A PV system which can be installed in buildings is termed as building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV). Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) are increasingly incorporated into new domestic and industrial buildings as a principal or ancillary source of electrical power and are one of the fastest growing segments of the photovoltaic industry.Such systems are grid-connected and it is expected that in this century BIPV will contribute substantially to the main-stream power production. PV can be installed on any surfaces of buildings, allowing the possibility to combine energy production with other functions of the building envelope, such as roof and facade integration and sun blinds. BIPV application suits retrofit or new constructions. BIPV has to become a multi-functional element, being an integral part of the building skin. This offers the combination of benefits that include energy production, energy demand management, possible emergency power and substitution for existing building material.
Where a building is at a considerable distance from the public electricity supply (or grid) – in remote or mountainous areas – PV may be the only possibility for generating electricity, or PV may be used together with wind and/or hydroelectric power. In such off-grid circumstances batteries are usually used to store the electric power.