ABSTRACT
A PV module is basically designed and manufactured for outdoor use. All products available are suitable for exposure to sun, rain and other climatic influences. These circumstances make possible the use of PV modules as part of the building skin. Many different types of module technologies are available. However, not all of them are useful for building integration. In the past, modules used to be specifically designed for energy generation and the building element function was neglected. Fut-ure considerations aim at designing building elements which also deliver electrical energy. The module configuration is described in Chapter 5. The various module types such as monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous silicon have differing aesthetic considerations. The colour of monocrystalline cells varies from uniform black to a dark grey with a uniform surface structure. In contrast, the structure of polycrystalline cells shows irregular grey-to-blue coloured crystals. In both types, the current gathering grid lines are well visible as a silver or black metallic colour. This may change in the future, as the grid colour is better matched to the colour of the cells. Many types of modules and laminates are available with mono- or polycrystalline cells. For semi-transparent modules the space between the single cells is enlarged to let light pass through. Custom-designed modules allow an individual quality of the light transmission. In addition, the colour of the back sheet for non-transparent modules can be selected.
