Crystalline Silicon Solar PV Integration in Residential Buildings: Case Studies From Solar Decathlon Middle East

The integration of crystalline silicon solar PV modules in the built environment holds immense potential for sustainable development in the Middle East. Optimizing PV performance, however, in the hot and harsh climate presents several challenges. Through the Solar Decathlon Middle East competitions, international university teams demonstrated innovative approaches to enhance the performance of building-integrated c-Si PV systems in the region. This paper investigates the PV systems and unique strategies adopted by the teams to boost energy performance, considering approaches like passive and active cooling, bifacial PV integration, and tracking systems. Besides their key role, implementing these advances can lead to additional benefits such as energy and cost savings.