DEVELOPMENT OF PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES INTEGRATED WITH A METAL CURTAIN WALL

New type photovoltaic (PV) modules integrated with a metal curtain wal l have been developed. In this research, experimental walls (Yoshino e t al., Proc. Ist World Conf. on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, Hawaii , 1994, pp. 969-972) were made in 1994 for evaluating the energy outpu t performance of the PV modules. Basic data on output characteristics and temperature were obtained accordingly under different PV submodule installation conditions. Based on these fundamental data, the demonst ration wall was designed and constructed. From the results of examinat ions, PV submodule installation conditions, the annual energy output, and the temperature rise depression effect are described in this paper . Major contents of the module specifications, the construction method , and results of construction material performance tests are also desc ribed.