In the Netherlands, the possibilities for facade PV applications draw more attention lately due to a combination of government incentives, declining PV-module prices and upcoming legislation from the European NZEB-directive (2010/31/EU). In this context, start-up company Wallvision has introduced a ZigZag structured facade in which the PV-modules are hidden from ground level, and the decorative panels are customized to the aesthetical preferences of the architect. Understanding the PV-yield as a function of the geometry and other system components is crucial. For this purpose a customized geometrical model has been developed that can handle the varying solar path and the specular and diffuse reflection of the decorative panels. The experimental validation of the model is done with a newly built test facade (of 3 × 3 ZigZag cassettes, area ～ 20m~2) in the SolarBEAT outdoor research facility of SEAC. Measurements include the irradiance at various points and kWh-yield per minute time interval. The aesthetic aspect of the ZigZag facade is as important as the PV-performance part of the product, and is therefore included in this paper.
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