Making Solar Panels Safer for Our Buildings: New Research Article from the INCREASE Project

As solar energy becomes a cornerstone of Europe’s clean energy transition, more photovoltaic (PV) systems are being integrated directly into buildings — on façades, rooftops, and windows. While this helps produce electricity right where it’s consumed, it also brings new challenges for safety, especially when it comes to fire behavior.

A recent scientific review led by Florian Ollagnon from EPFL and co-authored by INCREASE partners TECNALIA and CSEM, published in Advanced Functional Materials, examines how the use of flame retardant materials can make building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) safer without compromising performance.

The study provides the first comprehensive overview of how different flame retardant families — from phosphorus-based additives to nanocomposites — can be applied in solar modules to limit fire risks. It also proposes a methodology for assessing fire performance, from small-scale material tests to large-scale module evaluations, helping manufacturers and regulators better align solar innovation with building safety requirements.

The work highlights that, although photovoltaic fires are rare, improving fire resistance is essential to accelerate the safe deployment of solar energy in the built environment. By identifying promising flame retardant strategies and harmonizing testing approaches, the team contributes directly to INCREASE’s mission to enable safer and more sustainable photovoltaic technologies in the built environment across Europe

Read it here: https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202509194