Module yield | Varying climatic conditions across markets and the individual characteristics of PV technologies undermine accurate predictions of module energy yield using conventional methods. Markus Schweiger, Werner Herrmann, Christos Monokroussos and Uwe Rau describe how a calculation of module performance ratio can be used to accurately assess the efficiency of different PV module technologies in different climates and thus the likely return on investment from a project.
Business models | Corporate PPAs offer environmentally minded businesses a means of reducing their carbon footprint and renewable energy developers a new route to market in the face of declining subsidies. Daniel Kaufman offers some insights to buyers and sellers looking to navigate the many complexities of this new market.
Europe | With the decline of solar subsidies in Europe, the industry is under pressure to find new routes to market. SolarPower Europe policy adviser Sonia Dunlop looks at some of the innovative
new business models being developed to help ensure solar has a sustainable future
O&M | Every photon and electron lost in a PV system represents unrealised revenue. The Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore has developed a holistic diagnosis package – the PV System Doctor – to identify and cure underperforming PV power plants in real time. The team behind the service explains how it helps maintain a healthy PV system and ensure expected returns – or even surpass them
It wouldn’t be an Intersolar Europe edition of this journal without a look at a solar market closer to home; we touch on the resurgent French solar market which looks set to provide a major source of demand. As module and inverter swap outs are a growing line of work for O&M providers, we also examine the issues that emerge, such as potential induced degradation and exposing the shortcomings of projects built without adequate monitoring capabilities. TUV Rheinland presents a technical paper that could prove to be an investor’s best friend by providing a method to push energy yield performance calculations for modules beyond an extrapolation of their standard test conditions. We also introduce our new conference, PV ModuleTech, to be held in Malaysia this November, dedicated to scrutinising the technical performance claims of manufacturers and seeking out best practice.
Varying climatic conditions across markets and the individual characteristics of PV technologies undermine accurate predictions of module energy yield using conventional methods. Markus Schweiger, Werner Herrmann, Christos Monokroussos and Uwe Rau describe how a calculation of module performance ratio can be used to accurately assess the efficiency of different PV module technologies in different climates and thus the likely return on investment from a project
In this issue of Photovoltaics International Fraunhofer ISE presents a concept for a bifacial, shingled cell technology that it claims tracks a cost-effective route to a 400W module using existing industrial-scale concepts. Also one trend now much more than a notion is the ongoing switch to monocrystalline cell technology. Meanwhile the University of New South Wales pulls together and critically assesses the raft of research on perovskite PV technology. Following the success of our PV CellTech conference, we’re also introducing our new PV ModuleTech event focusing on the technology that turns completed cells into supplied modules in the commercial market.
Innovation in the field of thin-film cells, in addition to economy of scale and the manufacturing learning curve, is an important element in keeping the price of this technology competitive. Most papers on these cells focus on their technology; however, the economic potential of the technology is also important. Of even greater significance, a realistic estimation of the potential, along with the associated costs, of advanced technology, is part of the equation for profitability. Two examples of technology – metallic grids and texturing – are given in this paper; the designs are discussed, and a brief economic analysis is presented for various scenarios of the technologies. Although the profitability of these technologies can be considerable, it is shown that one should be wary of basing decisions purely on potential and on ideal scenarios, and how the cost of a technology can turn a great prospect into a trade-off.
This paper focuses on the technical progress of high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells and modules, specifically with regard to passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) processes, module description and light induced degradation (LID) data. Through appropriate optimizations of the solar cell and module processes, the cell efficiency achieved in mass production is 21.3%, with module power exceeding 300W. To solve the LID problem, hydrogenation technology developed by UNSW is used, bringing the cell LID rate down to below 1%.
In this quarterly report on global PV manufacturing capacity expansion announcements we will provide a detailed analysis of 2016. Despite a significant slowdown in new announcements in the second half of the year, 2016 surpassed 2015 by around 16% to exceed a total of 55GW of thin-film, dedicated solar cell and module assembly and integrated PV expansion plans.
