I have been an advocate Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) systems in Southeast for a number of years and have witnessed a lot of the major challenges to adoption. Combining the years of knowledge and experience to new technologies, such as Web3, is pretty exciting to think about and may help resolve some of those challenges to adoption. Here are some ideas that Web3 can be combined to improve the sustainability and efficiency of a building project with BIPV systems:
- Smart Contracts for Energy Trading: Web3 technology means we can create decentralised applications that can enable the trading of energy on a peer-to-peer basis. BIPV systems can be integrated with smart contracts to enable the automatic trading of surplus energy generated to others, such as neighbouring buildings or elsewhere in the grid. This can potentially create a more efficient and sustainable ecosystem, where excess energy is not wasted. Instead surplus energy can automated to transfer to those who need it.
- Blockchain-based Energy Monitoring and Energy Management: Web3 technology can be used to create a blockchain-based energy monitoring system so there can be a more transparent and secure tracking of energy production and consumption in a building. BIPV systems can be integrated with this monitoring system to provide real-time data on the energy generated. This can help building owners and operators to optimise the system’s performance , maybe with some machine learning, and make more informed decisions about energy usage. Energy amounts can be automatically adjusted to battery storage and direct consumption areas based on real-time energy demand.
- Tokenisation of Energy: Web3 technology enables the creation of digital tokens that can represent the value of real physical assets, such as energy. BIPV systems combined with tokenisation platforms could be used to create a digital asset that represents the energy generated by the system. Could this lead to the creation of new business models, such as the sale of energy tokens to investors or the use of tokens as a means of payment for energy consumption.
It’s exciting to apply the Web3 technology concepts to BIPV if it can lead to building projects achieving new levels of sustainability and innovation.
