Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1431464
11 21 NOVEMBER 2021 A mong various renewable energy technologies, solar PV energy generation has seen enormous progress over recent years and today, is one of the lowest-cost energy sources in Europe. PV is a modular energy unit and can be integrated into almost all infrastructure as a construction element, including building roofs and façades, what is commonly known as Building Integrated PV (BIPV). Therefore, it is also a keystone for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs). BIPV constructions have achieved a high level of technical maturity. ere is also ample ev- idence for impressive design flex- ibility in numerous model build- ings all over the EU. e biggest portion in the value chain of BIPV installations is and will come from within the EU, where the front- runners in these novel construc- tion technologies are located. An increased share of BIPV in the building stock would con- tribute significantly to a reduced ecological footprint, would cre- ate jobs in the PV construction and installation industries and improve the quality of life and attractiveness of European cities overall. Distributed energy gen- eration within the premises of a municipality would also reduce requirements for grid extensions and increase resiliance and stabili- ty of the power network. Despite its potential, there are several hurdles to overcome if we are to see BIPV as a common part of our cities' landscapes. ese hurdles are mostly related to the low renovation rates and slow in- tegration of on-site renewables in cities, but also with the historical lack of awareness of the benefits of BIPV products. European cities are no exception: today 75% of Europeans live in ur- ban areas, already facing increas- ing challenges related to poor air quality, energy poverty, and living in highly inefficient buildings. To cope with the size of the chal- lenge and become carbon-neu- tral by 2050, European cities will have to accelerate the deployment of renewable energies and foster significant investments in energy efficiency, with a particular focus on their building stock, which ac- counts for 49% of Europe's energy demand and 36% of CO2 emis- sions at EU level. e fight against climate change and the transition to greener city environments is an unprecedent- ed opportunity for European cities to develop, become more innovative, create local jobs and growth their economies ensuring a more attractive and sustainable environment for their citizens. For these reasons, an increasing number of cities have committed to building a zero-carbon econ- omy and pioneer a decentralised approach to the energy transition. Initiatives such as the Covenant of Mayors, C40 and Energy Cities clearly demonstrate how Europe- an cities have embraced their role as leaders in driving global action to address climate change. While rooftop solar installations (Building Applied PV, BAPV) are becoming increasingly competi- tive and market-ready, the rooftop only represents a minor fraction of the building's available surface area and thus most of the building's potential for generating renew- able energy on façades remains untapped. e unique nature of Building Integrated PV (BIPV) technologies offer an opportunity to address this challenge and sig- nificantly multiply the contribution that now mostly stems from roof- top solar installations. In order to achieve sustainable goals in cities, harvesting the full potential of the building stock (façades, windows, etc.) for renewable energy gener- ation is required. is local pho- tovoltaic infrastructure provides direct on-site renewable electricity generation, not only for heating and cooling, but also for e-mobili- ty. It reduces the need for massive grid extensions and improves grid stability in a progressively "electri- fied" city infrastructure. e combination of localised PV electricity, storage, and local supply and demand management makes buildings the smallest unit in a smart grid of its own. Once the necessary technology and control mechanisms are devel- oped, the next step of linking mul- tiple smart buildings will contrib- ute to the widespread deployment of smart grid technology. is requires the development of control systems for grid-feed- ing, self-consumption, and local storage and standardisation of the interoperability of such control systems. Europe is a world leader in BIPV technology with unique proper- ties. ese innovative products promise to become the con- struction product of the future. BIPV modules as a construction element may be combined with insulation and other elements to improve the energy efficiency of a building. Its modular nature adapts to almost any urban en- vironment: roofs, façades, win- dows, sound barriers, roads. A very valuable asset is also its flex- ible design enabling cities to pre- serve their architectural identity and comply with heritage preser- vation. e fabrication and installation of a "solar skin", a BIPV instal- lation, requires a local industry. is industry needs to be pro- moted and cultivated as it can transform Europe's urban ener- gy landscape, improve the living conditions of urban dwellers and create jobs. is new industry is a key prerequisite to reduce the car- bon footprint of cities. Source: PhotoVoltaic – European Technology and Innovation Plat- form An opportunity for greener cities Figure 5 PV capacity and production under policy scenario between 2021 - 2030, MW/GWh. Electricity generation from waste-to-energy plants is expected to contribute a relatively small share to the RES-E trajectory as shown in Figure 6. Figure 6 RES Electricity trajectory between 2021-2030, GWh. RES-Heating and Cooling Renewable energy in the heating and cooling sector is projected to contribute to 40-54% (depending on the policy scenario) of Malta's RES contribution in 2030. - 50.00 100.00 150.00 200.00 250.00 300.00 350.00 400.00 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 MW/GWh New installations (MW) Repowering (MW) Production (GWh) 0.00 50.00 100.00 150.00 200.00 250.00 300.00 350.00 400.00 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 GWh PV Waste to Energy (electricity) Figure 5 PV capacity and production under policy scenario between 2021 - 2030, MW/GWh. Electricity generation from waste-to-energy plants is expected to contribute a relatively small share to the RES-E trajectory as shown in Figure 6. Figure 6 RES Electricity trajectory between 2021-2030, GWh. RES-Heating and Cooling Renewable energy in the heating and cooling sector is projected to contribute to 40-54% (depending on the policy scenario) of Malta's RES contribution in 2030. - 50.00 100.00 150.00 200.00 250.00 300.00 350.00 400.00 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 MW/GWh New installations (MW) Repowering (MW) Production (GWh) 0.00 50.00 100.00 150.00 200.00 250.00 300.00 350.00 400.00 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 GWh PV Waste to Energy (electricity) PV capacity and production under policy scenario in Malta between 2021 - 2030, MW/GWh Malta's RES Electricity trajectory between 2021-2030, GWh