Do thin film PV modules offer an advantage under partial shading conditions

Building Integrated PhotoVoltaics (BIPV) is one of the fastest growing segments of the photovoltaic industry worldwide. More than 25 years development has brought to the market diversified products for seamless integration into the building envelope by using a variety of PV technologies. One of the biggest loss factors, though, for such applications are the partial shading phenomena caused by shading elements on the roof or in close proximity such as chimneys, dormers, trees, poles etc. These shadings may have a detrimental effect mostly on the performance but sometimes also on the reliability of the PV modules used in BIPV applications.