Autonomous design framework for deploying building integrated photovoltaics

Qingxiang Li, Guidong Yang, Chenhang Bian, Lingege Long, Xinyi Wang, Chuanxiang Gao, Choi Lam Wong, Yijun Huang, Benyun Zhao, Xi Chen and Ben M. Chen

Applied Energy, 2025, vol. 377, issue PD, No S0306261924021433

Abstract: The advancements in perovskite solar cells present promising prospects for the widespread deployment of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPVs). Finding an efficient and accurate approach is essential to provide deployment strategies for decision support. This study develops an autonomous decision-making design framework for BIPV, including data collection, 3D modeling, and deployment strategy. For data collection, an open-source unmanned aerial vehicle platform is produced to execute an innovation explore-then-exploit algorithm for viewpoints generation and path planning. Subsequently, point cloud models of buildings are generated using a unique deep learning-based multi-view stereo network and then converted into polygonal surface models. Moreover, a novel Grasshopper plugin component is developed to assess the economic performance of various BIPV layouts by life cycle cost analysis. Based on the analysis results, potential BIPV deployment strategies are provided to support the decision-making process. The effectiveness of the framework is validated through its application in an industrial building in Hong Kong, demonstrating a 7.6 % discrepancy in the average annual solar radiation access value. Finally, two BIPV deployment strategies are proposed for the building. This study has significant implications for the design and deployment of PV systems in urban environments, representing an important step towards supporting the transition to sustainable and low-carbon cities.

Keywords: Path planning; 3D modeling; Life cycle cost assessment; UAV; Solar potential (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261924021433
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:appene:v:377:y:2025:i:pd:s0306261924021433

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 405891/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.124760

Access Statistics for this article

Applied Energy is currently edited by J. Yan

More articles in Applied Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().