Webinar renewable energy session 3

1© 2010 Macademia

Session # 3 – October 28, 2010

TODAY’S TOPIC:

Solar PV (Photovoltaics)

Concept and Contents Copyright Macademia 2010; Copyright on pictures as indicated; no unauthorized use or publication

Picture Copyright to Thermovolt France S.A.S., no further use allowed without permission

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What we will cover (in a nutshell)

• How PV developed

• The big issues in Photovoltaics

• Our expert’s view on the technology

• Your own experience with PV



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Your visiting scholar today:

Georg Reinartz M.A., Thermovolt, France



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• History

• How the industry has developed

• Where are we now?

11 The background to PV

Our Schedule for Today


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• Silicon-based or Thin-Film

• Cost development

• Political Support / Solar Gold Rush

• Environmental aspects

212 The big topics in PV



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• Discussion with Georg Reinartz, Thermovolt

3 Ask the expert

4 What you should focus on



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Why Solar PV next? The European view

Source: German Ministry of the Environment, Erneuerbare Energien in Zahlen, June 2010

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The background to Wind Power

• History

- The relation between sunlight and electricity

- Bell Laboratories in the 1960s

- Origin in remote locations (extraterrestrial, off-

grid)

- The step towards on-grid solutions

11 The background to Solar PV


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Important steps in Solar PV technology

Becquerel Transistors

Diodes Bell Labs Silicon Cell

Timeline1839 1938 1948 1955


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Type of application depending on peak-capacity

Capacity Applications suitable

< 10 Watt

< 100 Watt

< 1 KW

> 100 KW

Calculators, Battery Chargers, Electrical Fences

Pumping systems (irrigation); desalination

Large Grid-connected systems

Traffic lights, parking meters


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Basic Facts on Solar PV

Topic Facts

Type of Cell

Efficiency

Location

Life span

Silicon-based and Thin-Film

Rooftop/ Building-integrated or Greenfield

25-30 yrs.; certain components less

Varying between 6 % - 35 %


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• How the industry developed

- Niche applications in the early days

- Important incentive programmes over several

decades

- The step to the retail markets



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• How the industry developed

- Installed capacities depending on national

funding scheme

- Problematic relation between electricity

harvested per KW installed and installed capacity

(e.g. Germany vs. Spain)



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• Where are we now?

• Very diverse picture across the world

• Boom in Spain until 2008 – when funding was reduced

• Largest capacity installed in Germany (9.7 GWp –

2009)

• Large potential for countries with high direct insulation



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Example for a large-scale Solar PV installation

Merida, Spain

Thermovolt

31 MW installation

Completed 2008


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Typical Components of a Solar PV system

Project Components

Engineering / Development Costs

Inverter System

Cabling & Installation

PV Modules

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• Participant experience with Solar PV

– What have been positive or negative experiences with PV?

– How is the public perception of Photovoltaics in

your country/region?

– Are there current projects under development?



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• Silicon-based or Thin-Film

- Required Space

- Cost of Components

- Waste

- Competition between the industries

212 The big topics in Solar PV


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• Pushing the costs downwards

- Downward trend continues:

1995 to 2010

- The influence of raw material costs (e.g. silicon)



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• How solar irradiation level influences

competitiveness

- Northern Germany vs. Southern California

- 900 KWh per sqm/year vs. 1900 KWh per sqm/year

- Other factors: operating temperature, reflectivity,

share of diffuse light



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Location and irradiation level crucial to economics


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• Cost competitiveness

- Best ratio if high solar irradiation combined with

daily peak power demand

- In addition to cell efficiency and material costs: BOS

- Inverters and Batteries with potential for

improvement



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• Environmental aspects

- Energy payback time- The manufacturing process- Land use



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The particular chance of building-integrated PV


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• Future alliances

- Construction companies and PV producers- Producers of Cladding materials / PV industry- System synergies between utilities sector,

communication sector (smart grids), car companies

(e-mobility), et cetera



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• Discussion with Georg Reinartz, Thermovolt

3213 Ask the expert


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• Main Developments in Funding Schemes

• Companies positioning thin-film v. silicon-

based

• Desertec-Initiative

214 What you should focus on


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4214 Results in a nutshell

• The advantages

– Decentralized solution– No operative emissions / noiseless– Especially interesting when compared with

retail electricity prices instead of stock market

electricity price


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4214 Results in a nutshell

• The disadvantages

- Cost: in most cases very expensive- Long energy payback time- Volatile on raw material prices (silicon)- Especially Thin-Film technologies with

recycling issue


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• Discuss Solar PV and its perspectives in the Forum

• Sketch the potential of Solar PV in your country/region

• Have a look at Renewables Funding Schemes in your

country – is there a controversy?

...and for next week, please:


Technology

Webinar renewable energy session 3