The global BIPV market is dominated by crystalline silicon: accounting for more than 65% in 2025, and lightweight and intelligent technologies have become the focus of technological competition
Publish Time: 2025-07-14
Driven by the global energy transformation and carbon neutrality goals, building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), as an innovative technology that deeply integrates solar power generation with building functions, is experiencing explosive growth. According to authoritative organizations, the global BIPV market size will exceed US$100 billion in 2025, among which the crystalline silicon technology route will establish a dominant position with a market share of more than 65%, and lightweight structural design and intelligent energy management will become the core track of corporate technological competition.Crystalline silicon technology: double crushing of efficiency and costEfficiency breakthrough lays the foundation for the marketWith a photoelectric conversion efficiency of more than 20%, crystalline silicon cells have become the mainstream choice in the BIPV market. In 2025, the average efficiency of N-type TOPCon and HJT cells in mass production will reach 26.1% and 26.8%, respectively, an increase of 3-4 percentage points from 2023. The Hi-MO 6 series of crystalline silicon modules launched by LONGi Green Energy can still maintain a power generation efficiency of more than 90% in weak light environments, and are perfectly adapted to complex scenes such as building facades and skylights. The ultra-thin and lightweight modules developed by Risen Energy are only 3.2 mm thick, 40% lighter than traditional modules, but can achieve a conversion efficiency of 23%, completely breaking the stereotype of crystalline silicon being "bulky".Reduce costs and accelerate market penetrationChina's crystalline silicon industry chain has significant advantages in vertical integration, and the integrated production model from polysilicon to modules effectively reduces costs. In 2025, the cost of crystalline silicon photovoltaic building integrated systems will drop to less than 5 yuan/watt, a 60% decrease from 2021, and the investment payback period will be shortened to 6-8 years. In an industrial park in Zhejiang, the photovoltaic building integrated project using LONGi's "Longding" metal roofing system has an annual power generation of 12 million kWh, meeting 30% of the park's electricity demand, saving 15% of the initial investment compared to traditional photovoltaic systems.Policy dividends release demand potentialMajor economies around the world promote the popularization of photovoltaic building integration through mandatory installation orders and fiscal subsidies. China's "14th Five-Year Plan for Renewable Energy Development" clearly requires that by 2025, the photovoltaic coverage rate of new public institution buildings and factory roofs should strive to reach 50%. The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development has included BIPV in the green building evaluation standards, and the central government's subsidy intensity for the project is higher than that of ordinary distributed photovoltaics. Europe has passed the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) legislation, requiring all new public buildings to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2030, and BIPV has become the core path. The US "Reducing Inflation Act" stipulates a 30% investment tax credit, which directly stimulates the annual growth of BIPV installations on industrial and commercial roofs at a rate of 40%.Lightweight: Breaking through the load-bearing limit of buildingsMaterial revolution reshapes product formTraditional crystalline silicon modules are difficult to apply to old building renovations due to weight issues, and lightweight technology is solving this problem. In 2025, the shipment volume of large-size silicon wafers of 182mm and above will increase by more than 40% year-on-year, and with the ultra-thin cutting process, the weight of a single-chip module will drop to less than 18 kilograms. The TCO conductive glass developed by Jinjing Technology has a light transmittance of up to 91.5%. Combined with 3.2mm ultra-white rolled glass, the unit cost of photovoltaic curtain walls has dropped to 1,800 yuan/square meter, a 25% decrease from 2023.Structural innovation expands application scenariosBreakthroughs in flexible crystalline silicon technology extend BIPV from flat roofs to curved curtain walls. The colored crystalline silicon photovoltaic building materials developed by Jiasheng Optoelectronics achieve a gradient color effect through nano-level texture processing and have been applied to the Beijing Daxing Airport photovoltaic shading project. The customized BIPV roof solution launched by Sente Co., Ltd. adopts an integrated design of aluminum alloy frame and waterproof strips, with a wind pressure resistance level of 12 and a fire resistance level of A standard. It successfully won the bid for the BYD Global Headquarters roof project.Intelligence: Building an Energy Internet HubDigital twins achieve precise operation and maintenanceHuawei's intelligent photovoltaic solution collects data such as component temperature and power generation efficiency in real time through IoT sensors, and combines AI algorithms to predict failure risks, reducing operation and maintenance costs by 40%. In a commercial complex in Suzhou, the system dynamically adjusts the light transmittance of the photovoltaic curtain wall, increasing power generation by 5% while ensuring indoor lighting, saving 1.2 million yuan in electricity bills annually.Photovoltaic storage and charging integration improves self-sufficiencyThe model of Tesla Solar Roof with Powerwall energy storage system is being replicated globally. In 2025, 60% of China's new BIPV projects will be equipped with energy storage equipment, raising the building energy self-sufficiency rate to more than 80%. The integrated photovoltaic storage and charging microgrid developed by Sungrow has achieved "self-generation and self-use, surplus power to the grid" in a logistics park in Qingdao, reducing carbon emissions by 28,000 tons annually, and was rated as a national green demonstration project.The industrial structure behind the technology competitionHead companies accelerate vertical integrationLongi Green Energy, Trina Solar and other crystalline silicon leaders have strengthened their control over the entire industry chain from silicon materials to components through mergers and acquisitions. In 2025, LONGi acquired a 15% stake in Foster, a leading EVA film company, to ensure the stability of raw material supply; Trina Solar and China Construction Science and Engineering Corporation established a joint venture to integrate architectural design, construction and photovoltaic system integration capabilities, and won bids for multiple BIPV landmark projects in Xiongan New Area.Cross-border cooperation has given birth to new formatsTraditional building materials companies are accelerating their penetration into the new energy field. China National Building Materials Group launched an integrated solution of "photovoltaic tiles + BIM design platform", which automatically generates the optimal matching solution between building structure and photovoltaic system through parametric modeling, shortening the design cycle by 60%. Beijing New Building Materials and CATL cooperated to develop a "photovoltaic + energy storage" prefabricated building system to achieve full process standardization from factory prefabrication to on-site installation.Future Outlook: Three Trends in the Trillion MarketAccelerated technological integration: The commercialization process of perovskite-crystalline silicon stacking technology has accelerated, laboratory efficiency has exceeded 33%, and weak light power generation performance has increased by 20% compared with monocrystalline silicon, which is expected to form a 10 billion-level market segment in 2027.Improvement of the standard system: China will take the lead in issuing national standards for BIPV building safety certification, clarifying key indicators such as wind pressure resistance, fire prevention, and load, and solving the industry's "bad money drives out good money" pain point.Carbon trading empowerment: As the national carbon market covers 8 industries, BIPV projects can obtain additional income through emission reduction trading, and it is expected that the project's full life cycle rate of return will increase to more than 12% in 2025.In this technological revolution led by crystalline silicon, lightweight and intelligent are not only the direction of product iteration, but also the key to reconstructing the building energy ecology. When every building becomes a micro power station and every piece of glass can autonomously adjust energy supply and demand, BIPV is redefining the energy landscape of future cities with the dual identity of "building materials + power station".
