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Operazione co-finanziata dall’Unione europea, Fondo Europeo di Sviluppo Regionale, dallo Stato Italiano, dalla Confederazione elvetica e dai Cantoni nell’ambito del Programma di Cooperazione Interreg V-A Italia-Svizzera

Cable car station of Naturno

new construction

© Eurac Research
Building use: 
infrastructure
IPV architectural system: 
skylight
warm façade
IPV integration year: 
between 2011 and 2015
Source: 
Eurac Research
View of the downstream unit semi-transparent glass roof © Eurac Research
View of the upstream unit semi-transparent glass façade © Leitner Electro Srl
Steel trusses system supporting the BIPV plant © Leitner Electro Srl
Detailed view of the glass modules mounting structure © Leitner Electro Srl
External view of the semi-transparent polycrystalline modules © Leitner Electro Srl
The ropeway station roofs were optimally tilted (30°) for the photovoltaic integration © Eurac Research

Cable car station of Naturno

Frazione Monte Sole, Naturno (BZ), Italy

Introduction

Stakeholders

Aesthetic integration

Energy integration

Technology integration

Decision making

Lessons learnt

Data

Producer and installer

Map

Author

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The client, Seilbahn Naturns GmbH, publicly opened a call for tenders. Architect Götsch was assigned to the building design. Leitner Electro Srl was responsible for the photovoltaic plant. The engineering department of Leitner Electro Srl and Pichler Stahlbau Srl planned and calculated the building structure and the PV plant together. The PV production was estimated with UNI 10-349 and a price calculation was made with a payback simulation. After the price calculation and the technical consulting, the client confirmed the installation of the plant. Stahlbau Pichler Srl built the construction and installed the glass modules, involving Vitralux Srl with the installation of the glass of the first plant. Leitner Electro Srl installed the other components of the plants. The first plant was completed in 2007, the second one in 2013 (Leitner Electro Srl).

STAKEHOLDERS

Main building designer: 

Arch. Götsch

IPV system designer: 

Leitner Electro Srl, Pichler Stahlbau Srl 

IPV components producer: 

Scheuten Solar Technology GmbH (closed)

Address: 
-
Contact: 
-
Web: 
-

EnergyGlass Srl

Product type: 
modules
mounting systems
Address: 
Via Domea 79, Cantù (CO), Italy
Contact: 
contact@energyglass.eu
Web: 
www.energyglass.eu
IPV system installer: 

Leitner Electro Srl

Address: 
Via Ahraue 6, Brunico (BZ), Italy
Contact: 
info@leitnerelectro.com +39 0474 571 100
Web: 
https://www.leitnerelectro.com/index.php?lang=it

The glass envelopes that protect the valley (a) and the top (b) stations of the cable car in Naturno from the elements are made from semi-transparent BIPV modules. The structures are located on a steep wooded slope of the Val Venosta in South Tyrol. The modules are integrated into both the lateral façades and on the southern pitch of the roofs. They were custom made in order to adjust the transparency and the size to the needs of the structures (Leitner Electro Srl).

With a nominal power of 19.4 kWp (a) and 30.4 kWp (b), the BIPV systems are estimated to produce 18,700 kWh/a and 24,800 kWh/a, respectively. The total annual energy production exceeds 50% of the demand (Leitner Electro Srl).

The BIPV plants are made from polycrystalline glass–glass modules produced by Scheuten Optisol (P082136 K) (a) and EnergyGlass (EGP32ST/EGP48ST) (b). They are supported by a steel trusses system. The BIPV modules are fixed to aluminium horizontal and vertical beams that hide the wiring system. They are naturally ventilated, due to the wide openings of the glazed structures.

The client Seilbahn Naturns GmbH wanted to build a roof for the ropeway station, in order to protect the technical system from the weather conditions. Architect Götsch envisioned to install a photovoltaic plant to lower the energy consumption and contribute to a sustainable environment. Full integration of the PV system into the roof makes a dual use (energetic and weather protection) of the panels possible. The aesthetic point of view was of great importance to the client. BIPV with semi-transparent modules was a convenient way to still get sufficient natural light into the building (Leitner Electro Srl).

The flexibility of BIPV can increase its implementation into special places characterized by specific constraints (e.g. historical, environmental) as well as into different building typologies. This case study is an example of that since it is placed in a mountain context, on a steep wooded slope and it is a kind of building not commonly used for BIPV installations. The main building design did not need architectural alterations. The building roofs were optimally tilted (30°) for the application of a photovoltaic system. Since it is an ‘open configuration’, no problems for internal comfort can occur, as it would have been in case of closed configuration.

PROJECT DATA

Project type: 
new construction
Coverage of electric consumption [%]: 
50
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BIPV SYSTEM DATA
Architectural system: 
Skylight, warm façade
Active material: 
Polycrystalline silicon
Module transparency: 
semi-transparent
Module technology: 
glass-glass, recognizable PV, customized modules
System power [kWp]: 
19.3 (a), 30.4 (b)
System area [m²]: 
90 (a), 254 (b)
Module dimensions [mm]: 
Several
Modules orientation: 
South-East and North-West (skylight), South-West and North-East (façades)
Modules tilt [°]: 
30 (skylight), 90 (façades)
Annual PV production [kWh]: 
43,500
BIPV SYSTEM COSTS
Total cost [€]: 
316,748
€/kWp: 
6,373
€/m²: 
713
IPV components producer: 

Scheuten Solar Technology GmbH (closed)

Address: 
-
Contact: 
-
Web: 
-

EnergyGlass Srl

Product type: 
modules
mounting systems
Address: 
Via Domea 79, Cantù (CO), Italy
Contact: 
contact@energyglass.eu
Web: 
www.energyglass.eu
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IPV system installer: 

Leitner Electro Srl

Address: 
Via Ahraue 6, Brunico (BZ), Italy
Contact: 
info@leitnerelectro.com +39 0474 571 100
Web: 
https://www.leitnerelectro.com/index.php?lang=it
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Frazione Monte Sole, Naturno (BZ), Italy
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