A dramatic rise in the implementation of renewable energy sources is needed if we want to meet European climate protection targets. Photovoltaic (PV) costs have decreased spectacularly over time, turning photovoltaics into one of the most competitive sources of electricity in the EU. An economically feasible and space-saving approach to increase the capacity of renewable energy sources is to integrate PV systems into structures that already exist or to build new structures that originally integrate a PV function. Building-integrated and infrastructure-integrated PV are technologically proven solutions. Due to its multifunctionality, building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) installations can achieve a better economic and ecological balance over their lifetime than conventional building elements. New technologies for PV cells, electrical connections, and front and back covers allow a free choice of formats and colours for integrated PV modules. Likewise, infrastructure-integrated PV offers a large potential for PV integration, due to the unique advantages of somewhat standardized constructions, little emphasis on aesthetics and a small number of builders and owners compared to the building sector. However, integrated PV (IPV) is still a niche market. Several barriers are still preventing the massive integration of PV into buildings and infrastructure. The project MASS-IPV has been conceived as a multidisciplinary action that connects key players along the PV and construction value chains. The goal of the project is to demonstrate that suitable tools, technologies, and methods, combined with a collaboration framework among key stakeholders, can overcome the barriers preventing the mass deployment of IPV and deliver multifunctional and cost-effective IPV systems for buildings and infrastructure. Six different built objects will be used to demonstrate the technology, representing different construction typologies in five different locations in Europe.

EnergyMatching aims at developing adaptive and adaptable envelope and building solutions for maximizing RES (Renewable Energy Sources) harvesting: versatile click&go substructure for different cladding systems (R3), solar window package (R4), modular appealing BIPV envelope solutions (R5), RES harvesting package to heat and ventilate (R6). Such solutions are integrated into energy efficient building concepts for self-consumers connected in a local area energy network (energyLAN). The energyLAN is designed to fullfil comprehensive economic rationales (organised by geo-cluster), including balancing cost and performance targets, through the energy harvesting business enhancer platform (R1), which handles different stakeholders benefits, risks and overall cash flows, and it will be exploited to develop specific business models. Operational strategies of the energyLAN are driven by the building and districrt energy harvesting management system (R7). EnergyMatching focuses on residential buildings to open up the highest potential in terms of NZEB target and optimisation of building integrated RES in the 4 seasons. EnergyMatching buildings are active elements of the energy network and as energy partners they consume, produce, store and supply energy and as self-consumers they transform the EU energy market from centralised, fossil-fuel based national systems to a decentralised, renewable, interconnected and adaptive system. EnergyMatching optimisation tool (R2) enables the best matching between local RES-based energy production and building load profiles, and simplifies the energy demand management for the energy distributors. EnergyMatching addresses positive public perception of RES integration, by developing active envelope solution with high aesthetical value and flexibility to cope with different architectural concepts. The proposed solar active skin technologies are easily connectable at mechanical (R3), building energy system (R4-R6) and energy network level (R7).

Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technology has the potential to significantly contribute to the achievement of the demanding energy efficiency targets set by the EU, however, its market uptake has been hindered in the past years by the difficulties of the industry in providing holistic solutions complying with key demands from decision makers and end-users. In this sense, it is a common perception that a joint industrial effort is needed to conceive and develop highly-efficient and multifunctional energy producing construction materials, in order to provide market opportunities at a world-wide level for the European photovoltaic and construction industry value chains. This market deployment depends critically on the achievement of ambitious targets in terms of significant cost reduction, flexibility of design, high performance, reliability in the long-term, aesthetics, standardization and compliance with legal regulations. Within this context, the main objective of BIPVBOOST project is to bring down the cost of multifunctional building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems, limiting the overcost with respect to traditional, non-PV, construction solutions and non-integrated PV modules, through an effective implementation of short and medium-term cost reduction roadmaps addressing the whole BIPV value chain and demonstration of the contribution of the technology towards mass realization of nearly Zero Energy Buildings. In order to address these global objectives and maximize the impacts, the project will optimally combine and demonstrate in real operation conditions: (i) a completely flexible and automated BIPV manufacturing and control line, (ii) a large portfolio of multifunctional BIPV products optimally integrated in the building envelope, (iii) process and energy management innovation based on digitalization and (iv) advanced standardization activities supporting the qualification of BIPV systems for a massive implementation in the building skin.