This issue of Photovoltaics International focuses on cell technology trends, manufacturing capacity, cell efficiency, mitigating light-induced degredation, new printing techniques, progress in thin-film technology and studies of studies of multicrystalline PV modules. Finlay Colville also provides a full market analysis of cell technology trends impacting module supply in 2017.
Highlights in this issue include an in-depth piece from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory on how the market is understanding and dealing with the issue of potential-induced degredation modules. We also feature an exclusive paper from the EU-funded Solar Bankability Project on its work to develop a methodology for assessing the economic impact of technical failures in PV power plants.
This issue turns the focus on energy storage with guides on the top 20 technologies, understanding the costs involved and the how Germany is integrating it as part of its energy transition. We also look at the threat of cyber-attacks on solar plants, why there are still reasons to be cheerful about the large-scale European market and how one link of the US supply chain has clubbed together for a greater say in policy-making. Our regular technical papers cover climate stress on module degradation and the quest for accurate irradiance measurements and we get under the skin of West Africa's first utility-scale solar plant.
Our PV Tech Special Report: Scaling up solar in Sub-Saharan Africa, is a comprehensive guide to the off-grid, micro-grid and large-scale sectors and the financial models that can underpin their successful growth. The comprehensive guide is available to download for all our PV Tech members.
This issue of Photovoltaics International focuses on the steady adoption of PERC as the technology of choice for providing a quick boost to cell performances. Our chief analyst, Finlay Colville, reports that PERC is a key driver for internal technology roadmaps of all silicon cell providers and is indirectly influencing the development of other technologies in competing n-type and thin-film segments. However, PERC is not without its drawbacks, and one of these is its increased susceptibility to light-induced degradation. Other highlights include ISC Konstanz on the future of back-contact technology and ECN on the development of a new technique for minimising recombination losses in silicon solar cells.
This issue of Photovoltaics International features an industry-first analysis of the rate at which manufacturing expansion announcements over the past two years are being turned into real nameplate production capacity. In another special report Finlay Colville characterises the nature of the current PV capex cycle as compared to the last. Whereas the previous spending cycle was notable for being “frantic”, the latest one has so far been more measured, with manufacturers focusing on strengthening their positions in specific segments of the value chain. Other highlights in this issue include a paper from researchers at the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) exploring cell-to-module losses.
Capital expenditure by the solar PV industry continues to rebound from the lows of 2012, but the spending trends have now shifted from polysilicon expansions to cell capacity additions. In particular, the transition to cell capex has been driven mainly by the need for Chinese module suppliers to diversify manufacturing outside mainland China and especially to countries in Southeast Asia, coupled with the ongoing problems for polysilicon producers struggling to adapt to sales prices for goods produced.
Double-glass PV modules are emerging as a technology which can deliver excellent performance and excellent durability at a competitive cost. In this paper a glass–glass module technology that uses liquid silicone encapsulation is described. The combination of the glass–glass structure and silicone is shown to lead to exceptional durability. The concept enables safe module operation at a system voltage of 1,500V, as well as innovative, low-cost module mounting through pad bonding.
We are always hearing about champion cells demonstrating efficiencies of 24% or higher, yet only 20 or 21% can be obtained at the module level. This paper highlights the different loss mechanisms in a module, and how they can be quantified. Once it is known where photons and electrons are lost, it is possible to develop strategies to avoid this happening.
Investors require a guarantee of a minimum lifetime for PV installations. It is tempting to provide such a guarantee for a longer lifetime simply by specifying test conditions that are more and more severe. In this paper it is argued that, with a more detailed understanding of the basic mechanisms determining cell material behaviour under specific exposure conditions, not only can the inherent lifetime of solar cells and modules be improved, but also the predictive value and effectiveness of lifetime testing. An overview of the literature contributions regarding the influence of damp-heat exposure of the layers in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells is presented.
