How to choose a suitable BIPV product supplier?

With the increasing popularity of the concept of green buildings, photovoltaic building integration (BIPV) is gradually becoming mainstream. Compared with traditional solar panels, BIPV not only has the function of power generation, but also can be used as an important part of the building structure, combining energy saving and aesthetic value. Faced with a wide range of BIPV products and numerous suppliers on the market, enterprises or developers will inevitably face difficulties in choosing during the procurement process. This article will start from multiple dimensions and analyze in detail the factors that should be considered when selecting BIPV product suppliers to help you make rational judgments and scientific decisions.

1. Clarifying needs is the first prerequisite

Before choosing a BIPV supplier, the most important thing is to clarify your own project needs. BIPV has a wide variety of application scenarios, such as:

Commercial building curtain walls

Industrial plant roofs

Residential skylights and sun rooms

Carports and corridor sunshades for real estate projects

Public infrastructure such as stations, parking lot roofs, etc.

Each application scenario corresponds to different product specifications (such as thickness, transparency, power generation efficiency, color customization, etc.) and technical support requirements. Before screening suppliers, companies should make a list based on project type, structural requirements, budget constraints, construction period, etc., so as to know what to do and avoid being led by suppliers during the selection process.

2. Focus on the supplier's R&D and technical strength

BIPV technology has a high threshold and involves multiple interdisciplinary fields such as photoelectric conversion, building structure, and safety protection. An excellent BIPV supplier must have the following technical capabilities:

Product R&D capabilities

Does it have an independent R&D team? Have you participated in national/local scientific and technological innovation projects? Do you have independent intellectual property rights?

Material and process level

Are the photovoltaic materials used high-quality monocrystalline silicon/thin films? Does the packaging process use double-glass interlayer and PVB lamination? Does it support building-level protection such as fireproofing, waterproofing, and dustproofing?

Conversion efficiency and attenuation control capabilities

Solar energy conversion efficiency is one of the core indicators for measuring BIPV performance; at the same time, the attenuation rate of the component (usually <10% within 5 years and <20% within 25 years) is also a parameter that must be evaluated.

Personalized customization capabilities

Can customized production be carried out according to the architectural design, such as glass color, size, light transmittance, assembly form, etc.?

It is recommended that enterprises focus on whether suppliers have passed domestic and foreign photovoltaic-related certifications such as IEC 61215, IEC 61730, GB/T 50796, etc., which reflects their professionalism in technology and quality management.

3. Pay attention to project experience and engineering cases

Talking about war on paper is always shallow. The real test of the supplier's strength is its past actual project experience. When choosing a supplier, enterprises should actively ask for the following information:

Are there large or iconic BIPV project cases?

Can a third-party engineering acceptance report be provided?

Does it have overseas engineering service experience?

Does it have an independent construction team or a stable cooperative construction party?

Suppliers with rich project experience can often provide you with more mature solutions, avoid primary errors, save communication costs, and improve project efficiency. Especially in large public projects or landmark projects, suppliers with actual implementation cases are more convincing.

4. Pay attention to the matching of delivery capabilities and production capacity

In photovoltaic building projects, product delivery time is closely related to the construction cycle. Once the supplier fails to deliver in time, it will affect the overall project progress and even lead to breach of contract. When choosing a BIPV supplier, you should focus on the following:

Does it have its own production base?

What is the annual production capacity? Can it match the quantity required for your project?

Does it support batch delivery? Can it respond quickly to additional orders?

Is there a complete quality inspection and factory inspection process?

It is worth noting that BIPV products are customized non-standard products. Once the supplier's production line is unstable or the purchase of raw materials is limited, it is very easy to cause supply delays. Therefore, it is recommended to give priority to companies with a stable supply chain and standardized management system (such as ISO 9001/14001 certification).

5. Service system determines the cooperation experience

In BIPV projects, suppliers are not only sellers, but also a system integration partner. From initial design, solution optimization, sample trial production, mass production, transportation and delivery, installation and construction to later maintenance, the project requires suppliers to provide full-cycle services. When judging service capabilities, you can refer to:

Do you provide preliminary design assistance?

Are there professional technicians to assist in on-site surveys and system integration?

Do you provide installation technical guidance?

Have customer feedback and after-sales processing mechanisms been established?

Do you promise a product warranty period (such as 25-year power warranty, 10-year product warranty)?

A responsible BIPV supplier should be able to provide "one-stop service" to assist customers in completing the entire process from design to operation.

6. Cost-effectiveness: Not just a price issue

"Price" is always an important consideration for companies when purchasing, but in products such as BIPV that involve multiple links, high degree of customization, and strong technical content, it is not wise to simply compare prices. The following points should be comprehensively evaluated:

Price per watt VS overall system cost

Material life and performance stability

Post-operation and maintenance costs

Power generation efficiency and comprehensive energy consumption return

Project acceptance and subsidy qualification

It is recommended to use the life cycle cost (LCC) model to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of each supplier, rather than just using the unit price as a basis for judgment. Suppliers who invest more in materials, packaging, and system design can often bring higher long-term returns.

7. Word of mouth and reputation cannot be ignored

Finally, companies can examine the reputation of suppliers in the industry in the following ways:

Search online for negative information or legal disputes

Consult industry associations, design institutes, and engineering general contractors for recommended lists

Reference to customer reviews and project return records

Review authoritative materials such as annual reports, qualification certificates, and bidding documents

If possible, you can also arrange to visit the factory and visit the site of its built projects to understand its true capabilities and reputation in the most direct way.

BIPV is not only a green energy application, but also an important development direction for the future of construction. Choosing a reliable BIPV product supplier is not only a purchasing behavior, but also the beginning of long-term cooperation and brand co-building. I hope that the analysis in this article can provide valuable reference for you who are preparing for a project or seeking cooperation.

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Wuxi Fgnex Technology Co., Ltd.