Frost & Sullivan believes that the Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) market is set for continued growth in the coming years but will need to resolve issues over aesthetics and finance and overall ownership. The market research firm said that the whole photovoltaics market saw sales of €6.24 billion in 2007, resulting in a growth rate of 46 percent. The emerging BIPV market saw sales of €149 million, an annual growth rate of 33 percent.
Frost & Sullivan analyst Akhil Sivanandan, of the Building Technologies Group said in relation to BIPV concerns that, “Market participants across Europe will now have to find ways to handle what many consider to be the two main challenges facing the BIPV market right now: the aesthetics of BIPV and the financing and ownership of the system.”
With Europe at the forefront of solar energy adoption, Sivanandan believes that the BIPV market will continue to grow in that region using both conventional crystalline solar cells as well as thin-film technologies.
