Title: Evaluation of environmental impacts of a building-integrated photovoltaic system by the RIAM method

Authors: Gustavo Gonçalves; Raphael Abrahão

Addresses: Center of Alternative and Renewable Energy (CEAR-UFPB), Campus I – Lot. Cidade Universitaria, PB, 58051-900, Brazil ' Center of Alternative and Renewable Energy (CEAR-UFPB), Campus I – Lot. Cidade Universitaria, PB, 58051-900, Brazil

Abstract: Renewable energy sources are seen as solutions to climate change mitigation. Building-integrated photovoltaic systems attach components to the structure of the building. Using the rapid impact assessment matrix approach, this study attempted to identify and assess the environmental implications of a photovoltaic model sized to match a specific electrical consumption. In total, 14 different components and 22 environmental consequences were found. Of these, seven were in the physical/chemical category, 14 economic/operational, two social/cultural and one biological/ecological, being 33.3% +D, 16.8% -B, 12.5% -D, 4.2% +A, 8.3% +C, -C, +B and -A. The most significant positive effects were connected to local economic development, electrical supply security, and grid decarbonisation. Negative effects were linked to visibility of the original structure as well as worker safety concerns. The system itself is a solution to meet the electrical demand in places that face land use and occupation conflicts, due to its structure's integration.

Keywords: BIPV; solar energy; land use; climate changes; sustainable energy; electrical grid decarbonisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2023.129478

International Journal of Global Warming, 2023 Vol.29 No.3, pp.173 - 193

Received: 05 Oct 2021
Accepted: 05 Mar 2022
Published online: 10 Mar 2023 *

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