopping Centres. Sustainability 2021, 13, 2589. [CrossRef]
44. Zhang, T.; Wang, M.; Yang, H.J.E. A review of the energy performance and life-cycle assessment of building-integrated photo-
voltaic (BIPV) systems. Energies 2018, 11, 3157. [CrossRef]
45. Aaditya, G.; Mani, M. Climate-responsive integrability of building-integrated photovoltaics. Int. J. Low Carbon Technol. 2013, 8,
271–281. [CrossRef]
Sustainability 2021, 13, 12952 20 of 20

46. Chow, T.; Chan, A.; Fong, K.; Lin, Z.; He, W.; Ji, J. Annual performance of building-integrated photovoltaic/water-heating system
for warm climate application. Appl. Energy 2009, 86, 689–696. [CrossRef]
47. Fudholi, A.; Sopian, K.; Yazdi, M.H.; Ruslan, M.H.; Ibrahim, A.; Kazem, H.A. Performance analysis of photovoltaic thermal (PVT)
water collectors. Energy Convers. Manag. 2014, 78, 641–651. [CrossRef]
48. Bhd, E.S. How Much does a Solar Energy System Cost in Malaysia? 2021. Available online: https://www.nextenergy.my/how-
much-does-a-solar-energy-system-cost-in-malaysia/ (accessed on 11 October 2021).
49. Ltd., M.P. Why Indonesia Struggles to Tap Its Solar Energy Potential. 2021. Available online: https://www.channelnewsasia.
com/climate-change/why-indonesia-struggles-tap-its-solar-energy-potential-1339626 (accessed on 11 October 2021).
50. Clissitt, C. Solar Panel Costs 2021. 2021. Available online: https://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/solar-panels/cost (accessed on 11
October 2021).
51. Tharakan, P.; Connett, D.; Yeneza, G.; Planas, F.V.; Thukral, K. Crowding in Private Capital to Enable Cambodia’s Clean Energy
Evolution. FINANCING CLEAN ENERGY IN DEVELOPING ASIA. 2021. Available online: http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.
org.in/files/file/Financing%20Clean%20Energy%20in%20Developing%20Asia.pdf#page=136 (accessed on 11 October 2021).
52. Guild, J. Feed-in-tariffs and the politics of renewable energy in Indonesia and the Philippines. Asia Pac. Policy Stud. 2019, 6,
417–431. [CrossRef]
53. Vakulchuk, R.; Chan, H.Y.; Kresnawan, M.R.; Merdekawati, M.; Overland, I.; Sagbakken, H.F.; Yurnaidi, Z. Lao PDR: How to
Attract More Investment in Small-Scale Renewable Energy? Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI): Oslo, Norway„ 2020.
54. Malik, S.A.; Ayop, A.R. Solar energy technology: Knowledge, awareness, and acceptance of B40 households in one district of
Malaysia towards government initiatives. Technol. Soc. 2020, 63, 101416. [CrossRef]
55. Husain, A.A.; Ahmad Phesal, M.H.; Abdul Kadir, M.Z.; Ungku Amirulddin, U.A. Short Review on Recent Solar PV Policies in
Malaysia. In E3S Web of Conferences; EDP Sciences: Les Ulis, France, 2020.
56. Bhunia, P. How the Singapore Government Plans to Boost Solar Power Capacity to 1 Gigawatt Peak beyond 2020 from 140
Megawatt Peak Today. 2017. Available online: https://opengovasia.com/how-the-singapore-government-plans-to-boost-solar-
power-capacity-to-1-gigawatt-peak-beyond-2020-from-140-megawatt-peak-today/ (accessed on 11 October 2021).
57. Sagulpongmalee, K.; Therdyothin, A.; Nathakaranakule, A. Analysis of feed-in tariff models for photovol-taic systems in Thailand:
An evidence-based approach. J. Renew. Sustain. Energy 2019, 11, 045903. [CrossRef]
58. Minh, P.V.; Le Quang, S.; Pham, M.H. The Effect of Retail Electricity Price Levels on the FI Values of Smart-Grid Rooftop Solar
Power Systems: A Case Study in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Sustainability 2021, 13, 3528. [CrossRef]
59. Lan, T.T.; Techato, K.; Jirakiattikul, S. The Challenge of Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) Policies Applied to the Development of Electricity
from Sustainable Resources–Lessons for Vietnam. Int. Energy J. 2019, 19, 199–212.
60. Terabe, S.; Takada, K.; Yai, T. International cooperation in transportation research among East Asian countries: Experience of the
Eastern Asia society for transportation studies (EASTS). Case Stud. Transp. Policy 2017, 5, 55–60. [CrossRef]
61. Mahapatra, M.; Upadhyaya, S.; Aviso, S.; Babu, A.; Hutchings, G.; Parida, S. Selection of vaccine strains for serotype O foot-and-
mouth disease viruses (2007–2012) circulating in Southeast Asia, East Asia and Far East. Vaccine 2017, 35, 7147–7153. [CrossRef]
[PubMed]
62. Mendoza, J.M.F.; Schmid, A.G.; Rivera, X.C.S.; Rieradevall, J.; Azapagic, A. Sustainability assessment of home-made solar cookers
for use in developed countries. Sci. Total. Environ. 2019, 648, 184–196. [CrossRef]
63. Pambudi, N.A. Geothermal power generation in Indonesia, a country within the ring of fire: Current status, future development
and policy. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 2018, 81, 2893–2901. [CrossRef]
64. Kusumadewi, T.V.; Limmeechokchai, B. CO2 mitigation in residential sector in Indonesia and Thailand: Potential of renewable
energy and energy efficiency. Energy Procedia 2017, 138, 955–960. [CrossRef]
65. Riva, F.; Ahlborg, H.; Hartvigsson, E.; Pachauri, S.; Colombo, E. Electricity access and rural development: Review of complex
socio-economic dynamics and causal diagrams for more appropriate energy modelling. Energy Sustain. Dev. 2018, 43, 203–223.
[CrossRef]
66. Dellano-Paz, F.; Calvo-Silvosa, A.; Antelo, S.I.; Soares, I. Energy planning and modern portfolio theory: A review. Renew. Sustain.
Energy Rev. 2017, 77, 636–651. [CrossRef]
67. Ali, Q.; Khan, M.T.I. Dynamics between financial development, tourism, sanitation, renewable energy, trade and total reserves in
19 Asia cooperation dialogue members. J. Clean. Prod. 2018, 179, 114–131. [CrossRef]
68. Narayan, S.; Doytch, N. An investigation of renewable and non-renewable energy consumption and economic growth nexus
using industrial and residential energy consumption. Energy Econ. 2017, 68, 160–176. [CrossRef]
69. Ismail, M.S.; Moghavvemi, M.; Mahlia, T.M.I. Techno-economic analysis of an optimized photovoltaic and diesel generator hybrid
power system for remote houses in a tropical climate. Energy Convers. Manag. 2013, 69, 163–173. [CrossRef]
70. Humada, A.M.; Aaref, A.M.; Hamada, H.M.; Sulaiman, M.H.; Amin, N.; Mekhilef, S. Modeling and characterization of a
grid-connected photovoltaic system under tropical climate conditions. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 2018, 82, 2094–2105. [CrossRef]
71. Ramli, M.A.; Twaha, S. Analysis of renewable energy feed-in tariffs in selected regions of the globe: Lessons for Saudi Arabia.
Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 2015, 45, 649–661. [CrossRef]

You might also like