Optimized Energy-Performance of Building Integrated Photovoltaic Systems in Hot and Arid Regions of South Africa

Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technologies are practical solutions to counteract the dire menace of global warming on humans and built environment while providing pragmatic principles that enables practitioners and policymakers in designing new and existing buildings. This study seeks to investigate how the energy-performance of this technology in buildings is beneficial to South Africa’s hot and arid climate zones due to abundant solar energy. Thus, a hypothetical modelled residential building, designed for Nelspruit and Upington was selected as a case study for parametric simulation. By considering tilt angles (20°, 26° and 30°), installation capacity, and azimuth angles (oriented in east–west direction and northwards), the analysis determined these systems’ operating energy performance. The findings indicate that generated energy and power output by the BIPV modules were higher in Upington than Nelspruit. Meanwhile, findings revealed that the lowest energy outputs were recorded at greater inclination angles. The BIPV modules produced the highest amount of energy for residential buildings in both locations, but, at lower tilt angles. Moreover, BIPV systems facing the east–west split outperformed north-ward orientations at very significant rates of about 48% and delivered greater energy outputs. The study concluded that optimized BIPV systems can generate clean energy for buildings’ energy efficiency, aid in energy conservation, combat climate change, and help the nation uphold its international climate commitments. The study recommended that large-scale BIPV demonstration projects be built and improved in South Africa’s hot and dry regions to show the public and industry stakeholders the benefits and efficacy of these systems.