Feasibility analysis of solar photovoltaic array cladding on commercial towers in Doha, Qatar - a case study

Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technology has become a major area of research due to environ-mental concerns. This article studies the feasibility of cladding high-rise towers in Doha with solar photovoltaic modules. Specifically, the case of the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) is discussed. The major aim of the work is to evaluate the technical feasibility, economic impact and environmental effects of using photovoltaic panels on commercial towers in Qatar. Experimental data on solar irradiance and the effect of shading on the QFC Tower are presented. Numerical calculations are done using solar pathfinder software. The studies show that, although there is a significant amount of saving in CO2 emission by using BIPV on towers in Doha, the payback period is still very long due to the cheaper cost of grid electricity in Qatar and poor conversion efficiency of PV panels. The complete system layout is presented and viable solutions are investigated. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.