Potentials and Challenges for Integrating PV in Roof Renovation of Multi-residential Houses—A Questionnaire Survey

Paper in proceeding, 2019

A questionnaire survey investigates the conditions for future roof renovations, driving forces and incentives as well as barriers to install roof mounted or roof integrated photovoltaics (PV) among Swedish owners and managers of multi-residential buildings. Respondents were identified through a database hosted by the Swedish Energy Agency holding information about all projects that received subsidies for installation of PV between 2009 and 2016. The final sample comprised 77 organizations and the response rate was 36%. The questionnaire covers general information about the responding companies’ property portfolios; roof renovations in general; routines, motives, and driving forces for installation of roof PV; and planned roof renovations. Results show that the main cause for conducting roof renovations is end of life-time and improvement of energy efficiency. The initiative to install PV is mostly taken by the board of a Housing Association, the management team, or the board of a company. Standard PV modules mounted onto the roof is the predominant choice. Better profitability is needed to encourage more PV installations, for example, through higher subsidy levels and long-term security of the value of produced electricity. None of respondents asks for more appealing design of PV products, better internal organization, or improved knowledge about operation and management of the PV plant.