At the Integrated-PV Conference in Florence, organised by SEAMLESS-PV and ETA Florence, Claire Morin, Junior Project Officer at SolarPower Europe and representing the Increase project, presented the project’s new paper titled "Insurance Challenges for BIPV Projects: The role of standardisation for risk reduction". The presentation addressed critical hurdles in facilitating the deployment of building integrated solar PV (BIPV) systems, and proposed strategies to foster trust and collaboration between the BIPV and insurance sectors.
Insurance plays a vital role in accelerating the deployment of BIPV technologies by transferring risks, encouraging renewable energy investments, and ensuring compliance with financial and legal frameworks. However, despite its importance, the sector has faced persistent challenges in rolling out BIPV projects, which still has a small market size.
The paper highlights key risks from the insurance perspective, with fire safety emerging as a dominant concern. The potential hazards linked to electrical system failures, and the amplification of fire risks by BIPV components, remain a significant barrier to pushing its deployment on a larger scale. Additionally, issues such as water damage due to poor watertightness, natural hazards, and electrical risks further compound insurers’ hesitancy. Additionally, negative experiences with BIPV projects in the 2010s, eroded trust within the insurance industry. These incidents have led to increased caution, with insurers often reluctant to provide coverage for BIPV systems. This is being further aggravated by the lack of a standardised framework to assess and mitigate these risks across Europe.
The Increase paper underscores the improvements made in BIPV technology, particularly in enhancing the safety and performance of BIPV modules and systems, and increasing installation levels. However, communicating these advancements to insurers and other stakeholders is crucial to rebuild confidence, and unlock the sector’s potential.
To address insurance challenges, the paper advocates for comprehensive standardisation across three key areas:
Equipment standardisation: Harmonising BIPV certification processes and fire safety standards at the European level to reduce uncertainty and simplify risk assessments.
Practices standardisation: Developing specialised training for installers in both electrical and building envelope systems, accompanied by a Europe-wide certification framework to enhance installation quality and reduce risks.
Knowledge standardisation: Expanding data collection on solar PV-related incidents, harmonising fire statistics across the EU, and fostering early insurer involvement in BIPV projects for proactive risk management.
Cross-sector collaboration is pivotal in overcoming insurability challenges for BIPV projects. By addressing insurers’ concerns through robust standardisation and proactive engagement, the BIPV sector can create a common understanding, and facilitate broader adoption of these technologies.
The integration of BIPV systems is central to the decarbonisation of Europe’s building stock. As the sector evolves, fostering stronger partnerships between insurers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders will be crucial in driving forward the decarbonisation of the European building stock.
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