Flat-plate solar array project. Volume 7: Module encapsulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuddihy, E.; Coulbert, C.; Gupta, A.; Liang, R.

1986-10-01

The objective of the Encapsulation Task was to develop, demonstrate, and qualify photovoltaic (PV) module encapsulation systems that would provide 20 year (later decreased to 30 year) life expectancies in terrestrial environments, and which would be compatible with the cost and performance goals of the Flat-Plate Solar Array (FSA) Project. The scope of the Encapsulation Task included the identification, development, and evaluation of material systems and configurations required to support and protect the optically and electrically active solar cell circuit components in the PV module operating environment. Encapsulation material technologies summarized include the development of low cost ultraviolet protection techniques, stable low cost pottants, soiling resistant coatings, electrical isolation criteria, processes for optimum interface bonding, and analytical and experimental tools for evaluating the long term durability and structural adequacy of encapsulated modules. Field testing, accelerated stress testing, and design studies have demonstrated that encapsulation materials, processes, and configurations are available that meet the FSA cost and performance goals.

Flat-plate solar array project. Volume 7: Module encapsulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuddihy, E.; Coulbert, C.; Gupta, A.; Liang, R.

1986-01-01

The objective of the Encapsulation Task was to develop, demonstrate, and qualify photovoltaic (PV) module encapsulation systems that would provide 20 year (later decreased to 30 year) life expectancies in terrestrial environments, and which would be compatible with the cost and performance goals of the Flat-Plate Solar Array (FSA) Project. The scope of the Encapsulation Task included the identification, development, and evaluation of material systems and configurations required to support and protect the optically and electrically active solar cell circuit components in the PV module operating environment. Encapsulation material technologies summarized include the development of low cost ultraviolet protection techniques, stable low cost pottants, soiling resistant coatings, electrical isolation criteria, processes for optimum interface bonding, and analytical and experimental tools for evaluating the long term durability and structural adequacy of encapsulated modules. Field testing, accelerated stress testing, and design studies have demonstrated that encapsulation materials, processes, and configurations are available that meet the FSA cost and performance goals.

Development of Manufacturing Technology to Accelerate Cost Reduction of Low Concentration and

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Detrick, Adam

The purpose of this project was to accelerate deployment of cost-effective US-based manufacturing of Solaria’s unique c-Si module technology. This effort successfully resulted in the development of US-based manufacturing technology to support two highly-differentiated, market leading product platforms. The project was initially predicated on developing Solaria’s low-concentration PV (LCPV) module technology which at the time of the award was uniquely positioned to exceed the SunShot price goal of $0.50/Wp for standard c-Si modules. The Solaria LCPV module is a 2.5x concentrator that leverages proven, high-reliability PV module materials and low silicon cell usage into a technology package that already hadmore » the lowest direct material cost and leading Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE). With over 25 MW commercially deployed globally, the Solaria module was well positioned to continue to lead in PV module cost reduction. Throughout the term of the contract, market conditions changed dramatically and so to did Solaria’s product offerings to support this. However, the manufacturing technology developed for the LCPV module was successfully leveraged and optimized to support two new and different product platforms. BIPV “PowerVision” and High-efficiency “PowerXT” modules. The primary barrier to enabling high-volume PV module manufacturing in the US is the high manual labor component in certain unique aspects of our manufacturing process. The funding was used to develop unique manufacturing automation which makes the manual labor components of these key processes more efficient and increase throughput. At the core of Solaria’s product offerings are its unique and proprietary techniques for dicing and re-arranging solar cells into modules with highly-differentiated characteristics that address key gaps in the c-Si market. It is these techniques that were successfully evolved and deployed into US-based manufacturing site with SunShot funding. Today, Solaria is currently positioned to become the market leader with these two technologies over the coming 24 months largely due to the successful innovations of the underlying manufacturing technology. This success will leverage US-based manufacturing technology and the associated US-jobs to support. Solaria views the project as highly successful and a great example of SunShot funding enabling the creating of US jobs and the deployment of ubiquitous solar energy products.« less

Solar, Install, Mount, Production, Labor, Equipment Balance of Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gentry, Russell; Al-Haddad, Tristan; Valdes, Francisco

2015-08-27

The GTRI led project team in partnership with the DOE, universities, and numerous industry leaders, have advanced the mission of the DOE EERE, the Solar Energy Technologies Program, and the SunShot Initiative by accelerating the research, development, and demonstration of solar PV technologies that provide Extreme Balance of Systems Cost Reductions (BOS-X). The research produced 132 design concepts, resulting in 19 invention disclosures, five patent applications, four 90% pre-commercial designs, and three licensed technologies. Technology practice rights were obtained by an industry partner, and a new solar commercial start-up company was launched in Atlanta as a result of this project.more » Innovations in residential, commercial, and utility scale balance of systems technologies were realized through an unprecedented multi-disciplinary university/industry partnership with over 50 students and 24 faculty members that produced 18 technical publications, a PhD thesis, and two commercially deployed operating prototypes. The technical effectiveness and economic feasibility of the multidisciplinary systems based approach executed by the project team was realized through 1) a comprehensive evaluation of industry, regulatory, and public stakeholder requirements; 2) numerous industry/student/faculty engagements in design studios, technical conferences, and at solar PV installation sites; 3) time and motion studies with domain experts that provided technical data and costs for each phase and component of the solar PV installation processes; 4) extensive wind tunnel and systems engineering modeling; and 5) design, construction, and demonstration of the selected technologies in the field at high profile sites in Atlanta. The SIMPLE BOS project has benefitted the public in the following ways: • Workforce development: The launch of a start-up company to commercialize the DOE funded SIMPLE BoS designs has directly created 9 new jobs in the State of Georgia. As of November 2014, the Georgia solar industry employs 2,890 solar workers, representing a 12.8% growth in employment over 2013 (Solar Jobs Census, 2014). • Growth of the solar industry: The DOE SIMPLE BoS SunShot Award to GTARC accelerated the growth of the solar industry in Georgia, due to the national publicity of the award and the engagement of numerous solar PV manufacturers, designers, and installers on the SIMPLE BoS project. In 2011 less than 50 megawatts of solar PV capacity existed in Georgia; by 2016 Georgia may reach nearly 800 MW of total approved solar capacity with the 2012 Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative. • Technical outreach and publications: Georgia Tech has participated in numerous technical symposiums, technology demonstrations, campus solar PV tours, and produced 18 publications for the solar industry and general public. • Cost reductions for consumers: The SIMPLE BoS pre-commercial systems and discoveries enable cost reductions of 50% or more in labor and materials for residential, commercial and utility scale PV installations.« less

Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium (PVMC) – Enabling America’s Solar Revolution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Metacarpa, David

The U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium (US-PVMC) is an industry-led consortium which was created with the mission to accelerate the research, development, manufacturing, field testing, commercialization, and deployment of next-generation solar photovoltaic technologies. Formed as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) SunShot initiative, and headquartered in New York State, PVMC is managed by the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) at the Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. PVMC is a hybrid of industry-led consortium and manufacturing development facility, with capabilities for collaborative and proprietary industry engagement. Through its technology development programs, advanced manufacturing development facilities,more » system demonstrations, and reliability and testing capabilities, PVMC has demonstrated itself to be a recognized proving ground for innovative solar technologies and system designs. PVMC comprises multiple locations, with the core manufacturing and deployment support activities conducted at the Solar Energy Development Center (SEDC), and the core Si wafering and metrology technologies being headed out of the University of Central Florida. The SEDC provides a pilot line for proof-of-concept prototyping, offering critical opportunities to demonstrate emerging concepts in PV manufacturing, such as evaluations of innovative materials, system components, and PV system designs. The facility, located in Halfmoon NY, encompasses 40,000 square feet of dedicated PV development space. The infrastructure and capabilities housed at PVMC includes PV system level testing at the Prototype Demonstration Facility (PDF), manufacturing scale cell & module fabrication at the Manufacturing Development Facility (MDF), cell and module testing, reliability equipment on its PV pilot line, all integrated with a PV performance database and analytical characterizations for PVMC and its partners test and commercial arrays. Additional development and deployment support are also housed at the SEDC, such as cost modeling and cost model based development activities for PV and thin film modules, components, and system level designs for reduced LCOE through lower installation hardware costs, labor reductions, soft costs and reduced operations and maintenance costs. The progression of the consortium activities started with infrastructure and capabilities build out focused on CIGS thin film photovoltaics, with a particular focus on flexible cell and module production. As marketplace changes and partners objectives shifted, the consortium shifted heavily towards deployment and market pull activities including Balance of System, cost modeling, and installation cost reduction efforts along with impacts to performance and DER operational costs. The consortium consisted of a wide array of PV supply chain companies from equipment and component suppliers through national developers and installers with a particular focus on commercial scale deployments (typically 25 to 2MW installations). With DOE funding ending after the fifth budget period, the advantages and disadvantages of such a consortium is detailed along with potential avenues for self-sustainability is reviewed.« less

Accelerated GaAs growth through MOVPE for low-cost PV applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ubukata, Akinori; Sodabanlu, Hassanet; Watanabe, Kentaroh; Koseki, Shuichi; Yano, Yoshiki; Tabuchi, Toshiya; Sugaya, Takeyoshi; Matsumoto, Koh; Nakano, Yoshiaki; Sugiyama, Masakazu

2018-05-01

The high growth rate of epitaxial GaAs was investigated using a novel horizontal metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) reactor, from the point of view of realizing low-cost photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. The GaAs growth rate exhibited an approximately linear relationship with the amount of trimethylgalium (TMGa) supplied, up to a rate of 90 μm/h. The distribution of growth rate was observed for a two-inch wafer, along the flow direction, and the normalized profile of the distribution was found to be independent of the precursor input, from 20 to 70 μm/h. These tendencies indicated that significant parasitic prereaction did not occur in the gaseous phase, for this range of growth rate. GaAs p-n single-junction solar cells were successfully fabricated at growth rates of 20, 60, and 80 μm/h. The conversion efficiency of the cell grown at 80 μm/h was comparable to that of the 20 μm/h cell, indicating the good quality and properties of GaAs. The epitaxial growth exhibited good uniformity, as evidenced by the uniformity of the cell performance across the wafer, from the center to the edge. The result indicated the potential of high-throughput MOVPE for low-cost production, not only for PV devices but also for other semiconductor applications.

Solar Market Research and Analysis Projects | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

increase the effectiveness and reduce the variability and cost of PV operations and maintenance (O&M significantly drive up the cost of electricity for PV systems. To help reduce PV O&M costs and improve PV -Storage: Reducing Barriers Through Cost-Optimization and Market Characterization While falling costs have

Cost-Reduction Roadmap for Residential Solar Photovoltaics (PV),

Science.gov Websites

2017-2030 | Solar Research | NREL Cost-Reduction Roadmap for Residential Solar Photovoltaics (PV), 2017-2030 Cost-Reduction Roadmap for Residential Solar Photovoltaics (PV), 2017-2030 This report Office (SETO) residential 2030 photovoltaics (PV) cost target of $0.05 per kilowatt-hour by identifying

PV O&M Cost Model and Cost Reduction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walker, Andy

This is a presentation on PV O&M cost model and cost reduction for the annual Photovoltaic Reliability Workshop (2017), covering estimating PV O&M costs, polynomial expansion, and implementation of Net Present Value (NPV) and reserve account in cost models.

Energy Storage Requirements for Achieving 50% Penetration of Solar Photovoltaic Energy in California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denholm, Paul; Margolis, Robert

2016-09-01

We estimate the storage required to enable PV penetration up to 50% in California (with renewable penetration over 66%), and we quantify the complex relationships among storage, PV penetration, grid flexibility, and PV costs due to increased curtailment. We find that the storage needed depends strongly on the amount of other flexibility resources deployed. With very low-cost PV (three cents per kilowatt-hour) and a highly flexible electric power system, about 19 gigawatts of energy storage could enable 50% PV penetration with a marginal net PV levelized cost of energy (LCOE) comparable to the variable costs of future combined-cycle gas generatorsmore » under carbon constraints. This system requires extensive use of flexible generation, transmission, demand response, and electrifying one quarter of the vehicle fleet in California with largely optimized charging. A less flexible system, or more expensive PV would require significantly greater amounts of storage. The amount of storage needed to support very large amounts of PV might fit within a least-cost framework driven by declining storage costs and reduced storage-duration needs due to high PV penetration.« less

Energy Storage Requirements for Achieving 50% Solar Photovoltaic Energy Penetration in California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denholm, Paul; Margolis, Robert

2016-08-01

We estimate the storage required to enable PV penetration up to 50% in California (with renewable penetration over 66%), and we quantify the complex relationships among storage, PV penetration, grid flexibility, and PV costs due to increased curtailment. We find that the storage needed depends strongly on the amount of other flexibility resources deployed. With very low-cost PV (three cents per kilowatt-hour) and a highly flexible electric power system, about 19 gigawatts of energy storage could enable 50% PV penetration with a marginal net PV levelized cost of energy (LCOE) comparable to the variable costs of future combined-cycle gas generatorsmore » under carbon constraints. This system requires extensive use of flexible generation, transmission, demand response, and electrifying one quarter of the vehicle fleet in California with largely optimized charging. A less flexible system, or more expensive PV would require significantly greater amounts of storage. The amount of storage needed to support very large amounts of PV might fit within a least-cost framework driven by declining storage costs and reduced storage-duration needs due to high PV penetration.« less

Numerical modeling of uncertainty and variability in the technology, manufacturing, and economics of crystalline silicon photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ristow, Alan H.

2008-10-01

Electricity generated from photovoltaics (PV) promises to satisfy the world's ever-growing thirst for energy without significant pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. At present, however, PV is several times too expensive to compete economically with conventional sources of electricity delivered via the power grid. To ensure long-term success, must achieve cost parity with electricity generated by conventional sources of electricity. This requires detailed understanding of the relationship between technology and economics as it pertains to PV devices and systems. The research tasks of this thesis focus on developing and using four types of models in concert to develop a complete picture of how solar cell technology and design choices affect the quantity and cost of energy produced by PV systems. It is shown in this thesis that high-efficiency solar cells can leverage balance-of-systems (BOS) costs to gain an economic advantage over solar cells with low efficiencies. This advantage is quantified and dubbed the "efficiency premium." Solar cell device models are linked to models of manufacturing cost and PV system performance to estimate both PV system cost and performance. These, in turn, are linked to a model of levelized electricity cost to estimate the per-kilowatt-hour cost of electricity produced by the PV system. A numerical PV module manufacturing cost model is developed to facilitate this analysis. The models and methods developed in this thesis are used to propose a roadmap to high-efficiency multicrystalline-silicon PV modules that achieve cost parity with electricity from the grid. The impact of PV system failures on the cost of electricity is also investigated; from this, a methodology is proposed for improving the reliability of PV inverters.

Photovoltaic Lifetime Project | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

PV & Solar Resource Testing Accelerated Testing & Analysis Systems Engineering Project Sandia National Laboratories' PV Performance Modeling Collaborative website. Jinko Solar. PV systems mounted on the ground. Jinko Solar PV Lifetime installation at NREL. need-alt Light-induced degradation

Advanced Energy Storage Management in Distribution Network

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Guodong; Ceylan, Oguzhan; Xiao, Bailu

2016-01-01

With increasing penetration of distributed generation (DG) in the distribution networks (DN), the secure and optimal operation of DN has become an important concern. In this paper, an iterative mixed integer quadratic constrained quadratic programming model to optimize the operation of a three phase unbalanced distribution system with high penetration of Photovoltaic (PV) panels, DG and energy storage (ES) is developed. The proposed model minimizes not only the operating cost, including fuel cost and purchasing cost, but also voltage deviations and power loss. The optimization model is based on the linearized sensitivity coefficients between state variables (e.g., node voltages) andmore » control variables (e.g., real and reactive power injections of DG and ES). To avoid slow convergence when close to the optimum, a golden search method is introduced to control the step size and accelerate the convergence. The proposed algorithm is demonstrated on modified IEEE 13 nodes test feeders with multiple PV panels, DG and ES. Numerical simulation results validate the proposed algorithm. Various scenarios of system configuration are studied and some critical findings are concluded.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kazmerski, L. L.

'' . . . with robust investments in research and market development, the picture changes dramatically.'' Thus, the realigned U.S. Photovoltaic Industry Roadmap highlights R&D as critical to the tipping point that will make solar photovoltaics (PV) significant in the U.S. energy portfolio--part of a well-designed plan that would bring ''2034 expectations'' to reality by 2020. Technology improvement and introduction depend on key, focused, and pertinent research contributions that range from the most fundamental through the applied. In this paper, we underscore the successes and relevance of our current systems-driven PV R&D programs, which are built on integrated capabilities. Thesemore » capabilities span atomic-level characterization, nanotechnology, new materials design, interface and device engineering, theoretical guidance and modeling, processing, measurements and analysis, and process integration. This presentation identifies and provides examples of critical research tipping points needed to foster now and near technologies (primarily crystalline silicon and thin films) and to introduce coming generations of solar PV that provide options to push us to the next performance levels (devices with ultra-high efficiencies and with ultra-low cost). The serious importance of science and creativity to U.S. PV technology ownership--and the increased focus to accelerate the time from laboratory discovery to industry adoption--are emphasized at this ''tipping point'' for solar PV.« less

Photovoltaic electricity generation: Value for residential and commercial sectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharjee, Ujjwal

The photovoltaic (PV) industry in the US has seen an upsurge in recent years, and PV holds great promise as a renewable technology with no greenhouse gas emissions with its use. We aim to assess the value of PV based electricity for users in the residential and commercial sectors focusing on the financial impacts it has, which may not be greatly recognized. Specifically, we pursue two goals. First, the emerging 'renewable portfolio standard (RPS)' adopted in several states in the country has been a driving force for large scale PV deployment, but financial incentives offered to PV in different RPS states differ considerably. We use life cycle cost model to estimate the cost of PV based electricity for thirty-two RPS states in the country. Results indicate that the levelized cost of PV electricity is high (40 to 60 Cents/kWh). When the contribution of the financial incentives (along with the cost of energy saved) is taken into account, the cost of PV based electricity is negative in some RPS states such as California, New Jersey, New York, while for most of the RPS states the cost of PV electricity continues to remain high. In addition, the states with negative or low cost of PV electricity have been driving the PV diffusion in the residential sector. Therefore, a need to adjust the financial incentive structure in different RPS states is recommended for homogenous development of the residential PV market in the country. Second, we assess the value of the PV in reducing the highest peak load demand in commercial buildings and hence the high value demand charge. The Time-of-Use (TOU) based electricity tariff is widely used by electric utilities in the commercial sector. Energy and peak load are two important facets of the TOU tariff regime. Tools are well established to estimate the energy contribution from a PV system (installed in a commercial building), but not power output on a short time interval. A joint conditional probability model has been developed that enables estimation of the PV contribution towards the peak load reduction for a given high building load. Results indicate a significant cost saving (15% to 40%) with application of the model. This will encourage commercial entities (building owners) to adopt PV as a distributed energy source. The tool would be useful for energy modelers and green building architects as it will enable them to estimate cost savings due to PV deployment in commercial buildings. Moreover, the model tested for three different commercial buildings indicates that school buildings show the best promise for PV deployment followed, respectively, by office buildings and manufacturing facilities. This will help PV incentive programs in the country to use resources effectively to enhance the diffusion of PV in the commercial sector.

Cost-Reduction Roadmap for Residential Solar Photovoltaics (PV), 2017-2030

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cook, Jeffrey J.; Ardani, Kristen B.; Margolis, Robert M.

The installed cost of solar photovoltaics (PV) has fallen rapidly in recent years and is expected to continue declining in the future. In this report, we focus on the potential for continued PV cost reductions in the residential market. From 2010 to 2017, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for residential PV declined from 52 cents per kilowatt-hour (cents/kWh) to 16 cents/kWh (Fu et al. 2017). The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) recently set new LCOE targets for 2030, including a target of 5 cents/kWh for residential PV. We present a roadmap for achieving themore » SETO 2030 residential PV target. Because the 2030 target likely will not be achieved under business-as-usual trends (NREL 2017), we examine two key market segments that demonstrate significant opportunities for cost savings and market growth: installing PV at the time of roof replacement and installing PV as part of the new home construction process. Within both market segments, we identify four key cost-reduction opportunities: market maturation, business model integration, product innovation, and economies of scale. To assess the potential impact of these cost reductions, we compare modeled residential PV system prices in 2030 to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) quarter one 2017 (Q1 2017) residential PV system price benchmark (Fu et al. 2017). We use a bottom-up accounting framework to model all component and project-development costs incurred when installing a PV system. The result is a granular accounting for 11 direct and indirect costs associated with installing a residential PV system in 2030. All four modeled pathways demonstrate significant installed-system price savings over the Q1 2017 benchmark, with the visionary pathways yielding the greatest price benefits. The largest modeled cost savings are in the supply chain, sales and marketing, overhead, and installation labor cost categories. When we translate these installed-system costs into LCOE, we find that the less-aggressive pathways achieve significant cost reductions, but may not achieve the 2030 LCOE target. On the other hand, both visionary pathways could get very close to (for roof replacement) or achieve (for new construction) the 2030 target. Our analysis has two key implications. First, because installed-system soft cost reductions account for about 65 percent of the LCOE reductions in 2030 for both visionary pathways, residential PV stakeholders may need to emphasize these soft cost reductions to achieve the 2030 target. Second, capturing these savings will likely require considerable innovation in the technologies and business practices employed by the PV industry.« less

Comparative PV LCOE calculator | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Use the Comparative Photovoltaic Levelized Cost of Energy Calculator (Comparative PV LCOE Calculator) to calculate levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for photovoltaic (PV) systems based on cost effect on LCOE to determine whether a proposed technology is cost-effective, perform trade-off analysis

Terms, Trends, and Insights: PV Project Finance in the United States, 2017

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feldman, David J; Schwabe, Paul D

This brief is a compilation of data points and market insights that reflect the state of the project finance market for solar photovoltaic (PV) assets in the United States as of the third quarter of 2017. This information can generally be used as a simplified benchmark of the costs associated with securing financing for solar PV as well as the cost of the financing itself (i.e., the cost of capital). This work represents the second DOE sponsored effort to benchmark financing costs across the residential, commercial, and utility-scale PV markets, as part of its larger effort to benchmark the componentsmore » of PV system costs.« less

Highlights of recent balance of system research and evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, M. G.; Stevens, J. W.

The cost of most photovoltaic (PV) systems is more a function of the balance of system (BOS) components than the collectors. The exception to this rule is the grid-tied system whose cost is related more directly to the collectors, and secondarily to the inverter/controls. In fact, recent procurements throughout the country document that collector costs for roof-mounted, utility-tied systems (Russell, PV Systems Workshop, 7/94) represent 60% to 70% of the system cost. This contrasts with the current market for packaged stand-alone all PV or PV-hybrid systems where collectors represent only 25% to 35% of the total. Not only are the BOS components the cost drivers in the current cost-effective PV system market place, they are also the least reliable components. This paper discusses the impact that BOS issues have on component performance, system performance, and system cost and reliability. We will also look at recent recommended changes in system design based upon performance evaluations of fielded PV systems.

Real-time POD-CFD Wind-Load Calculator for PV Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huayamave, Victor; Divo, Eduardo; Ceballos, Andres

The primary objective of this project is to create an accurate web-based real-time wind-load calculator. This is of paramount importance for (1) the rapid and accurate assessments of the uplift and downforce loads on a PV mounting system, (2) identifying viable solutions from available mounting systems, and therefore helping reduce the cost of mounting hardware and installation. Wind loading calculations for structures are currently performed according to the American Society of Civil Engineers/ Structural Engineering Institute Standard ASCE/SEI 7; the values in this standard were calculated from simplified models that do not necessarily take into account relevant characteristics such asmore » those from full 3D effects, end effects, turbulence generation and dissipation, as well as minor effects derived from shear forces on installation brackets and other accessories. This standard does not include provisions that address the special requirements of rooftop PV systems, and attempts to apply this standard may lead to significant design errors as wind loads are incorrectly estimated. Therefore, an accurate calculator would be of paramount importance for the preliminary assessments of the uplift and downforce loads on a PV mounting system, identifying viable solutions from available mounting systems, and therefore helping reduce the cost of the mounting system and installation. The challenge is that although a full-fledged three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis would properly and accurately capture the complete physical effects of air flow over PV systems, it would be impractical for this tool, which is intended to be a real-time web-based calculator. CFD routinely requires enormous computation times to arrive at solutions that can be deemed accurate and grid-independent even in powerful and massively parallel computer platforms. This work is expected not only to accelerate solar deployment nationwide, but also help reach the SunShot Initiative goals of reducing the total installed cost of solar energy systems by 75%. The largest percentage of the total installed cost of solar energy system is associated with balance of system cost, with up to 40% going to “soft” costs; which include customer acquisition, financing, contracting, permitting, interconnection, inspection, installation, performance, operations, and maintenance. The calculator that is being developed will provide wind loads in real-time for any solar system designs and suggest the proper installation configuration and hardware; and therefore, it is anticipated to reduce system design, installation and permitting costs.« less

The effects of antioxidants and shelf life conditions on oxidation markers in a sunflower oil salad dressing emulsion (SOSDE).

PubMed

Sainsbury, Jeanine; Grypa, Roman; Ellingworth, John; Duodu, Kwaku G; De Kock, Henriëtta L

2016-12-15

The effects of levels of antioxidant [gallic acid or ethylene diamine tetraacetate (EDTA)] in a sunflower oil salad dressing emulsion (SOSDE) and shelf life affecting conditions on aroma, anisidine values (AV) and peroxide values (PV) were determined. Aroma differences between products with different concentrations of antioxidants were more apparent for ambient than accelerated stored SOSDEs. Aroma differences were more noted between SOSDEs with different antioxidants than antioxidant concentrations per se. PV differences between accelerated stored SOSDEs with high and low EDTA concentrations were found. AV differences existed between SOSDEs with different gallic acid concentrations for both storage conditions, and for accelerated stored SOSDEs with different EDTA concentrations. The accelerated storage model is more suitable for SOSDEs with metal chelator antioxidants e.g. EDTA, than free radical scavenging antioxidants e.g. gallic acid. PV, AV and aroma of accelerated stored SOSDEs do not clearly predict ambient shelf life. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systems Engineering | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Research Other Reliability & Engineering pages: Real-Time PV & Solar Resource Testing Accelerated community toward developing comprehensive PV standards. Each year, NREL researchers, along with solar Engineering Systems Engineering We provide engineering testing and evaluation of photovoltaic (PV

Comparing the net cost of CSP-TES to PV deployed with battery storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorgenson, Jennie; Mehos, Mark; Denholm, Paul

2016-05-01

Concentrated solar power with thermal energy storage (CSP-TES) is a unique source of renewable energy in that its energy can be shifted over time and it can provide the electricity system with dependable generation capacity. In this study, we provide a framework to determine if the benefits of CSP-TES (shiftable energy and the ability to provide firm capacity) exceed the benefits of PV and firm capacity sources such as long-duration battery storage or conventional natural gas combustion turbines (CTs). The results of this study using current capital cost estimates indicate that a combination of PV and conventional gas CTs provides a lower net cost compared to CSP-TES and PV with batteries. Some configurations of CSP-TES have a lower net cost than PV with batteries for even the lowest battery cost estimate. Using projected capital cost targets, however, some configurations of CSP-TES have a lower net cost than PV with either option for even the lowest battery cost estimate. The net cost of CSP-TES varies with configuration, and lower solar multiples coupled with less storage are more attractive at current cost levels, due to high component costs. However, higher solar multiples show a lower net cost using projected future costs for heliostats and thermal storage materials.

NREL Report Shows Utility-Scale Solar PV System Cost Fell Nearly 30% Last

Science.gov Websites

Year | NREL | News | NREL Report Shows Utility-Scale Solar PV System Cost Fell Nearly 30% Last Year News Release: NREL Report Shows Utility-Scale Solar PV System Cost Fell Nearly 30% Last Year September 12, 2017 Record-low costs enabled by decline in module and inverter prices The installed cost of

NREL Report Shows U.S. Solar Photovoltaic Costs Continuing to Fall in 2016

Science.gov Websites

chart of solar pv costs from q4 2009 to q1 2016 NREL U.S. PV system cost benchmarks, from the fourth (NREL). Driving the cost reductions were lower module and inverter prices, increased competition, lower ;The continuing total cost decline of solar PV systems demonstrates the sustained economic

On the Path to SunShot. The Role of Advancements in Solar Photovoltaic Efficiency, Reliability, and Costs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Woodhouse, Michael; Jones-Albertus, Rebecca; Feldman, David

2016-05-01

This report examines the remaining challenges to achieving the competitive photovoltaic (PV) costs and large-scale deployment envisioned under the U.S. Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative. Solar-energy cost reductions can be realized through lower PV module and balance-of-system (BOS) costs as well as improved system efficiency and reliability. Numerous combinations of PV improvements could help achieve the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) goals because of the tradeoffs among key metrics like module price, efficiency, and degradation rate as well as system price and lifetime. Using LCOE modeling based on bottom-up cost analysis, two specific pathways are mapped to exemplify the manymore » possible approaches to module cost reductions of 29%-38% between 2015 and 2020. BOS hardware and soft cost reductions, ranging from 54%-77% of total cost reductions, are also modeled. The residential sector's high supply-chain costs, labor requirements, and customer-acquisition costs give it the greatest BOS cost-reduction opportunities, followed by the commercial sector, although opportunities are available to the utility-scale sector as well. Finally, a future scenario is considered in which very high PV penetration requires additional costs to facilitate grid integration and increased power-system flexibility--which might necessitate even lower solar LCOEs. The analysis of a pathway to 3-5 cents/kWh PV systems underscores the importance of combining robust improvements in PV module and BOS costs as well as PV system efficiency and reliability if such aggressive long-term targets are to be achieved.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Holley, W.A.

The goals of the NREL PVMaT program are, among others, to reduce module manufacturing costs and improve the quality, and we might add here the reliability, of manufactured PV products. One component critical to the service life of PV modules is the useful life of the EVA resin-based encapsulant which is employed extensively by module manufacturers on a worldwide basis. This pottant has been in commercial use since 1982, and over that time has proven to be a dependable material from the standpoint of production, module fabrication, and end-use. But despite the widespread acceptance of the EVA resin-based A9918 andmore » similar formulations for PV encapsulation, some module producers, end-users, and investigators have reported a yellowing or browning phenomenon with EVA resin-based encapsulants in the field. Wile the incidence of this discoloration/degradation appeared at comparatively few sites at the time that this present program was conceived, it raised serious concern as to the long term reliability of EVA resin-based encapsulation systems. Consequently, under the NREL PVMaT program, Springborn Laboratories proposed a comprehensive study of the EVA aging and discoloration problem and its possible solution(s). During the first year of this program, accelerated U.V. aging methods were surveyed. On careful review of the various types of accelerated U.V. aging equipment available, an Atlas Ci35A Weather-Ometer Xenon Exposure System was selected as appropriate equipment for this work. The following report summarizes how this accelerated aging technique has been used to develop a family of solutions to the discoloration problem, the most significant of which is a series of EVA-based encapsulants which are resistant to discoloration.« less

Multi-state residential transaction estimates of solar photovoltaic system premiums

DOE PAGES

Hoen, Ben; Adomatis, Sandra; Jackson, Thomas; ...

2017-07-10

We report that as of the second quarter of 2016 more than 1.1 million solar photovoltaic (PV) homes exist in the US. Capturing the value these PV systems add to home sales is therefore important. Our study enhances the PV-home-valuation literature by analyzing 22,822 home sales, of which 3951 have PV, and which span eight states during 2002–2013. We also, for the first time, compare premiums with contributory value estimates derived from the present value of saved energy costs (income approach) and, separately, the replacement cost of systems at the time of sale (cost approach) to examine market signals. Wemore » find home buyers are consistently willing to pay PV home premiums across various states, housing and PV markets, and home types; average premiums equate to approximately $4/W or $15,000 for an average-sized 3.6-kW PV system. We find that a replacement cost net of state and federal incentives is a better proxy for premiums than gross installed costs, and that the income approach is a good signal if it accounts for tiered volumetric retail rates. Finally, other results include detailed premium analyses for PV home sub-populations.« less

Multi-state residential transaction estimates of solar photovoltaic system premiums

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoen, Ben; Adomatis, Sandra; Jackson, Thomas

We report that as of the second quarter of 2016 more than 1.1 million solar photovoltaic (PV) homes exist in the US. Capturing the value these PV systems add to home sales is therefore important. Our study enhances the PV-home-valuation literature by analyzing 22,822 home sales, of which 3951 have PV, and which span eight states during 2002–2013. We also, for the first time, compare premiums with contributory value estimates derived from the present value of saved energy costs (income approach) and, separately, the replacement cost of systems at the time of sale (cost approach) to examine market signals. Wemore » find home buyers are consistently willing to pay PV home premiums across various states, housing and PV markets, and home types; average premiums equate to approximately $4/W or $15,000 for an average-sized 3.6-kW PV system. We find that a replacement cost net of state and federal incentives is a better proxy for premiums than gross installed costs, and that the income approach is a good signal if it accounts for tiered volumetric retail rates. Finally, other results include detailed premium analyses for PV home sub-populations.« less

Energy balance of the global photovoltaic (PV) industry--is the PV industry a net electricity producer?

PubMed

Dale, Michael; Benson, Sally M

2013-04-02

A combination of declining costs and policy measures motivated by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction and energy security have driven rapid growth in the global installed capacity of solar photovoltaics (PV). This paper develops a number of unique data sets, namely the following: calculation of distribution of global capacity factor for PV deployment; meta-analysis of energy consumption in PV system manufacture and deployment; and documentation of reduction in energetic costs of PV system production. These data are used as input into a new net energy analysis of the global PV industry, as opposed to device level analysis. In addition, the paper introduces a new concept: a model tracking energetic costs of manufacturing and installing PV systems, including balance of system (BOS) components. The model is used to forecast electrical energy requirements to scale up the PV industry and determine the electricity balance of the global PV industry to 2020. Results suggest that the industry was a net consumer of electricity as recently as 2010. However, there is a >50% that in 2012 the PV industry is a net electricity provider and will "pay back" the electrical energy required for its early growth before 2020. Further reducing energetic costs of PV deployment will enable more rapid growth of the PV industry. There is also great potential to increase the capacity factor of PV deployment. These conclusions have a number of implications for R&D and deployment, including the following: monitoring of the energy embodied within PV systems; designing more efficient and durable systems; and deploying PV systems in locations that will achieve high capacity factors.

Installed Cost Benchmarks and Deployment Barriers for Residential Solar Photovoltaics with Energy Storage: Q1 2016

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ardani, Kristen; O'Shaughnessy, Eric; Fu, Ran

2016-12-01

In this report, we fill a gap in the existing knowledge about PV-plus-storage system costs and value by providing detailed component- and system-level installed cost benchmarks for residential systems. We also examine other barriers to increased deployment of PV-plus-storage systems in the residential sector. The results are meant to help technology manufacturers, installers, and other stakeholders identify cost-reduction opportunities and inform decision makers about regulatory, policy, and market characteristics that impede solar plus storage deployment. In addition, our periodic cost benchmarks will document progress in cost reductions over time. To analyze costs for PV-plus-storage systems deployed in the first quartermore » of 2016, we adapt the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's component- and system-level cost-modeling methods for standalone PV. In general, we attempt to model best-in-class installation techniques and business operations from an installed-cost perspective. In addition to our original analysis, model development, and review of published literature, we derive inputs for our model and validate our draft results via interviews with industry and subject-matter experts. One challenge to analyzing the costs of PV-plus-storage systems is choosing an appropriate cost metric. Unlike standalone PV, energy storage lacks universally accepted cost metrics, such as dollars per watt of installed capacity and lifetime levelized cost of energy. We explain the difficulty of arriving at a standard approach for reporting storage costs and then provide the rationale for using the total installed costs of a standard PV-plus-storage system as our primary metric, rather than using a system-size-normalized metric.« less

Supply Constraints Analysis | Energy Analysis | NREL

Science.gov Websites

module cost, and future price could be critical to the economic viability of this PV technology. Even constraints on future CdTe PV module deployment and found that: CdTe PV modules can remain cost-competitive and 4070 GW of annual CdTe production by 2030. Cost estimates were based on NREL's manufacturing cost

The Effects of Market Concentration on Residential Solar PV Prices: Competition, Installer Scale, and Soft Costs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

OShaughnessy, Eric J

Competition among residential solar photovoltaic (PV) installers may reduce PV price markups and yield lower prices. At the same time, competition may reduce installer experience and opportunities for cost reductions through learning-by-doing and economies of scale. These dynamics suggest that PV non-hardware or 'soft' costs and installed prices depend on the distribution of market shares among installers, also known as market concentration. This study leverages a rich data set of 226,769 residential PV systems to examine the relationship between market concentration, soft costs, and PV prices. The results show that PV prices are lower, on average, in more concentrated markets,more » i.e., markets with fewer installers or where few installers hold high market share. The study provides evidence that this relationship is non-linear, such that prices are minimized in markets with an optimal balance of the benefits of market concentration and the benefits of competition.« less

Photovoltaics: Energy for the New Millenium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surek, Thomas

2000-04-01

Photovoltaics (PV) is a semiconductor-based technology that directly converts sunlight to electricity. The stimulus for terrestrial PV started more than 25 years ago in response to the oil crises of the 1970s, which resulted in major government programs in the United States, Europe, Japan, and elsewhere. Ongoing concerns with the global environment, as well as the worldwide efforts to seek alternate, indigenous sources of energy, continue to drive the investment in PV research and deployment. Today, the manufacture, sale, and use of PV has become a billion-dollar industry worldwide, with nearly 200 megawatts (MW) of PV modules shipped in 1999. The twenty five years of research and development led to the discovery of new PV materials, devices, and fabrication approaches; continuing improvements in the efficiency and reliability of solar cells and modules; and lower PV module and system costs. This talk reviews the rapid progress that has occurred in PV technology from the laboratory to the marketplace, including reviews of the leading technology options, status and issues, and key industry players. New processes for fabricating PV materials and devices, and innovative PV approaches with low-cost potential are elements of an ongoing research program aimed at future advancements in PV cost and performance While major market opportunities continue to exist in the developing countries, where sizable populations are without any electricity, today's manufacturing expansions are fueled by market initiatives for grid-connected PV in residential and commercial buildings. The combinations of increased production capacities, with the attendant cost reductions as a result of economies of scale, are expected to lead to sustainable markets. A key to achieving the ultimate potential of PV is to continue to increase the sunlight-to-electricity conversion efficiencies and translate the laboratory successes to cost-competitive products. Building a robust technology base is essential to overcoming this high-risk transition. Then PV will make a globally significant contribution to our energy supply and environment.

Outdoor Test Facility and Related Facilities | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

advanced or emerging photovoltaic (PV) technologies under simulated, accelerated indoor and outdoor, and evaluate prototype, pre-commercial, and commercial PV modules. One of the major roles of researchers at the OTF is to work with industry to develop uniform and consensus standards and codes for testing PV

Socio-economic and Engineering Assessments of Renewable Energy Cost Reduction Potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seel, Joachim

This dissertation combines three perspectives on the potential of cost reductions of renewable energy--a relevant topic, as high energy costs have traditionally been cited as major reason to vindicate developments of fossil fuel and nuclear power plants, and to justify financial support mechanisms and special incentives for renewable energy generators. First, I highlight the role of market and policy drivers in an international comparison of upfront capital expenses of residential photovoltaic systems in Germany and the United States that result in price differences of a factor of two and suggest cost reduction opportunities. In a second article I examine engineering approaches and siting considerations of large-scale photovoltaic projects in the United States that enable substantial system performance increases and allow thus for lower energy costs on a levelized basis. Finally, I investigate future cost reduction options of wind energy, ranging from capital expenses, operating expenses, and performance over a project's lifetime to financing costs. The assessment shows both substantial further cost decline potential for mature technologies like land-based turbines, nascent technologies like fixed-bottom offshore turbines, and experimental technologies like floating offshore turbines. The following paragraphs summarize each analysis: International upfront capital cost comparison of residential solar systems: Residential photovoltaic (PV) systems were twice as expensive in the United States as in Germany in 2012. This price discrepancy stems primarily from differences in non-hardware or "soft" costs between the two countries, of which only 35% be explained by differences in cumulative market size and associated learning. A survey of German PV installers was deployed to collect granular data on PV soft costs in Germany, and the results are compared to those of a similar survey of U.S. PV installers. Non-module hardware costs and all analyzed soft costs are lower in Germany, especially for customer acquisition, installation labor, and profit/overhead costs, but also for expenses related to permitting, interconnection, and inspection procedures. Additional costs occur in the United States due to state and local sales taxes, smaller average system sizes, and longer project-development times. To reduce the identified additional costs of residential PV systems, the United States could introduce policies that enable a robust and lasting market while minimizing market fragmentation. Regularly declining incentives offering a transparent and certain value proposition might help accelerate PV cost reductions in the United States. Performance analysis of large-scale solar installations in the United States: This paper presents the first known use of multi-variate regression techniques to statistically explore empirical variation in utility-scale PV project performance across the United States. Among a sample of 128 utility-scale PV projects totaling 3,201 MWAC, net capacity factors in 2014 varied by more than a factor of two. Regression models developed for this analysis find that just three highly significant independent variables can explain 92% of this project-level variation. Adding the commercial operation year as a fourth independent variable and three interactive variables improves the model further and reveals interesting relationships. Taken together, the empirical data and statistical modeling results presented in this paper can provide a useful indication of the level of performance that solar project developers and investors can expect from various project configurations in different regions of the United States. Moreover, the tight relationship between fitted and actual capacity factors should instill confidence among investors that the utility-scale projects in this sample have largely performed as predicted by our models, with no significant outliers to date. Holistic assessment of future cost reduction opportunities of wind energy applications: Wind energy supply has grown rapidly over the last decade. However, the long-term contribution of wind to future energy supply, and the degree to which policy support is necessary to motivate higher levels of deployment, depends on the future costs of both onshore and offshore wind. Here, I summarize the results of an expert elicitation survey of 163 of the world's foremost wind experts, aimed at better understanding future costs and technology advancement possibilities. Results suggest significant opportunities for cost reductions, but also underlying uncertainties. Costs could be even lower: experts predict a 10% chance that reductions will be more than 40% by 2030 and more than 50% by 2050. The main identified drivers for near term cost reductions are rotor-related advancements and taller towers for onshore installations, fixed-bottom offshore turbines can benefit from an upscaling in generator capacity, streamlined foundation design and reduced financing costs, while floating offshore turbines require further progress in buoyant support structure design and installation process efficiencies. Insights gained through this expert elicitation complement other tools for evaluating cost-reduction potential, and help inform policy, planning, R&D, and industry strategy. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

Piezoelectric vibrator-stimulated potential and heart rate accelerations detected from the fetus.

PubMed

Matsuoka, Rina; Lee, Sinyoung; Sato, Miho; Hibiya, Remi; Shimanuki, Yota; Kasai, Misato; Kamiya, Kazusaku; Itakura, Atsuo; Koike, Takuji; Ikeda, Katsuhisa

2017-10-01

The fetus is well known to have a substantial capacity for sound recognition in the uterine environment. The aim of this study was to develop a sound stimulus system equipped with a piezoelectric vibrator (PV), record the PV-stimulated potential (PVSP) of the fetus and monitor changes of the fetal heart rate (FHR) under PV stimulation. The relationship between the input voltage applied to a piezoelectric vibrator and the sound pressure generated in the uterus was calibrated based on a model of the maternal abdomen. Fourteen fetuses for the measurement of the PVSP and 22 fetuses for the measurement of the heart rate changes from low-risk pregnant women were recruited. The PVSP responses were obtained in 9 out of 14 fetuses. All the tested fetuses accelerated the FHR after the 2 kHz tone stimulation at 70 dB intensity generated by PV from 32 to 37 weeks gestational age. Using a newly developed sound stimulus system equipped with PV, the electric responses of a fetus recorded from electrodes placed on the mother's abdomen may be closely related to the auditory evoked response. Significant accelerations of FHR were objectively, accurately and readily obtained after the sound stimulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Narang, David; Ayyanar, Raja; Gemin, Paul

APS’s renewable energy portfolio, driven in part by Arizona’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES) currently includes more than 1100 MW of installed capacity, equating to roughly 3000 GWh of annual production. Overall renewable production is expected to grow to 6000 GWh by 2025. It is expected that distributed photovoltaics, driven primarily by lower cost, will contribute to much of this growth and that by 2025, distributed installations will account for half of all renewable production (3000GHW). As solar penetration increases, additional analysis may be required for routine utility processes to ensure continued safe and reliable operation of the electric distribution network.more » Such processes include residential or commercial interconnection requests and load shifting during normal feeder operations. Circuits with existing high solar penetration will also have to be studied and results will need to be evaluated for adherence to utility practices or strategy. Increased distributed PV penetration may offer benefits such as load offsetting, but it also has the potential to adversely impact distribution system operation. These effects may be exacerbated by the rapid variability of PV production. Detailed effects of these phenomena in distributed PV applications continue to be studied. Comprehensive, high-resolution electrical models of the distribution system were developed to analyze the impacts of PV on distribution circuit protection systems (including coordination and anti-islanding), predict voltage regulation and phase balance issues, and develop volt/VAr control schemes. Modeling methods were refined by validating against field measurements. To augment the field measurements, methods were developed to synthesize high resolution load and PV generation data to facilitate quasi-static time series simulations. The models were then extended to explore boundary conditions for PV hosting capability of the feeder and to simulate common utility practices such as feeder reconfiguration. The modeling and analysis methodology was implemented using open source tools and a process was developed to aid utility engineers in future interconnection requests. Methods to increase PV hosting capacity were also explored during the course of the study. A 700kVA grid-supportive inverter was deployed on the feeder and each grid support mode was demonstrated. Energy storage was explored through simulation and models were developed to calculate the optimum size and placement needed to increase PV hosting capacity. A tool was developed to aid planners in assigning relative costs and benefits to various strategies for increasing PV hosting capacity beyond current levels. Following the completion of the project, APS intends to use the tools and methods to improve the framework of future PV integration on its system. The tools and methods are also expected to aid other utilities to accelerate distributed PV deployment.« less

Why silicon is and will remain the dominant photovoltaic material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Rajendra

2009-07-01

Rising demands of energy in emerging economies, coupled with the green house gas emissions related problems around the globe have provided a unique opportunity of exploiting the advantages offered by photovoltaic (PV) systems for green energy electricity generation. Similar to cell phones, power generated by PV systems can reach over two billion people worldwide who have no access to clean energy. Only silicon based PV devices meet the low-cost manufacturing criterion of clean energy conversion (abundance of raw material and no environmental health and safety issues). The use of larger size glass substrates and manufacturing techniques similar to the ones used by the liquid crystal display industry and the large scale manufacturing of amorphous silicon thin films based modules (~ GW per year manufacturing at a single location) can lead to installed PV system cost of $3/Wp. This will open a huge market for grid connected PV systems and related markets. With further research and development, this approach can provide $2/Wp installed PV system costs in the next few years. At this cost level, PV electricity generation is competitive with any other technology, and PV power generation can be a dominant electricity generation technology in the 21st century.

Inaugural History of the National Center for Photovoltaics | Photovoltaic

Science.gov Websites

technology and disseminating information about photovoltaics (PV) in the United States. When created, the NCPV's long-term goals were for PV modules and systems to reach still higher efficiencies with improved , industry, and other federal programs into a united effort and accelerating the advance of PV as an industry

Integrating Solar PV in Utility System Operations: Analytical Framework and Arizona Case Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Jing; Botterud, Audun; Mills, Andrew

2015-06-01

A systematic framework is proposed to estimate the impact on operating costs due to uncertainty and variability in renewable resources. The framework quantifies the integration costs associated with subhourly variability and uncertainty as well as day-ahead forecasting errors in solar PV (photovoltaics) power. A case study illustrates how changes in system operations may affect these costs for a utility in the southwestern United States (Arizona Public Service Company). We conduct an extensive sensitivity analysis under different assumptions about balancing reserves, system flexibility, fuel prices, and forecasting errors. We find that high solar PV penetrations may lead to operational challenges, particularlymore » during low-load and high solar periods. Increased system flexibility is essential for minimizing integration costs and maintaining reliability. In a set of sensitivity cases where such flexibility is provided, in part, by flexible operations of nuclear power plants, the estimated integration costs vary between $1.0 and $4.4/MWh-PV for a PV penetration level of 17%. The integration costs are primarily due to higher needs for hour-ahead balancing reserves to address the increased sub-hourly variability and uncertainty in the PV resource. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.« less

PV Project Finance in the United States, 2016

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feldman, David; Lowder, Travis; Schwabe, Paul

This brief is a compilation of data points and market insights that reflect the state of the project finance market for solar photovoltaic (PV) assets in the United States as of the third quarter of 2016. This information can generally be used as a simplified benchmark of the costs associated with securing financing for solar PV as well as the cost of the financing itself (i.e., the cost of capital). Three sources of capital are considered -- tax equity, sponsor equity, and debt -- across three segments of the PV marketplace.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jorgenson, Jennie; Mehos, Mark; Denholm, Paul

Concentrated solar power with thermal energy storage (CSP-TES) is a unique source of renewable energy in that its energy can be shifted over time and it can provide the electricity system with dependable generation capacity. In this study, we provide a framework to determine if the benefits of CSP-TES (shiftable energy and the ability to provide firm capacity) exceed the benefits of PV and firm capacity sources such as long-duration battery storage or conventional natural gas combustion turbines (CTs). The results of this study using current capital cost estimates indicate that a combination of PV and conventional gas CTs providesmore » a lower net cost compared to CSP-TES and PV with batteries. Some configurations of CSP-TES have a lower net cost than PV with batteries for even the lowest battery cost estimate. Using projected capital cost targets, however, some configurations of CSP-TES have a lower net cost than PV with either option for even the lowest battery cost estimate. The net cost of CSP-TES varies with configuration, and lower solar multiples coupled with less storage are more attractive at current cost levels, due to high component costs. However, higher solar multiples show a lower net cost using projected future costs for heliostats and thermal storage materials.« less

Integrating More Solar with Smart Inverters: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoke, Anderson F; Giraldez Miner, Julieta I; Symko-Davies, Martha

In Hawai'i, the relatively high cost of electricity costs coupled with various incentives have made it cost-effective to install solar photovoltaics (PV) on residential homes and larger central-station PV plants. On some of the islands, PV has reached over 50% of the installed generation capacity base. To make sure these inverter-based PV plants can maintain stable and safe operations, new smart inverter functionality is being evaluated and demonstrated at significant scale across the islands This paper describes research conducted to validate high PV penetration scenarios with smart inverters and recent progress on the use of these advanced inverter grid supportmore » functions in actual power grids in Hawai'i.« less

Envisioning a Low-Cost Solar Future: Exploring the Potential Impact of Achieving the SunShot 2030 Targets for Photovoltaics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cole, Wesley J; Frew, Bethany A; Gagnon, Pieter J

In the context of recent dramatic solar energy cost reductions, the U.S. Department of Energy set new levelized cost of energy goals for photovoltaics (PV) to achieve by 2030 to enable significantly greater PV adoption: $0.03/kWh for utility-scale, $0.04/kWh for commercial, and $0.05/kWh for residential PV systems. We analyze the potential impacts of achieving these 'SunShot 2030' cost targets for the contiguous United States using the Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) and Distributed Generation (dGen) capacity expansion models. We consider the impacts under a wide range of future conditions. We find that PV could provide 13%-18% of U.S. electricity demandmore » in 2030 and 28%-64% of demand if the SunShot 2030 goals are achieved, with PV deployment increasing in every state. The availability of low-cost storage has the largest impact on projected deployment, followed by natural gas prices and electricity demand. For comparison, PV deployed under a business-as-usual scenario could provide only 5% of generation in 2030 and 17% in 2050. We find that the high levels of PV deployment explored here lead to lower electricity prices and system costs, lower carbon dioxide emissions, lower water consumption, increased renewable energy curtailment, and increased storage deployment compared with the business-as-usual scenario.« less

Sensitivities of projected 1980 photovoltaic system costs to major system cost drivers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimmerman, L. W.; Smith, J. L.

1984-01-01

The sensitivity of projected 1990 photovoltaic (PV) system costs to major system cost drivers was examined. It includes: (1) module costs and module efficiencies; (2) area related balance of system (BOS) costs; (3) inverter costs and efficiencies; and (4) module marketing and distribution markups and system integration fees. Recent PV system cost experiences and the high costs of electricity from the systems are reviewed. The 1990 system costs are projected for five classes of PV systems, including four ground mounted 5-MWp systems and one residential 5-kWp system. System cost projections are derived by first projecting costs and efficiencies for all subsystems and components. Sensitivity analyses reveal that reductions in module cost and engineering and system integration fees seem to have the greatest potential for contributing to system cost reduction. Although module cost is clearly the prime candidate for fruitful PV research and development activities, engineering and system integration fees seem to be more amenable to reduction through appropriate choice of system size and market strategy. Increases in inverter and module efficiency yield significant benefits, especially for systems with high area related costs.

Wafer integrated micro-scale concentrating photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Tian; Li, Duanhui; Li, Lan; Jared, Bradley; Keeler, Gordon; Miller, Bill; Sweatt, William; Paap, Scott; Saavedra, Michael; Das, Ujjwal; Hegedus, Steve; Tauke-Pedretti, Anna; Hu, Juejun

2017-09-01

Recent development of a novel micro-scale PV/CPV technology is presented. The Wafer Integrated Micro-scale PV approach (WPV) seamlessly integrates multijunction micro-cells with a multi-functional silicon platform that provides optical micro-concentration, hybrid photovoltaic, and mechanical micro-assembly. The wafer-embedded micro-concentrating elements is shown to considerably improve the concentration-acceptance-angle product, potentially leading to dramatically reduced module materials and fabrication costs, sufficient angular tolerance for low-cost trackers, and an ultra-compact optical architecture, which makes the WPV module compatible with commercial flat panel infrastructures. The PV/CPV hybrid architecture further allows the collection of both direct and diffuse sunlight, thus extending the geographic and market domains for cost-effective PV system deployment. The WPV approach can potentially benefits from both the high performance of multijunction cells and the low cost of flat plate Si PV systems.

Defining Threshold Values of Encapsulant and Backsheet Adhesion for PV Module Reliability

DOE PAGES

Bosco, Nick; Eafanti, Joshua; Kurtz, Sarah; ...

2017-10-04

The width-tapered cantilever beam method is used to quantify the debond energy (adhesion) of encapsulant and backsheet structures of 32 modules collected from the field. The collected population of modules contains both those that have remained intact and those with instances of either or both encapsulant and backsheet delamination. From this survey, initial threshold values (an adhesion value above which a module should remain intact throughout its lifetime) for encapsulant and backsheet interfaces are proposed. For encapsulants this value is ~ 160J/m 2 and for backsheets ~ 10J/m 2. Here, it is expected that these values will continue to bemore » refined and evolve as the width-tapered cantilever beam method gets adopted by the PV industry, and that they may aid in the future improvement of accelerated lifetime tests and the development of new, low-cost materials.« less

Defining Threshold Values of Encapsulant and Backsheet Adhesion for PV Module Reliability: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bosco, Nicholas S; Kurtz, Sarah; Eafanti, Joshua

2017-08-28

The width-tapered cantilever beam method is used to quantify the debond energy (adhesion) of encapsulant and backsheet structures of 27 modules collected from the field. The collected population of modules contains both those that have remained in-tact and those with instances of either or both encapsulant and backsheet delamination. From this survey, initial threshold values (an adhesion value above which a module should remain intact throughout its lifetime) for encapsulant and backsheet interfaces are proposed. For encapsulants this value is about 60 J/m2 and for backsheets about 20 J/m2. It is expected that these values will continue to be refinedmore » and evolve as the width-tapered cantilever beam method becomes adopted by the PV industry, and that they may aid in the future improvement of accelerated lifetime tests and the development of new, low-cost materials.« less

Feasibility Study of Residential Grid-Connected Solar Photovoltaic Systems in the State of Indiana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Odeh, Mahmoud

This study aims to measure the financial viability of installing and using a residential grid-connected PV system in the State of Indiana while predicting its performance in eighteen geographical locations within the state over the system's expected lifetime. The null hypothesis of the study is that installing a PV system for a single family residence in the State of Indiana will not pay for itself within 25 years. Using a systematic approach consisting of six steps, data regarding the use of renewable energy in the State of Indiana was collected from the website of the US Department of Energy to perform feasibility analysis of the installation and use of a standard-sized residential PV system. The researcher was not able to reject the null hypothesis that installing a PV system for a single family residence in the State of Indiana will not pay for itself within 25 years. This study found that the standard PV system does not produce a positive project balance and does not pay for itself within 25 years (the life time of the system) assuming the average cost of a system. The government incentive programs are not enough to offset the cost of installing the system against the cost of the electricity that would not be purchased from the utility company. It can be concluded that the cost of solar PV is higher than the market valuation of the power it produces; thus, solar PV did not compete on the cost basis with the traditional competitive energy sources. Reducing the capital cost will make the standard PV system economically viable in Indiana. The study found that the capital cost for the system should be reduced by 15% - 56%.

On the Path to SunShot. Emerging Opportunities and Challenges in U.S. Solar Manufacturing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chung, Donald; Horowitz, Kelsey; Kurup, Parthiv

This report provides insights into photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) manufacturing in the context of the U.S. Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative. Although global PV price reductions and deployment have been strong recently, PV manufacturing faces challenges. Slowing rates of manufacturing cost reductions, combined with the relatively low price of incumbent electricity generating sources in most large global PV markets, may constrain profit opportunities for firms and poses a potential challenge to the sustainable operation and growth of the global PV manufacturing base. In the United States, manufacturers also face a factors-of-production cost disadvantage compared with competing nations.more » However, the United States is one of the world's most competitive and innovative countries as well as one of the best locations for PV manufacturing. In conjunction with strong projected PV demand in the United States and across the Americas, these advantages could increase the share of PV technologies produced by U.S. manufacturers as the importance of innovation-driven PV cost reductions increases. Compared with PV, CSP systems are much more complex and require a much larger minimum effective scale, resulting in much higher total CAPEX requirements for system construction, lengthier development cycles, and ultimately higher costs of energy produced. The global lack of consistent CSP project development creates challenges for companies that manufacture specialty CSP components, and the potential lack of a near-term U.S. market could hinder domestic CSP manufacturers. However, global and U.S. CSP deployment is expected to expand beyond 2020, and U.S. CSP manufacturers could benefit from U.S. innovation advantages similar to those associated with PV. Expansion of PV and CSP manufacturing also presents U.S. job-growth opportunities.« less

Impact of residential PV adoption on Retail Electricity Rates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cai, DWH; Adlakha, S; Low, SH

2013-11-01

The price of electricity supplied from home rooftop photo voltaic (PV) solar cells has fallen below the retail price of grid electricity in some areas. A number of residential households have an economic incentive to install rooftop PV systems and reduce their purchases of electricity from the grid. A significant portion of the costs incurred by utility companies are fixed costs which must be recovered even as consumption falls. Electricity rates must increase in order for utility companies to recover fixed costs from shrinking sales bases. Increasing rates will, in turn, result in even more economic incentives for customers tomore » adopt rooftop PV. In this paper, we model this feedback between PV adoption and electricity rates and study its impact on future PV penetration and net-metering costs. We find that the most important parameter that determines whether this feedback has an effect is the fraction of customers who adopt PV in any year based solely on the money saved by doing so in that year, independent of the uncertainties of future years. These uncertainties include possible changes in rate structures such as the introduction of connection charges, the possibility of PV prices dropping significantly in the future, possible changes in tax incentives, and confidence in the reliability and maintainability of PV. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.« less

A disynaptic feedback network activated by experience promotes the integration of new granule cells.

PubMed

Alvarez, Diego D; Giacomini, Damiana; Yang, Sung Min; Trinchero, Mariela F; Temprana, Silvio G; Büttner, Karina A; Beltramone, Natalia; Schinder, Alejandro F

2016-10-28

Experience shapes the development and connectivity of adult-born granule cells (GCs) through mechanisms that are poorly understood. We examined the remodeling of dentate gyrus microcircuits in mice in an enriched environment (EE). Short exposure to EE during early development of new GCs accelerated their functional integration. This effect was mimicked by in vivo chemogenetic activation of a limited population of mature GCs. Slice recordings showed that mature GCs recruit parvalbumin γ-aminobutyric acid-releasing interneurons (PV-INs) that feed back onto developing GCs. Accordingly, chemogenetic stimulation of PV-INs or direct depolarization of developing GCs accelerated GC integration, whereas inactivation of PV-INs prevented the effects of EE. Our results reveal a mechanism for dynamic remodeling in which experience activates dentate networks that "prime" young GCs through a disynaptic feedback loop mediated by PV-INs. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Innovative manufacturing technologies for low-cost, high efficiency PERC-based PV modules

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yelundur, Vijay

2017-04-19

The goal this project was to accelerate the deployment of innovative solar cell and module technologies that reduce the cost of PERC-based modules to best-in-class. New module integration technology was to be used to reduce the cost and reliance on conventional silver bus bar pastes and enhance cell efficiency. On the cell manufacturing front, the cost of PERC solar cells was to be reduced by introducing advanced metallization approaches to increase cell efficiency. These advancements will be combined with process optimization to target cell efficiencies in the range of 21 to 21.5%. This project will also explore the viability ofmore » a bifacial PERC solar cell design to enable cost savings through the use of thin silicon wafers. This project was terminated on 4/30/17 after four months of activity due financial challenges facing the recipient.« less

Innovation in Photovoltaic Science, Engineering, and Policy: A Potential Trillion-Dollar Global Industry for Sustainable Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Cheng

The solar photovoltaic (PV) technology was an expensive niche energy source only for satellite applications, hallmarked by the Bell Lab's launch of the Telstar satellite with PV cells in 1962. Over the past decades, the accumulation of vast amount of effort across various disciplines in science, engineering, and policy has enabled the phenomenal growth of the solar PV industry into a global enterprise with about 140 gigawatt (GW) of cumulative installations by the end of 2013. Further cost reduction through innovation holds the promise in deploying terawatt (TW)-scale solar PV systems globally in both developed and developing countries, meeting growing energy demand and mitigating climate change. Chapter 1 presents a big picture view of the unsustainable path, heavily relying on fossil fuels, in the current global energy landscape. The main body of the dissertation examines the solar PV technology from a holistic and interdisciplinary perspective: from the basic research, to innovations in manufacturing and installing PV modules, to the driving energy policies. Chapter 2 offers a fundamental understanding of the PV technology and a review on recent scientific advances in improving PV efficiency (W/m 2). Chapter 3 reviews the state-of-the-art process flow in manufacturing commercial PV modules. In the context of pursuing further reduction in manufacturing cost (/m2), the thin Si film concept and its recent research effort are reviewed. Aiming to explore novel ways to produce high-quality seed crystals for thin Si film deposition, the key findings of the laser crystallization experiment is presented in Chapter 4. The fundamental thermophysics of nucleation and crystal growth is first reviewed, which highlights the importance of temperature evolution and heat transport in modelling the ultrafast laser crystallization process. Laser crystallization of a range of Si nanostructures are then carried out to study the nucleation and crystal growth behavior under some novel conditions, such as suspended narrow Si membranes and Si nanoparticles confined on top of oxide nanostructures. The cost of a PV module (/W) is determined by both its rated efficiency (W/m2) and its manufacturing cost (/m2). However, the same PV module with the same cost can lead to significantly different levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) in /kWh, depending on the location and configuration of the installed PV system. Chapter 5 starts with an overview of the geographic distribution of solar resources and retail electricity rates, which yield a range of grid parity points across the world. Then, energy yield simulations for different PV panel tilt configurations are carried out using the angle-and-wavelength-resolved solar irradiance data, to examine the effect of angular and spectral variations in the solar spectrum on system performance. Energy policies have been the driving forces for the phenomenal progress of the PV technology: the continuing reduction in cost and the rapid growth in deployment. Chapter 6 first reviews major policy instruments for PV, and then discusses about a few important policy lessons from the rapid development of the global PV industry during 2000-2013. Concerned with the mounting fiscal pressure from deployment incentives and focused on further cost reductions, an innovation-focused policy framework is proposed to revive the PV manufacturing sector and to pursue an innovation-driven global PV industry moving forward.

Solar on the Rise: How Cost Declines and Grid Integration Shape Solar's Growth Potential in the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cole, Wesley J; Denholm, Paul L; Feldman, David J

During the past decade, solar power has experienced transformative price declines, enabling it to become a viable electricity source that is supplying 1% of U.S. and world electricity. Further cost reductions are expected to enable substantially greater solar deployment, and new Department of Energy cost targets for utility-scale photovoltaics (PV) and concentrating solar thermal power are $0.03/kW h and $0.05/kW h by 2030, respectively. However, cost reductions are no longer the only significant challenge for PV - addressing grid integration challenges and increasing grid flexibility are critical as the penetration of PV electricity on the grid increases. The development ofmore » low cost energy storage is particularly synergistic with low cost PV, as cost declines in each technology are expected to support greater market opportunities for the other.« less

NREL Suite of Tools for PV and Storage Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elgqvist, Emma M; Salasovich, James A

Many different factors such as the solar resource, technology costs and incentives, utility cost and consumption, space available, and financial parameters impact the technical and economic potential of a PV project. NREL has developed techno-economic modeling tools that can be used to evaluate PV projects at a site.

Analysis of twelve-month degradation in three polycrystalline photovoltaic modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, T.; Potter, B. G.; Simmons-Potter, K.

2016-09-01

Polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules have the advantage of lower manufacturing cost as compared to their monocrystalline counterparts, but generally exhibit both lower initial module efficiencies and more significant early-stage efficiency degradation than do similar monocrystalline PV modules. For both technologies, noticeable deterioration in power conversion efficiency typically occurs over the first two years of usage. Estimating PV lifetime by examining the performance degradation behavior under given environmental conditions is, therefore, one of continual goals for experimental research and economic analysis. In the present work, accelerated lifecycle testing (ALT) on three polycrystalline PV technologies was performed in a full-scale, industrial-standard environmental chamber equipped with single-sun irradiance capability, providing an illumination uniformity of 98% over a 2 x 1.6m area. In order to investigate environmental aging effects, timedependent PV performance (I-V characteristic) was evaluated over a recurring, compressed day-night cycle, which simulated local daily solar insolation for the southwestern United States, followed by dark (night) periods. During a total test time of just under 4 months that corresponded to a year equivalent exposure on a fielded module, the temperature and humidity varied in ranges from 3°C to 40°C and 5% to 85% based on annual weather profiles for Tucson, AZ. Removing the temperature de-rating effect that was clearly seen in the data enabled the computation of normalized efficiency degradation with time and environmental exposure. Results confirm the impact of environmental conditions on the module long-term performance. Overall, more than 2% efficiency degradation in the first year of usage was observed for all thee polycrystalline Si solar modules. The average 5-year degradation of each PV technology was estimated based on their determined degradation rates.

Market assessment of photovoltaic power systems for agricultural applications in Mexico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steigelmann, W.; Asmon, I.

1981-01-01

The first year of cost-competitiveness, the market potential, and the environment in which PV systems would be marketed and employed were examined. Market elements specific to Mexico addressed include: (1) useful applications and estimates of the potential market for PV systems; (2) power requirements and load profiles for applications compatible with PV usage; (3) operating and cost characteristics of power systems that compete against PV; (4) national development goals in rural electrification and rural services, technology programs and government policies that influence the demand for PV in Mexico; (5) financing mechanisms and capital available for PV acquisition; (6) channels for distribution, installation and maintenance of PV systems; and (7) appropriate methods for conducting business in Mexico.

Market assessment of photovoltaic power systems for agricultural applications in Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steigelmann, W.; Asmon, I.

1981-07-01

The first year of cost-competitiveness, the market potential, and the environment in which PV systems would be marketed and employed were examined. Market elements specific to Mexico addressed include: (1) useful applications and estimates of the potential market for PV systems; (2) power requirements and load profiles for applications compatible with PV usage; (3) operating and cost characteristics of power systems that compete against PV; (4) national development goals in rural electrification and rural services, technology programs and government policies that influence the demand for PV in Mexico; (5) financing mechanisms and capital available for PV acquisition; (6) channels for distribution, installation and maintenance of PV systems; and (7) appropriate methods for conducting business in Mexico.

Recent advances in the PV-CSP hybrid solar power technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Xing; Xu, Chao; Han, Xue; Zhang, Hui; Wei, Gaosheng; Chen, Lin

2017-06-01

Photovoltaic - Concentrated Solar Power (PV-CSP) hybrid technology is considered to be an important future research trend in solar energy engineering. The development of the PV-CSP hybrid technology accelerates in recent years with the rapid maturation of photovoltaics (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP). This paper presents the recent advances on PV-CSP technology, including different technologies based on new dispatch strategies, Organic Rankine Cycles, spectral beam filters and so on. The research status and the hybrid system performance of the recent researches are summarized, aimed to provide an extended recognition on the PV-CSP hybrid technology. The advantages and limitations of the hybrid system are concluded according to the researches reviewed.

Costs of solar and wind power variability for reducing CO2 emissions.

PubMed

Lueken, Colleen; Cohen, Gilbert E; Apt, Jay

2012-09-04

We compare the power output from a year of electricity generation data from one solar thermal plant, two solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays, and twenty Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) wind farms. The analysis shows that solar PV electricity generation is approximately one hundred times more variable at frequencies on the order of 10(-3) Hz than solar thermal electricity generation, and the variability of wind generation lies between that of solar PV and solar thermal. We calculate the cost of variability of the different solar power sources and wind by using the costs of ancillary services and the energy required to compensate for its variability and intermittency, and the cost of variability per unit of displaced CO(2) emissions. We show the costs of variability are highly dependent on both technology type and capacity factor. California emissions data were used to calculate the cost of variability per unit of displaced CO(2) emissions. Variability cost is greatest for solar PV generation at $8-11 per MWh. The cost of variability for solar thermal generation is $5 per MWh, while that of wind generation in ERCOT was found to be on average $4 per MWh. Variability adds ~$15/tonne CO(2) to the cost of abatement for solar thermal power, $25 for wind, and $33-$40 for PV.

New prospects for PV powered water desalination plants: case studies in Saudi Arabia: New prospects for PV powered water desalination plants

DOE PAGES

Fthenakis, Vasilis; Atia, Adam A.; Morin, Olivier; ...

2015-01-28

Increased water demand and increased drought episodes in the Middle East and other regions necessitate an expansion in desalination projects and create a great market opportunity for photovoltaics (PV). PV-powered desalination has previously been regarded as not being a cost-competitive solution when compared with conventionally powered desalination; however, the decline in PV costs over the last few years has changed this outlook. Here, this article presents up-to-date performance and cost analysis of reverse osmosis (RO) desalination powered with PV connected to the Saudi Arabian grid. Reference cases include relatively small (i.e., producing 6550 m 3 water per day) and largemore » (i.e., 190 000 m 3/day) desalination plants using seawater at a salinity of 40 000 ppm. We used data from a King Abdullah University for Science and Technology presentation and Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables 2.81 Energy Modeling Software (HOMER Energy LLC) in tandem with Desalination Economic Evaluation Program 4.0 (International Atomic Energy Agency) desalination software to analyze the techno-economic feasibility of these plants. The first phase of our work entailed a comparison between dual-axis high concentration PV (CPV) equipped with triple junction III/V solar cells and CdTe PV-powered RO systems. The estimated levelized cost of electricity from CPV is 0.16/kWh dollars, whereas that from CdTe PV is $0.10/kWh dollars and 0.09/kWh dollars for fixed-tilt and one-axis tracking systems, respectively. These costs are higher than the price of diesel-based grid electricity in the region because diesel fuel is heavily subsidized in Saudi Arabia.« less

Simple economic evaluation and applications experiments for photovoltaic systems for remote sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rios, M. Jr.

1980-01-01

A simple evaluation of the cost effectiveness of photovoltaic systems is presented. The evaluation is based on a calculation of breakeven costs of photovoltaics (PV) arrays with the levelized costs of two alternative energy sources (1) extension of the utility grid and (2) diesel generators. A selected number of PV applications experiments that are in progress in remote areas of the US are summarized. These applications experiments range from a 23 watt insect survey trap to a 100 kW PV system for a national park complex. It is concluded that PV systems for remote areas are now cost effective inmore » remote small applications with commercially available technology and will be cost competitive for intermediate scale systems (approx. 10 kW) in the 1980s if the DOE 1986 Commercial Readiness Goals are achieved.« less

[Severe osteoporosis in a patient with polycythaemia vera].

PubMed

Farmer, Sarah; Hermann, Anne Pernille; Vestergaard, Hanne

2014-07-14

This case report is about severe osteoporosis in a woman known with polycythaemia vera (PV). A 51-year-old woman with hereditary predisposition to osteoporosis had a dual X-ray absorptiometry scan without osteoporosis. Only one year later she was diagnosed with PV. Re-scan eight years later showed progression to severe osteoporosis. Whether this is secondary osteoporosis, initiated or accelerated by the presence of PV is not known. A recent Danish registry study has shown that PV patients have an increased incidence of fractures compared with the general population.

PVMirrors: Hybrid PV/CSP collectors that enable lower LCOEs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Kate; Yu, Zhengshan Jason; Striling, Rob; Holman, Zachary

2017-06-01

The primary challenge with concentrating solar power (CSP) is that the conversion efficiency is low—and the cost high—compared to that of photovoltaics (PV), and the primary challenge with PV is that the energy generated cannot be stored cost effectively. We introduce a technology that hybridizes CSP and PV, resulting in power plants with high energy conversion efficiency and affordable storage. This is accomplished by replacing silvered troughs (or heliostat facets) with "PVMirrors" that and direct photons of each wavelength to the converter (PV or thermal) that may best use them. A PVMirror looks like a curved PV module that includes a spectrum-splitting dichroic mirror film; this film, which is the heart of the technology, transmits near-infrared light to the underlying silicon PV cells while reflecting both longer and shorter wavelengths to a thermal absorber tube. This paper investigates the optical performance of dichroic mirror film, the specularity of PVMirrors, and the anticipated levelized cost of energy (LCOE) from a PVMirror power plant. PVMirrors are found to decrease LCOE by more than 15% relative to CSP while retaining full dispatchability.

Advances in Plexcore active layer technology systems for organic photovoltaics: roof-top and accelerated lifetime analysis of high performance organic photovoltaic cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laird, Darin W.; Vaidya, Swanand; Li, Sergey; Mathai, Mathew; Woodworth, Brian; Sheina, Elena; Williams, Shawn; Hammond, Troy

2007-09-01

We report NREL-certified efficiencies and initial lifetime data for organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells based on Plexcore PV photoactive layer and Plexcore HTL-OPV hole transport layer technology. Plexcore PV-F3, a photoactive layer OPV ink, was certified in a single-layer OPV cell at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at 5.4%, which represents the highest official mark for a single-layer organic solar cell. We have fabricated and measured P3HT:PCBM solar cells with a peak efficiency of 4.4% and typical efficiencies of 3 - 4% (internal, NREL-calibrated measurement) with P3HT manufactured at Plextronics by the Grignard Metathesis (GRIM) method. Outdoor and accelerated lifetime testing of these devices is reported. Both Plexcore PV-F3 and P3HT:PCBM-based OPV cells exhibit >750 hours of outdoor roof-top, non-accelerated lifetime with less than 8% loss in initial efficiency for both active layer systems when exposed continuously to the climate of Western Pennsylvania. These devices are continuously being tested to date. Accelerated testing using a high-intensity (1000W) metal-halide lamp affords shorter lifetimes; however, the true acceleration factor is still to be determined.

A Study Examining Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Power as an Alternative for the Rebuilding of the Iraqi Electrical Power Generation Infrastructure

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-01

Logistics, BA-5590, BB- 390, BB-2590, PVPC, Iraq, Power Grid, Infrastructure, Cost Estimate, Photovoltaic Power Conversion (PVPC), MPPT 16. PRICE...the cost and feasibility of using photovoltaic (PV) solar power to assist in the rebuilding of the Iraqi electrical infrastructure. This project...cost and feasibility of using photovoltaic (PV) solar power to assist in the rebuilding of the Iraqi infrastructure. The project examines available

A sunny future: expert elicitation of China's solar photovoltaic technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lam, Long T.; Branstetter, Lee; Azevedo, Inês L.

2018-03-01

China has emerged as the global manufacturing center for solar photovoltaic (PV) products. Chinese firms have entered all stages of the supply chain, producing most of the installed solar modules around the world. Meanwhile, production costs are at record lows. The decisions that Chinese solar producers make today will influence the path for the solar industry and its role towards de-carbonization of global energy systems in the years to come. However, to date, there have been no assessments of the future costs and efficiency of solar PV systems produced by the Chinese PV industry. We perform an expert elicitation to assess the technological and non-technological factors that led to the success of China’s silicon PV industry as well as likely future costs and performance. Experts evaluated key metrics such as efficiency, costs, and commercial viability of 17 silicon and non-silicon solar PV technologies by 2030. Silicon-based technologies will continue to be the mainstream product for large-scale electricity generation application in the near future, with module efficiency reaching as high as 23% and production cost as low as 0.24/W. The levelized cost of electricity for solar will be around 34/MWh, allowing solar PV to be competitive with traditional energy resources like coal. The industry’s future developments may be affected by overinvestment, overcapacity, and singular short-term focus.

Comparison of photovoltaic energy systems for the solar village

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piercefrench, Eric C.

1988-08-01

Three different solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems are compared to determine if the electrical needs of a solar village could be supplied more economically by electricity generated by the sun than by existing utility companies. The solar village, a one square mile community of 900 homes and 50 businesses, would be located in a semi-remote area of the Arizona desert. A load survey is conducted and information on the solar PV industry is reviewed for equipment specifications, availability, and cost. Three specific PV designs, designated as Stand-Alone, Stand-Alone with interconnection, and Central Solar Plant, were created and then economically compared through present worth analysis against utility supplied electrical costs. A variety of technical issues, such as array protection, system configuration and operation, and practicability, are discussed for each design. The present worth analysis conclusively shows none of the solar PV designs could supply electricity to the solar village for less cost than utility supplied electricity, all other factors being equal. No construction on a solar village should begin until the cost of solar generated electricity is more competitive with electricity generated by coal, oil, and nuclear energy. However, research on ways to reduce solar PV equipment costs and on ways to complement solar PV energy, such as the use of solar thermal ponds for heating and cooling, should continue.

Practical aspects of photovoltaic technology, applications and cost (revised)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenblum, L.

1985-01-01

The purpose of this text is to provide the reader with the background, understanding, and computational tools needed to master the practical aspects of photovoltaic (PV) technology, application, and cost. The focus is on stand-alone, silicon solar cell, flat-plate systems in the range of 1 to 25 kWh/day output. Technology topics covered include operation and performance of each of the major system components (e.g., modules, array, battery, regulators, controls, and instrumentation), safety, installation, operation and maintenance, and electrical loads. Application experience and trends are presented. Indices of electrical service performance - reliability, availability, and voltage control - are discussed, and the known service performance of central station electric grid, diesel-generator, and PV stand-alone systems are compared. PV system sizing methods are reviewed and compared, and a procedure for rapid sizing is described and illustrated by the use of several sample cases. The rapid sizing procedure yields an array and battery size that corresponds to a minimum cost system for a given load requirement, insulation condition, and desired level of service performance. PV system capital cost and levelized energy cost are derived as functions of service performance and insulation. Estimates of future trends in PV system costs are made.

Appraising into the Sun: Six-State Solar Home Paired-Sale Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Although residential solar photovoltaic (PV) installations have proliferated, PV systems on some U.S. homes still receive no value during an appraisal because comparable home sales are lacking. To value residential PV, some previous studies have employed paired-sales appraisal methods to analyze small PV home samples in depth, while others have used statistical methods to analyze large samples. Our first-of-its-kind study connects the two approaches. It uses appraisal methods to evaluate sales price premiums for owned PV systems on single-unit detached houses that were also evaluated in a large statistical study. Independent appraisers evaluated 43 recent home sales pairs in sixmore » states: California, Oregon, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. We compare these results with contributory-value estimates—based on income (using the PV Value® tool), gross cost, and net cost—as well as hedonic modeling results from the recent statistical study. The results provide strong, appraisal-based evidence of PV premiums in all states. More importantly, the results support the use of cost- and incomebased PV premium estimates when paired-sales analysis is impossible. PV premiums from the paired-sales analysis are most similar to net PV cost estimates. PV Value® income results generally track the appraised premiums, although conservatively. The appraised premiums are in agreement with the hedonic modeling results as well, which bolsters the suitability of both approaches for estimating PV home premiums. Therefore, these results will benefit valuation professionals and mortgage lenders who increasingly are encountering homes equipped with PV and need to understand the factors that can both contribute to and detract from market value.« less

Technology advances needed for photovoltaics to achieve widespread grid price parity: Widespread grid price parity for photovoltaics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones-Albertus, Rebecca; Feldman, David; Fu, Ran

2016-04-20

To quantify the potential value of technological advances to the photovoltaics (PV) sector, this paper examines the impact of changes to key PV module and system parameters on the levelized cost of energy (LCOE). The parameters selected include module manufacturing cost, efficiency, degradation rate, and service lifetime. NREL's System Advisor Model (SAM) is used to calculate the lifecycle cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for residential, commercial, and utility scale PV systems within the contiguous United States, with a focus on utility scale. Different technological pathways are illustrated that may achieve the Department of Energy's SunShot goal of PV electricity that ismore » at grid price parity with conventional electricity sources. In addition, the impacts on the 2015 baseline LCOE due to changes to each parameter are shown. These results may be used to identify research directions with the greatest potential to impact the cost of PV electricity.« less

Terrestrial photovoltaic collector technology trends

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shimada, K.; Costogue, E.

1984-01-01

Following the path of space PV collector development in its early stages, terrestrial PV technologies based upon single-crystal silicon have matured rapidly. Currently, terrestrial PV cells with efficiencies approaching space cell efficiencies are being fabricated into modules at a fraction of the space PV module cost. New materials, including CuInSe2 and amorphous silicon, are being developed for lowering the cost, and multijunction materials for achieving higher efficiency. Large grid-interactive, tracking flat-plate power systems and concentrator PV systems totaling about 10 MW, are already in operation. Collector technology development both flat-plate and concentrator, will continue under an extensive government and private industry partnership.

Distribution system costs associated with the deployment of photovoltaic systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horowitz, Kelsey A. W.; Palmintier, Bryan; Mather, Barry

The broadening of our energy system to include increasing amounts of wind and solar has led to significant debate about the total costs and benefits associated with different types of generators - with potentially far-reaching policy implications. This has included debate about the cost associated with integrating these generators onto the electric grid. For photovoltaics (PV), this encompasses costs incurred on both the bulk power and distribution systems, as well as the value provided to them. These costs and benefits, in particular those associated with integrating PV onto the distribution system, are not well understood. We seek to advance themore » state of understanding of 'grid integration costs' for the distribution system by reviewing prior literature and outlining a transparent, bottom-up approach that can be used to calculate these costs. We provide a clear delineation of costs to integrate PV in to the distribution system within the larger context of total costs and benefits associated with PV generators. We emphasize that these costs are situationally dependent, and that a single 'cost of integration' cannot be obtained. We additionally emphasize that benefits must be considered when evaluating the competitiveness of the technology in a given situation.« less

Energy Systems Integration: Data Call -- Become a Data Partner

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2017-01-01

This project aims to advance the understanding of costs associated with integrating PV onto the electric power distribution system while maintaining reliable grid operations. We have developed a bottom-up framework for calculating these costs as a function of PV penetration levels on specific feeders. This framework will used to inform and improve utility planning decisions, increase the transparency and speed associated with the interconnection process, and provide policymakers with more information on the total cost of energy from PV.

A Non-Modeling Exploration of Residential Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Adoption and Non-Adoption

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moezzi, Mithra; Ingle, Aaron; Lutzenhiser, Loren

Although U.S. deployment of residential rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems has accelerated in recent years, PV is still installed on less than 1 percent of single-family homes. Most research on household PV adoption focuses on scaling initial markets and modeling predicted growth rather than considering more broadly why adoption occurs. Among the studies that have investigated the characteristics of PV adoption, most collected data from adopters, sometimes with additional non-adopter data, and rarely from people who considered but did not adopt PV. Yet the vast majority of Americans are non-adopters, and they are a diverse group - understanding their waysmore » of evaluating PV adoption is important. Similarly, PV is a unique consumer product, which makes it difficult to apply findings from studies of other technologies to PV. In addition, little research addresses the experience of households after they install PV. This report helps fill some of these gaps in the existing literature. The results inform a more detailed understanding of residential PV adoption, while helping ensure that adoption is sufficiently beneficial to adopters and even non-adopters.« less

The value of residential photovoltaic systems: A comprehensive assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borden, C. S.

1983-01-01

Utility-interactive photovoltaic (PV) arrays on residential rooftops appear to be a potentially attractive, large-scale application of PV technology. Results of a comprehensive assessment of the value (i.e., break-even cost) of utility-grid connected residential photovoltaic power systems under a variety of technological and economic assumptions are presented. A wide range of allowable PV system costs are calculated for small (4.34 kW (p) sub ac) residential PV systems in various locales across the United States. Primary factor in this variation are differences in local weather conditions, utility-specific electric generation capacity, fuel types, and customer-load profiles that effect purchase and sell-back rates, and non-uniform state tax considerations. Additional results from this analysis are: locations having the highest insolation values are not necessary the most economically attractive sites; residential PV systems connected in parallel to the utility demonstrate high percentages of energy sold back to the grid, and owner financial and tax assumptions cause large variations in break-even costs. Significant cost reduction and aggressive resolution of potential institutional impediments (e.g., liability, standards, metering, and technical integration) are required for a residential PV marker to become a major electric-grid-connected energy-generation source.

Photovoltaics: Reviewing the European Feed-in-Tariffs and Changing PV Efficiencies and Costs

PubMed Central

Zhang, H. L.; Van Gerven, T.; Baeyens, J.; Degrève, J.

2014-01-01

Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) mechanisms have been important in boosting renewable energy, by providing a long-term guaranteed subsidy of the kWh-price, thus mitigating investment risks and enhancing the contribution of sustainable electricity. By ongoing PV development, the contribution of solar power increases exponentially. Within this significant potential, it is important for investors, operators, and scientists alike to provide answers to different questions related to subsidies, PV efficiencies and costs. The present paper therefore (i) briefly reviews the mechanisms, advantages, and evolution of FiT; (ii) describes the developments of PV, (iii) applies a comprehensive literature-based model for the solar irradiation to predict the PV solar energy potential in some target European countries, whilst comparing output predictions with the monthly measured electricity generation of a 57 m² photovoltaic system (Belgium); and finally (iv) predicts the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) in terms of investment and efficiency, providing LCOE values between 0.149 and 0.313 €/kWh, as function of the overall process efficiency and cost. The findings clearly demonstrate the potential of PV energy in Europe, where FiT can be considerably reduced or even be eliminated in the near future. PMID:24959614

The value of residential photovoltaic systems: A comprehensive assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borden, C. S.

1983-09-01

Utility-interactive photovoltaic (PV) arrays on residential rooftops appear to be a potentially attractive, large-scale application of PV technology. Results of a comprehensive assessment of the value (i.e., break-even cost) of utility-grid connected residential photovoltaic power systems under a variety of technological and economic assumptions are presented. A wide range of allowable PV system costs are calculated for small (4.34 kW (p) sub ac) residential PV systems in various locales across the United States. Primary factor in this variation are differences in local weather conditions, utility-specific electric generation capacity, fuel types, and customer-load profiles that effect purchase and sell-back rates, and non-uniform state tax considerations. Additional results from this analysis are: locations having the highest insolation values are not necessary the most economically attractive sites; residential PV systems connected in parallel to the utility demonstrate high percentages of energy sold back to the grid, and owner financial and tax assumptions cause large variations in break-even costs. Significant cost reduction and aggressive resolution of potential institutional impediments (e.g., liability, standards, metering, and technical integration) are required for a residential PV marker to become a major electric-grid-connected energy-generation source.

Optimization and life-cycle cost of health clinic PV system for a rural area in southern Iraq using HOMER software

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Karaghouli, Ali; Kazmerski, L.L.

2010-04-15

This paper addresses the need for electricity of rural areas in southern Iraq and proposes a photovoltaic (PV) solar system to power a health clinic in that region. The total daily health clinic load is 31.6 kW h and detailed loads are listed. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) optimization computer model for distributed power, ''HOMER,'' is used to estimate the system size and its life-cycle cost. The analysis shows that the optimal system's initial cost, net present cost, and electricity cost is US$ 50,700, US$ 60,375, and US$ 0.238/kW h, respectively. These values for the PV system are comparedmore » with those of a generator alone used to supply the load. We found that the initial cost, net present cost of the generator system, and electricity cost are US$ 4500, US$ 352,303, and US$ 1.332/kW h, respectively. We conclude that using the PV system is justified on humanitarian, technical, and economic grounds. (author)« less

NREL to Host Ninth Annual PV Reliability Workshop | News | NREL

Science.gov Websites

share research leading to more durable and reliable PV modules, thus reducing the cost of solar to Host Ninth Annual PV Reliability Workshop NREL to Host Ninth Annual PV Reliability Workshop their results during a poster session at the 2017 PV Reliability Workshop. 4 people consult two

Photovoltaics as a terrestrial energy source. Volume 3: An overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, J. L.

1980-01-01

Photovoltaic (PV) systems were evaluated in terms of their potential for terrestrial application A comprehensive overview of important issues which bear on photovoltaic (PV) systems development is presented. Studies of PV system costs, the societal implications of PV system development, and strategies in PV research and development in relationship to current energy policies are summarized.

Feasibility Study on High Concentrating Photovoltaic Power Towers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frohberger, Dirk; Jaus, Joachim; Wiesenfarth, Maike; Schramek, Philipp; Bett, Andreas W.

2010-10-01

This paper presents an analysis on the concept of high concentrating PV power towers. A feasibility study is conducted in order to evaluate the future potential of this technology. Objective of the analysis is to provide an improved basis for establishing research and development priorities for the PV power tower concept. Performance assessments and cost calculations for a 1 MW prototype PV tower power are derived. Based on the assumption of a highly homogeneously illuminated receiver, levelized costs of electricity of 0.29 €/kWh have been calculated for a prototype PV tower power.

Photovoltaic power - An important new energy option

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferber, R. R.

1983-01-01

A review of photovoltaic (PV) power technology is presented with an emphasis of PV as an economical and technically feasible alternative source of energy. The successful completion of the development and transfer of emerging low-cost technologies into a fully commercialized status are identified as the means to the realization of this option's full potential. The DOE National Photovoltaics Program, a significant sponsor of PV R&D, expects both flat-plate and concentrator collectors to meet established cost targets. Citing the DOE large flat-plate grid-connected system project of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, current technology modules priced at near $5/Wp (1983 dollars) are steadily reducing costs. A recent DOE study suggests that PV-generated electricity produced at a 30-year levelized cost of 15 cents per kWh would represent a viable energy supply alternative for the nation.

Photovoltaic power - An important new energy option

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferber, R. R.

1983-12-01

A review of photovoltaic (PV) power technology is presented with an emphasis of PV as an economical and technically feasible alternative source of energy. The successful completion of the development and transfer of emerging low-cost technologies into a fully commercialized status are identified as the means to the realization of this option's full potential. The DOE National Photovoltaics Program, a significant sponsor of PV R&D, expects both flat-plate and concentrator collectors to meet established cost targets. Citing the DOE large flat-plate grid-connected system project of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, current technology modules priced at near $5/Wp (1983 dollars) are steadily reducing costs. A recent DOE study suggests that PV-generated electricity produced at a 30-year levelized cost of 15 cents per kWh would represent a viable energy supply alternative for the nation.

Techno Economical Study of PV-Diesel Power System for a Remote Island in Indonesia : A Case Study of Miangas Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumbayan, M.; Nagasaka, K.

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study is to conduct the techno economical study of PC-Diesel power system based on renewable energy available locally in a remote island. This research is a case study for Miangas island which is the border island between Indonesia and Philipines. It is located in Talaud Island regency of North Sulawesi province of Indonesia. The monthly average daily radiation in Miangas island is 5.52 kWh/m2.The research methods used are data collection and data analysis using software HOMER. Based on the simulation result, the techno economic study of PV-Diesel power plant system based on energy demand in Miangas island can be obtained. The Cost of Energy (COE), Net Present Cost (NPC) and operating cost for proposed hybrid PV-Diesel power generation can be assessed for the design power systems uses Canadian solar Max Power C56x-325P of 150 KW PV, 18 string of Surette 6CS25P, Diesel Generator 50 kW and converter Magnum MS4448PAE 25 kW. The annual electricity production from the PV Diesel system for Miangas island is 309.589 kWh in which 80.7% electricity comes from PV, 19.3% electricity comes from diesel with the 109.063 kWh excess electricity. The cost of generating electrical energy in the term of cost of energy (COE), Net Present Cost (NPC) and operating cost are 0.318 US/kWh, 719.673 US and 36.857 US respectively.

Heritage plaza parking lots improvement project- Solar PV installation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hooks, Todd

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians (ACBCI or the “Tribe”) installed a 79.95 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system to offset the energy usage costs of the Tribal Education and Family Services offices located at the Tribe's Heritage Plaza office building, 90I Tahquitz Way, Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (the "Project"). The installation of the Solar PV system was part of the larger Heritage Plaza Parking Lot Improvements Project and mounted on the two southern carport shade structures. The solar PV system will offset 99% of the approximately 115,000 kWh in electricity delivered annually by Southern California Edison (SCE) to themore » Tribal Education and Family Services offices at Heritage Plaza, reducing their annual energy costs from approximately $22,000 annually to approximately $200. The total cost of the proposed solar PV system is $240,000.« less

Exploring the Potential Competitiveness of Utility-Scale Photovoltaics plus Batteries with Concentrating Solar Power, 2015–2030

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feldman, David; Margolis, Robert; Denholm, Paul

Declining costs of both solar photovoltaics (PV) and battery storage have raised interest in the creation of “solar-plus-storage” systems to provide dispatchable energy and reliable capacity. There has been limited deployment of PV-plus-energy storage systems (PV+ESS), and the actual configuration and performance of these systems for dispatchable energy are in the early stages of being defined. In contrast, concentrating solar power with thermal energy storage (CSP+TES) has been deployed at scale with the proven capability of providing a dispatchable, reliable source of renewable generation. A key question moving forward is how to compare the relative costs and benefits of PV+ESSmore » and CSP+TES. While both technologies collect solar radiation and produce electricity, they do so through very different mechanisms, which creates challenges for direct comparison. Nonetheless, it is important to establish a framework for comparison and to identify cost and performance targets to aid meeting the nation’s goals for clean energy deployment. In this paper, we provide a preliminary assessment comparing the cost of energy from CSP+TES and PV+ESS that focuses on a single metric: levelized cost of energy (LCOE). We begin by defining the configuration of each system, which is particularly important for PV+ESS systems. We then examine a range of projected cost declines for PV, batteries, and CSP. Finally, we summarize the estimated LCOE over a range of configuration and cost estimates. We conclude by acknowledging that differences in these technologies present challenges for comparison using a single performance metric. We define systems with similar configurations in some respects. In reality, because of inherent differences in CSP+TES and PV+ESS systems, they will provide different grid services and different value. For example, depending on its configuration, a PV+ESS system may provide additional value over CSP+TES by providing more flexible operation, including certain ancillary services and the ability to store off-peak grid energy. Alternatively, direct thermal energy storage allows a greater capture of solar energy, reducing the potential for curtailments in very high solar scenarios. So while this analysis evaluates a key performance metric (cost per unit of generation) under a range of cost projections, additional analysis of the value per unit of generation will be needed to comprehensively assess the relative competitiveness of solar energy systems deployed with energy storage.« less

Comparative PV LCOE Calculator Documentation | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Comparative Photovoltaic (PV) Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) Calculator. Getting started This tool is and watch the LCOE values in the results section change immediately. Example: Cell cost reduction In the proposed section, drag the cell cost slider or type in the cell cost numeric input field to reduce

2017 NREL Photovoltaic Reliability Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurtz, Sarah

NREL's Photovoltaic (PV) Reliability Workshop (PVRW) brings together PV reliability experts to share information, leading to the improvement of PV module reliability. Such improvement reduces the cost of solar electricity and promotes investor confidence in the technology -- both critical goals for moving PV technologies deeper into the electricity marketplace.

On the Path to SunShot. Advancing Concentrating Solar Power Technology, Performance, and Dispatchability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mehos, Mark; Turchi, Craig; Jorgenson, Jennie

2016-05-01

This report examines the remaining challenges to achieving the competitive concentrating solar power (CSP) costs and large-scale deployment envisioned under the U.S. Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative. Although CSP costs continue to decline toward SunShot targets, CSP acceptance and deployment have been hindered by inexpensive photovoltaics (PV). However, a recent analysis found that thermal energy storage (TES) could increase CSP's value--based on combined operational and capacity benefits--by up to 6 cents/kWh compared to variable-generation PV, under a 40% renewable portfolio standard in California. Thus, the high grid value of CSP-TES must be considered when evaluating renewable energy options. An assessmentmore » of net system cost accounts for the difference between the costs of adding new generation and the avoided cost from displacing other resources providing the same level of energy and reliability. The net system costs of several CSP configurations are compared with the net system costs of conventional natural-gas-fired combustion-turbine (CT) and combined-cycle plants. At today's low natural gas prices and carbon emission costs, the economics suggest a peaking configuration for CSP. However, with high natural gas prices and emission costs, each of the CSP configurations compares favorably against the conventional alternatives, and systems with intermediate to high capacity factors become the preferred alternatives. Another analysis compares net system costs for three configurations of CSP versus PV with batteries and PV with CTs. Under current technology costs, the least-expensive option is a combination of PV and CTs. However, under future cost assumptions, the optimal configuration of CSP becomes the most cost-effective option.« less

An Economic Basis for Littoral Land-Based Production of Low Carbon Fuel from Renewable Electrical Energy and Seawater for Naval Use: Diego Garcia Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-13

installed is $1.54 billion. Table 3 provides the cost breakdown of the various major components ( solar PV arrays, the carbon/hydrogen production units...barges or modular floats made from high density polymer HDP (Jet Dock and Versa Dock). These floats could support the entire solar PV array process...the restricted area is reached. Since the capital cost of the wind turbines is half that of the solar PV per Watt ($2.40/watt), the total cost

A Decentralized Wireless Solution to Monitor and Diagnose PV Solar Module Performance Based on Symmetrized-Shifted Gompertz Functions

PubMed Central

Molina-García, Angel; Campelo, José Carlos; Blanc, Sara; Serrano, Juan José; García-Sánchez, Tania; Bueso, María C.

2015-01-01

This paper proposes and assesses an integrated solution to monitor and diagnose photovoltaic (PV) solar modules based on a decentralized wireless sensor acquisition system. Both DC electrical variables and environmental data are collected at PV module level using low-cost and high-energy efficiency node sensors. Data is real-time processed locally and compared with expected PV module performances obtained by a PV module model based on symmetrized-shifted Gompertz functions (as previously developed and assessed by the authors). Sensor nodes send data to a centralized sink-computing module using a multi-hop wireless sensor network architecture. Such integration thus provides extensive analysis of PV installations, and avoids off-line tests or post-processing processes. In comparison with previous approaches, this solution is enhanced with a low-cost system and non-critical performance constraints, and it is suitable for extensive deployment in PV power plants. Moreover, it is easily implemented in existing PV installations, since no additional wiring is required. The system has been implemented and assessed in a Spanish PV power plant connected to the grid. Results and estimations of PV module performances are also included in the paper. PMID:26230694

A Decentralized Wireless Solution to Monitor and Diagnose PV Solar Module Performance Based on Symmetrized-Shifted Gompertz Functions.

PubMed

Molina-García, Angel; Campelo, José Carlos; Blanc, Sara; Serrano, Juan José; García-Sánchez, Tania; Bueso, María C

2015-07-29

This paper proposes and assesses an integrated solution to monitor and diagnose photovoltaic (PV) solar modules based on a decentralized wireless sensor acquisition system. Both DC electrical variables and environmental data are collected at PV module level using low-cost and high-energy efficiency node sensors. Data is real-time processed locally and compared with expected PV module performances obtained by a PV module model based on symmetrized-shifted Gompertz functions (as previously developed and assessed by the authors). Sensor nodes send data to a centralized sink-computing module using a multi-hop wireless sensor network architecture. Such integration thus provides extensive analysis of PV installations, and avoids off-line tests or post-processing processes. In comparison with previous approaches, this solution is enhanced with a low-cost system and non-critical performance constraints, and it is suitable for extensive deployment in PV power plants. Moreover, it is easily implemented in existing PV installations, since no additional wiring is required. The system has been implemented and assessed in a Spanish PV power plant connected to the grid. Results and estimations of PV module performances are also included in the paper.

Financing, Overhead, and Profit: An In-Depth Discussion of Costs Associated with Third-Party Financing of Residential and Commercial Photovoltaic Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feldman, D.; Friedman, B.; Margolis, R.

Previous work quantifying the non-hardware balance-of-system costs -- or soft costs -- associated with building a residential or commercial photovoltaic (PV) system has left a significant portion unsegmented in an 'other soft costs' category. This report attempts to better quantify the 'other soft costs' by focusing on the financing, overhead, and profit of residential and commercial PV installations for a specific business model. This report presents results from a bottom-up data-collection and analysis of the upfront costs associated with developing, constructing, and arranging third-party-financed residential and commercial PV systems. It quantifies the indirect corporate costs required to install distributed PVmore » systems as well as the transactional costs associated with arranging third-party financing.« less

Energy 101: Solar PV

ScienceCinema

None

2018-01-08

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems can generate clean, cost-effective power anywhere the sun shines. This video shows how a PV panel converts the energy of the sun into renewable electricity to power homes and businesses.

On the Path to SunShot - The Role of Advancements in Solar Photovoltaic Efficiency, Reliability, and Costs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Woodhouse, Michael; Jones-Albertus, Rebecca; Feldman, David

2016-05-01

Although tremendous progress has been made in reducing the cost of PV systems, additional LCOE reductions of 40%–50% between 2015 and 2020 will be required to reach the SunShot Initiative’s targets (see Woodhouse et al. 2016). Understanding the tradeoffs between installed prices and other PV system characteristics—such as module efficiency, module degradation rate, and system lifetime—are vital. For example, with 29%-efficient modules and high reliability (a 50-year lifetime and a 0.2%/year module degradation rate), a residential PV system could achieve the SunShot LCOE goal with modules priced at almost $1.20/W. But change the lifetime to 10 years and the degradationmore » rate to 2%/year, and the system would need those very high-efficiency modules at zero cost to achieve the same LCOE. Although these examples are extreme, they serve to illustrate the wide range of technological combinations that could help drive PV toward the LCOE goals. SunShot’s PV roadmaps illustrate specific potential pathways to the target cost reductions.« less

Photovoltaic Module Reliability Workshop 2011: February 16-17, 2011

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurtz, S.

2013-11-01

NREL's Photovoltaic (PV) Module Reliability Workshop (PVMRW) brings together PV reliability experts to share information, leading to the improvement of PV module reliability. Such improvement reduces the cost of solar electricity and promotes investor confidence in the technology--both critical goals for moving PV technologies deeper into the electricity marketplace.

Photovoltaic Module Reliability Workshop 2014: February 25-26, 2014

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurtz, S.

2014-02-01

NREL's Photovoltaic (PV) Module Reliability Workshop (PVMRW) brings together PV reliability experts to share information, leading to the improvement of PV module reliability. Such improvement reduces the cost of solar electricity and promotes investor confidence in the technology--both critical goals for moving PV technologies deeper into the electricity marketplace.

Photovoltaic Module Reliability Workshop 2013: February 26-27, 2013

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurtz, S.

2013-10-01

NREL's Photovoltaic (PV) Module Reliability Workshop (PVMRW) brings together PV reliability experts to share information, leading to the improvement of PV module reliability. Such improvement reduces the cost of solar electricity and promotes investor confidence in the technology--both critical goals for moving PV technologies deeper into the electricity marketplace.

Photovoltaic Module Reliability Workshop 2010: February 18-19, 2010

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurtz, J.

2013-11-01

NREL's Photovoltaic (PV) Module Reliability Workshop (PVMRW) brings together PV reliability experts to share information, leading to the improvement of PV module reliability. Such improvement reduces the cost of solar electricity and promotes investor confidence in the technology--both critical goals for moving PV technologies deeper into the electricity marketplace.

2016 NREL Photovoltaic Module Reliability Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurtz, Sarah

NREL's Photovoltaic (PV) Module Reliability Workshop (PVMRW) brings together PV reliability experts to share information, leading to the improvement of PV module reliability. Such improvement reduces the cost of solar electricity and promotes investor confidence in the technology - both critical goals for moving PV technologies deeper into the electricity marketplace.

2015 NREL Photovoltaic Module Reliability Workshops

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurtz, Sarah

NREL's Photovoltaic (PV) Module Reliability Workshop (PVMRW) brings together PV reliability experts to share information, leading to the improvement of PV module reliability. Such improvement reduces the cost of solar electricity and promotes investor confidence in the technology--both critical goals for moving PV technologies deeper into the electricity marketplace.

A New Remote Communications Link to Reduce Residential PV Solar Costs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

King, Randy; Sugiyama, Rod

Monitoring of PV/DER site production is expensive to install and unreliable. Among third party systems providers, lost communications links are a growing concern. Nearly 20% of links are failing, provisioning is complex, recovery is expensive, production data is lost, and access is fragmented. FleetLink is a new concept in DER system communications, purpose built for lowering the cost of maintaining active contact with residential end user sites and ensuring that production data is reliably available to third party systems providers. Systems providers require accurate, secure system monitoring and reporting of production data and system faults while driving down overall costsmore » to compete effectively. This plug and play, independently operating communications solution lowers the cost of fleet contact from typically .08 dollars-$.12/W down to .02 dollars -.03/W including installation and maintenance expenses. FleetLink establishes a breakthrough in simplicity that facilitates rapid expansion of residential solar by reducing initial capital outlay and lowering installation labor time and skill levels. The solution also facilitates higher DER installation growth rates by driving down maintenance costs and eliminating communications trouble calls. This is accomplished by the FleetLink’s unique network technology that enables dynamic network configuration for fast changes, and active, self-healing DER site contact for uptime assurance. Using an open source network framework with proprietary, application specific enhancements, FleetLink independently manages connectivity, security, recovery, grid control communications, and fleet expansion while presenting a compliant SunSpec interface to the third party operations centers. The net system cost savings of at least .05 dollars/W supports the SunShot cost goals and the flexibility and scalability of the solution accelerates the velocity and ubiquitous adoption of solar.« less

International PV QA Task Force's Proposed Comparative Rating System for PV Modules: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wohlgemuth, J.; Kurtz, S.

The International PV Quality Assurance Task Force is developing a rating system that provides comparative information about the relative durability of PV modules. Development of accelerated stress tests that can provide such comparative information is seen as a major step toward being able to predict PV module service life. This paper will provide details of the ongoing effort to determine the format of such an overall module rating system. The latest proposal is based on using three distinct climate zones as defined in IEC 60721-2-1 for two different mounting systems. Specific stresses beyond those used in the qualification tests aremore » being developed for each of the selected climate zones.« less

Paint it Black: One-Step Etch Cuts Solar Cell Costs - Continuum Magazine

Science.gov Websites

quicker, cheaper way to produce large volumes of high-performance PV devices. Cost is a major obstacle for propel PV toward cost-competitiveness. A New Approach to Antireflection Any light reflected from a solar etching large pyramids into the cell surface, add considerable cost to a solar cell-and they succeed only

Comparison of efficiency degradation in polycrystalline-Si and CdTe thin-film PV modules via accelerated lifecycle testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, T.; Potter, B. G.; Simmons-Potter, K.

2017-08-01

Thin-film solar cells normally have the shortest energy payback time due to their simpler mass-production process compared to polycrystalline-Si photovoltaic (PV) modules, despite the fact that crystalline-Si-based technology typically has a longer total lifetime and a higher initial power conversion efficiency. For both types of modules, significant aging occurs during the first two years of usage with slower long-term aging over the module lifetime. The PV lifetime and the return-on-investment for local PV system installations rely on long-term device performance. Understanding the efficiency degradation behavior under a given set of environmental conditions is, therefore, a primary goal for experimental research and economic analysis. In the present work, in-situ measurements of key electrical characteristics (J, V, Pmax, etc.) in polycrystalline-Si and CdTe thin-film PV modules have been analyzed. The modules were subjected to identical environmental conditions, representative of southern Arizona, in a full-scale, industrial-standard, environmental degradation chamber, equipped with a single-sun irradiance source, temperature, and humidity controls, and operating an accelerated lifecycle test (ALT) sequence. Initial results highlight differences in module performance with environmental conditions, including temperature de-rating effects, for the two technologies. Notably, the thin-film CdTe PV module was shown to be approximately 15% less sensitive to ambient temperature variation. After exposure to a seven-month equivalent compressed night-day weather cycling regimen the efficiency degradation rates of both PV technology types were obtained and will be discussed.

SunShot 2030 for Photovoltaics (PV): Envisioning a Low-cost PV Future

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cole, Wesley J.; Frew, Bethany A.; Gagnon, Pieter J.

In this report we summarize the implications, impacts, and deployment potential of reaching the SunShot 2030 targets for the electricity system in the contiguous United States. We model 25 scenarios of the U.S. power sector using the Regional Energy Deployment Systems (ReEDS) and Distributed Generation (dGen) capacity expansion models. The scenarios cover a wide range of sensitivities to capture future uncertainties relating to fuel prices, retirements, renewable energy capital costs, and load growth. We give special attention to the potential for storage costs to also rapidly decline due to its large synergies with low-cost solar. The ReEDS and dGen modelsmore » project utility- and distributed-scale power sector evolution, respectively, for the United States. Both models have been designed with special emphasis on capturing the unique traits of renewable energy, including variability and grid integration requirements. Across the suite of scenarios modeled, we find that reaching the SunShot 2030 target has the potential to lead to significant capacity additions of PV in the United States. By 2050, PV penetration levels are projected to reach 28-46 percent of total generation. If storage also sees significant reductions in cost, then the 2050 solar penetration levels could reach 41-64 percent. PV deployment is projected to occur in all of the lower 48 states, though the specific deployment level is scenario dependent. The growth in PV is projected to be dominated by utility-scale systems, but the actual mix between utility and distributed systems could ultimately vary depending on how policies, system costs, and rate structures evolve.« less

Planning influenza vaccination programs: a cost benefit model

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Although annual influenza vaccination could decrease the significant economic and humanistic burden of influenza in the United States, immunization rates are below recommended levels, and concerns remain whether immunization programs can be cost beneficial. The research objective was to compare cost benefit of various immunization strategies from employer, employee, and societal perspectives. Methods An actuarial model was developed based on the published literature to estimate the costs and benefits of influenza immunization programs. Useful features of the model included customization by population age and risk-level, potential pandemic risk, and projection year. Various immunization strategies were modelled for an average U.S. population of 15,000 persons vaccinated in pharmacies or doctor’s office during the 2011/12 season. The primary outcome measure reported net cost savings per vaccinated (PV) from the perspective of various stakeholders. Results Given a typical U.S. population, an influenza immunization program will be cost beneficial for employers when more than 37% of individuals receive vaccine in non-traditional settings such as pharmacies. The baseline scenario, where 50% of persons would be vaccinated in non-traditional settings, estimated net savings of $6 PV. Programs that limited to pharmacy setting ($31 PV) or targeted persons with high-risk comorbidities ($83 PV) or seniors ($107 PV) were found to increase cost benefit. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the scenario-based findings. Conclusions Both universal and targeted vaccination programs can be cost beneficial. Proper planning with cost models can help employers and policy makers develop strategies to improve the impact of immunization programs. PMID:22835081

Distributed photovoltaic system impact upon utility load/supply management practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vachtsevanos, G. J.; Meliopoulos, A. P.; Paraskevopoulos, B. K.

A methodology is described for simulation of the economic and technical factors of photovoltaic (PV) installations interfacing with utility load/management operations. A probabalistic technique is used to model the expected demand, reliability of the generating units, costs and profits from each unit, expected unserviced energy, and the loss of load probability. The available power from PV arrays is treated stochastically with statistical weighting on the basis of site meteorological data. The goal is to include the PV power while minimizing operational costs, taking into account the level of penetration of the total PV output. Two sample simulations for a utility with a diverse generating mix demonstrate that overall costs would decrease in both cases with PVs on-line through the emphasis on cheaper-fueled generators and peak-load shaving when possible.

Optimization of joint energy micro-grid with cold storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Bin; Luo, Simin; Tian, Yan; Chen, Xianda; Xiong, Botao; Zhou, Bowen

2018-02-01

To accommodate distributed photovoltaic (PV) curtailment, to make full use of the joint energy micro-grid with cold storage, and to reduce the high operating costs, the economic dispatch of joint energy micro-grid load is particularly important. Considering the different prices during the peak and valley durations, an optimization model is established, which takes the minimum production costs and PV curtailment fluctuations as the objectives. Linear weighted sum method and genetic-taboo Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm are used to solve the optimization model, to obtain optimal power supply output. Taking the garlic market in Henan as an example, the simulation results show that considering distributed PV and different prices in different time durations, the optimization strategies are able to reduce the operating costs and accommodate PV power efficiently.

Duke Energy Photovoltaic Integration Study: Carolinas Service Areas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Shuai; Samaan, Nader A.; Meng, Da

2014-03-01

Solar energy collected using photovoltaic (PV) technology is a clean and renewable energy source that offers multiple benefits to the electric utility industry and its customers, such as cost predictability, reduced emissions, and loss reduction by distributed installations. Renewable energy goals established in North Carolina Senate Bill 3 (SB3), in combination with the state tax credit and decreases in the cost of energy from PV panels, have resulted in rapid solar power penetration within the Carolinas services areas of Duke Energy. Continued decreases in PV prices are expected to lead to greater PV penetration rates than currently required in SB3.more » Despite the potential benefits, significant penetration of PV energy is of concern to the utility industry because of its impact on operating reliability and integration cost to customers, and equally important, how any additional costs may be allocated to different customer groups. Some of these impacts might become limiting factors for PV energy, especially growing distributed generation installed at customer sites. Recognizing the importance of renewable energy developments for a sustainable energy future and economic growth, Duke Energy has commissioned this study to simulate the effects of high-PV penetration rates and to initiate the process of quantifying the impacts. The objective of the study is to inform resource plans, guide operation improvements, and drive infrastructure investments for a steady and smooth transition to a new energy mix that provides optimal values to customers. The study team consists of experts from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Power Costs, Inc. (PCI), Clean Power Research (CPR), Alstom Grid, and Duke Energy. PNNL, PCI, and CPR performed the study on generation impacts; Duke Energy modeled the transmission cases; and distribution simulations were conducted by Alstom Grid. PNNL analyzed the results from each work stream and produced the report.« less

Seventh workshop on the role of impurities and defects in silicon device processing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-08-01

This workshop is the latest in a series which has looked at technological issues related to the commercial development and success of silicon based photovoltaic (PV) modules. PV modules based on silicon are the most common at present, but face pressure from other technologies in terms of cell performance and cell cost. This workshop addresses a problem which is a factor in the production costs of silicon based PV modules.

Photovoltaic Module Reliability Workshop 2012: February 28 - March 1, 2012

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurtz, S.

2013-11-01

NREL's Photovoltaic (PV) Module Reliability Workshop (PVMRW) brings together PV reliability experts to share information, leading to the improvement of PV module reliability. Such improvement reduces the cost of solar electricity and promotes investor confidence in the technology--both critical goals for moving PV technologies deeper into the electricity marketplace.

Environmental aging in polycrystalline-Si photovoltaic modules: comparison of chamber-based accelerated degradation studies with field-test data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, T.; Biggie, R.; Brooks, A.; Potter, B. G.; Simmons-Potter, K.

2015-09-01

Lifecycle degradation testing of photovoltaic (PV) modules in accelerated-degradation chambers can enable the prediction both of PV performance lifetimes and of return-on-investment for installations of PV systems. With degradation results strongly dependent on chamber test parameters, the validity of such studies relative to fielded, installed PV systems must be determined. In the present work, accelerated aging of a 250 W polycrystalline silicon module is compared to real-time performance degradation in a similar polycrystalline-silicon, fielded, PV technology that has been operating since October 2013. Investigation of environmental aging effects are performed in a full-scale, industrial-standard environmental chamber equipped with single-sun irradiance capability providing illumination uniformity of 98% over a 2 x 1.6 m area. Time-dependent, photovoltaic performance (J-V) is evaluated over a recurring, compressed night-day cycle providing representative local daily solar insolation for the southwestern United States, followed by dark (night) cycling. This cycle is synchronized with thermal and humidity environmental variations that are designed to mimic, as closely as possible, test-yard conditions specific to a 12 month weather profile for a fielded system in Tucson, AZ. Results confirm the impact of environmental conditions on the module long-term performance. While the effects of temperature de-rating can be clearly seen in the data, removal of these effects enables the clear interpretation of module efficiency degradation with time and environmental exposure. With the temperature-dependent effect removed, the normalized efficiency is computed and compared to performance results from another panel of similar technology that has previously experienced identical climate changes in the test yard. Analysis of relative PV module efficiency degradation for the chamber-tested system shows good comparison to the field-tested system with ~2.5% degradation following an equivalent year of testing.

Breakeven Prices for Photovoltaics on Supermarkets in the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ong, S.; Clark, N.; Denholm, P.

The photovoltaic (PV) breakeven price is the PV system price at which the cost of PV-generated electricity equals the cost of electricity purchased from the grid. This point is also called 'grid parity' and can be expressed as dollars per watt ($/W) of installed PV system capacity. Achieving the PV breakeven price depends on many factors, including the solar resource, local electricity prices, customer load profile, PV incentives, and financing. In the United States, where these factors vary substantially across regions, breakeven prices vary substantially across regions as well. In this study, we estimate current and future breakeven prices formore » PV systems installed on supermarkets in the United States. We also evaluate key drivers of current and future commercial PV breakeven prices by region. The results suggest that breakeven prices for PV systems installed on supermarkets vary significantly across the United States. Non-technical factors -- including electricity rates, rate structures, incentives, and the availability of system financing -- drive break-even prices more than technical factors like solar resource or system orientation. In 2020 (where we assume higher electricity prices and lower PV incentives), under base-case assumptions, we estimate that about 17% of supermarkets will be in utility territories where breakeven conditions exist at a PV system price of $3/W; this increases to 79% at $1.25/W (the DOE SunShot Initiative's commercial PV price target for 2020). These percentages increase to 26% and 91%, respectively, when rate structures favorable to PV are used.« less

Analysis on Dissemination Conditions of Photovoltaics in Japan by Using Energy System Model MARKAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Endo, Eiichi; Ichinohe, Masayuki

The national target for PV capacity in Japan is 4. 82, GW in 2010, and several PV Roadmaps until 2030 are also described. To achieve the target, several support programs, such as subsidization to capital cost, Green Credit by the Green Power Certification System, buy-back under the Renewable Portfolio Standard low, have been already introduced. Carbon tax is still under consideration, but there are several analyses about possible carbon tax. The purpose of this paper is to analyze PV system sales price and subsidy through buy-back which make photovoltaics cost-competitive with other energy technologies and make the target for PV capacity achievable by 2030 in Japan under an expected carbon tax. For the analysis energy system of Japan is modeled by using MARKAL. Based on the results of analysis, under 6000, JPY/t-C carbon tax, photovoltaics needs subsidy for a while even if we taking both fuel savings and Green Credit into account. For attaining the national target for PV capacity in 2010, photovoltaics needs more expensive buy-back than that in present, but after 2010 necessary buy-back decreases gradually. If 120, JPY/W PV system sales price is attained by 2030, photovoltaics becomes cost-competitive without any supports. Subsidy through buy-back becomes almost unnecessary in 2030, if we can reduce it less than 170, JPY/W. The total necessary buy-back meets peak in 2025. It is much more than ongoing subsidy to capital cost of PV systems, but annual revenue from the assumed carbon tax can finance the annual total necessary buy-back. This means if photovoltaics can attain the targeted PV system sales price, we should support it for a while by spending carbon tax revenue effectively and efficiently.

Crystal growth and materials research in photovoltaics: progress and challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surek, Thomas

2005-02-01

Photovoltaics (PV) is solar electric power—a semiconductor-based technology that converts sunlight to electricity. Three decades of research has led to the discovery of new materials and devices and new processing techniques for low-cost manufacturing. This has resulted in improved sunlight-to-electricity conversion efficiencies, improved outdoor reliability, and lower module and system costs. The manufacture and sale of PV has grown into a $5 billion industry worldwide, with more than 740 megawatts of PV modules shipped in 2003. This paper reviews the significant progress that has occurred in PV materials and devices research over the past 30 years, focusing on the advances in crystal growth and materials research, and examines the challenges to reaching the ultimate potential of current-generation (crystalline silicon), next-generation (thin films and concentrators), and future-generation PV technologies. The latter includes innovative materials and device concepts that hold the promise of significantly higher conversion efficiencies and/or much lower costs.

Feed-in tariff structure development for photovoltaic electricity and the associated benefits for the Kingdom of Bahrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haji, Shaker; Durazi, Amal; Al-Alawi, Yaser

2018-05-01

In this study, the feed-in tariff (FIT) scheme was considered to facilitate an effective introduction of renewable energy in the Kingdom of Bahrain. An economic model was developed for the estimation of feasible FIT rates for photovoltaic (PV) electricity on a residential scale. The calculations of FIT rates were based mainly on the local solar radiation, the cost of a grid-connected PV system, the operation and maintenance cost, and the provided financial support. The net present value and internal rate of return methods were selected for model evaluation with the guide of simple payback period to determine the cost of energy and feasible FIT rates under several scenarios involving different capital rebate percentages, loan down payment percentages, and PV system costs. Moreover, to capitalise on the FIT benefits, its impact on the stakeholders beyond the households was investigated in terms of natural gas savings, emissions cutback, job creation, and PV-electricity contribution towards the energy demand growth. The study recommended the introduction of the FIT scheme in the Kingdom of Bahrain due to its considerable benefits through a setup where each household would purchase the PV system through a loan, with the government and the electricity customers sharing the FIT cost.

Combinatorial chemical bath deposition of CdS contacts for chalcogenide photovoltaics

DOE PAGES

Mokurala, Krishnaiah; Baranowski, Lauryn L.; de Souza Lucas, Francisco W.; ...

2016-08-01

Contact layers play an important role in thin film solar cells, but new material development and optimization of its thickness is usually a long and tedious process. A high-throughput experimental approach has been used to accelerate the rate of research in photovoltaic (PV) light absorbers and transparent conductive electrodes, however the combinatorial research on contact layers is less common. Here, we report on the chemical bath deposition (CBD) of CdS thin films by combinatorial dip coating technique and apply these contact layers to Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGSe) and Cu 2ZnSnSe 4 (CZTSe) light absorbers in PV devices. Combinatorial thickness steps ofmore » CdS thin films were achieved by removal of the substrate from the chemical bath, at regular intervals of time, and in equal distance increments. The trends in the photoconversion efficiency and in the spectral response of the PV devices as a function of thickness of CdS contacts were explained with the help of optical and morphological characterization of the CdS thin films. The maximum PV efficiency achieved for the combinatorial dip-coating CBD was similar to that for the PV devices processed using conventional CBD. Finally, the results of this study lead to the conclusion that combinatorial dip-coating can be used to accelerate the optimization of PV device performance of CdS and other candidate contact layers for a wide range of emerging absorbers.« less

Long-term performance analysis of CIGS thin-film PV modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhere, Neelkanth G.; Kaul, Ashwani; Pethe, Shirish A.

2011-09-01

Current accelerated qualification tests of photovoltaic (PV) modules mostly assist in avoiding infant mortality but can neither duplicate changes occurring in the field nor can predict useful lifetime. Therefore, outdoor monitoring of fielddeployed thin-film PV modules was undertaken at FSEC with goals of assessing their performance in hot and humid climate under high system voltage operation and to correlate the PV performance with the meteorological parameters. Significant and comparable degradation rate of -5.13% and -4.5% per year was found by PV USA type regression analysis for the positive and negative strings respectively of 40W glass-to-glass CIGS thin-film PV modules in the hot and humid climate of Florida. With the current-voltage measurements it was found that the performance degradation within the PV array was mainly due to a few (8-12%) modules having a substantially high degradation. The remaining modules within the array continued to show reasonable performance (>96% of the rated power after ~ 4years).

Flat-plate solar array project of the US Department of Energy's National Photovoltaics Program: Ten years of progress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christensen, Elmer

1985-01-01

The Flat-Plate Solar Array (FSA) Project, a Government-sponsored photovoltaics project, was initiated in January 1975 (previously named the Low-Cost Silicon Solar Array Project) to stimulate the development of PV systems for widespread use. Its goal then was to develop PV modules with 10% efficiency, a 20-year lifetime, and a selling price of $0.50 per peak watt of generating capacity (1975 dollars). It was recognized that cost reduction of PV solar-cell and module manufacturing was the key achievement needed if PV power systems were to be economically competitive for large-scale terrestrial use.

Evaluating the Technical and Economic Performance of PV Plus Storage Power Plants: Report Summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denholm, Paul L.; Margolis, Robert M.; Eichman, Joshua D.

The decreasing costs of both PV and energy storage technologies have raised interest in the creation of combined PV plus storage systems to provide dispatchable energy and reliable capacity. In this study, we examine the tradeoffs among various PV plus storage configurations and quantify the impact of configuration on system net value.

Evaluating the Technical and Economic Performance of PV Plus Storage Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denholm, Paul L.; Margolis, Robert M.; Eichman, Joshua D.

The decreasing costs of both PV and energy storage technologies have raised interest in the creation of combined PV plus storage systems to provide dispatchable energy and reliable capacity. In this study, we examine the tradeoffs among various PV plus storage configurations and quantify the impact of configuration on system net value.

Assessing the Causes of Encapsulant Delamination in PV Modules

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wohlgemuth, John H.; Hacke, Peter; Bosco, Nick

Delamination of the encapsulant is one of the most prevalent PV module field failures. This paper will present examples of various types of delaminations that have been observed in the field. It will then discuss the development of accelerated stress tests designed to duplicate those field failures and thus provide tools for avoiding them in the future.

Economical and environmental analysis of thermal and photovoltaic solar energy as source of heat for industrial processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez-Aparicio, Elena; Lillo-Bravo, Isidoro; Moreno-Tejera, Sara; Silva-Pérez, Manuel

2017-06-01

Thermal energy for industrial processes can be generated using thermal (ST) or photovoltaic (PV) solar energy. ST energy has traditionally been the most favorable option due to its cost and efficiency. Current costs and efficiencies values make the PV solar energy become an alternative to ST energy as supplier of industrial process heat. The aim of this study is to provide a useful tool to decide in each case which option is economically and environmentally the most suitable alternative. The methodology used to compare ST and PV systems is based on the calculation of the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) avoided by using renewable technologies instead of conventional sources of energy. In both cases, these calculations depend on costs and efficiencies associated with ST or PV systems and the conversion factor from thermal or electrical energy to GHG. To make these calculations, a series of hypotheses are assumed related to consumer and energy prices, operation, maintenance and replacement costs, lifetime of the system or working temperature of the industrial process. This study applies the methodology at five different sites which have been selected taking into account their radiometric and meteorological characteristics. In the case of ST energy three technologies are taken into account, compound parabolic concentrator (CPC), linear Fresnel collector (LFC) and parabolic trough collector (PTC). The PV option includes two ways of use of generated electricity, an electrical resistance or a combination of an electrical resistance and a heat pump (HP). Current values of costs and efficiencies make ST system remains as the most favorable option. These parameters may vary significantly over time. The evolution of these parameters may convert PV systems into the most favorable option for particular applications.

The Impact of Utility Tariff Evolution on Behind-the-Meter PV Adoption

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cole, Wesley J; Gagnon, Pieter J; Frew, Bethany A

This analysis uses a new method to link the NREL Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) capacity expansion model with the NREL distributed generation market demand model (dGen) to explore the impact that the evolution of retail electricity tariffs can have on the adoption of distributed photovoltaics (DPV). The evolution most notably takes the form of decreased mid-day electricity costs, as low-cost PV reduces the marginal cost of electricity during those hours and the changes are subsequently communicated to electricity consumers through tariffs. We find that even under the low PV prices of the new SunShot targets the financial performance ofmore » DPV under evolved tariffs still motivates behind-the-meter adoption, despite significant reduction in the costs of electricity during afternoon periods driven by deployment of cheap utility-scale PV. The amount of DPV in 2050 in these low-cost futures ranged from 206 GW to 263 GW, a 13-fold and 16-fold increase over 2016 adoption levels respectively. From a utility planner's perspective, the representation of tariff evolution has noteworthy impacts on forecasted DPV adoption in scenarios with widespread time-of-use tariffs. Scenarios that projected adoption under a portfolio of time-of-use tariffs, but did not represent the evolution of those tariffs, predicted up to 36 percent more DPV in 2050, compared to scenarios that did not represent that evolution. Lastly, we find that a reduction in DPV deployment resulting from evolved tariffs had a negligible impact on the total generation from PV - both utility-scale and distributed - in the scenarios we examined. Any reduction in DPV generation was replaced with utility-scale PV generation, to arrive at the quantity that makes up the least-cost portfolio.« less

Holographic spectrum-splitting optical systems for solar photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Deming

Solar energy is the most abundant source of renewable energy available. The relatively high cost prevents solar photovoltaic (PV) from replacing fossil fuel on a larger scale. In solar PV power generation the cost is reduced with more efficient PV technologies. In this dissertation, methods to improve PV conversion efficiency with holographic optical components are discussed. The tandem multiple-junction approach has achieved very high conversion efficiency. However it is impossible to manufacture tandem PV cells at a low cost due to stringent fabrication standards and limited material types that satisfy lattice compatibility. Current produced by the tandem multi-junction PV cell is limited by the lowest junction due to series connection. Spectrum-splitting is a lateral multi-junction concept that is free of lattice and current matching constraints. Each PV cell can be optimized towards full absorption of a spectral band with tailored light-trapping schemes. Holographic optical components are designed to achieve spectrum-splitting PV energy conversion. The incident solar spectrum is separated onto multiple PV cells that are matched to the corresponding spectral band. Holographic spectrum-splitting can take advantage of existing and future low-cost technologies that produces high efficiency thin-film solar cells. Spectrum-splitting optical systems are designed and analyzed with both transmission and reflection holographic optical components. Prototype holograms are fabricated and high optical efficiency is achieved. Light-trapping in PV cells increases the effective optical path-length in the semiconductor material leading to improved absorption and conversion efficiency. It has been shown that the effective optical path length can be increased by a factor of 4n2 using diffusive surfaces. Ultra-light-trapping can be achieved with optical filters that limit the escape angle of the diffused light. Holographic reflection gratings have been shown to act as angle-wavelength selective filters that can function as ultra-light-trapping filters. Results from an experimental reflection hologram are used to model the absorption enhancement factor for a silicon solar cell and light-trapping filter. The result shows a significant improvement in current generation for thin-film silicon solar cells under typical operating conditions.

NREL Screens Universities for Solar and Battery Storage Potential

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

In support of the U.S. Department of Energy's SunShot initiative, NREL provided solar photovoltaic (PV) screenings in 2016 for eight universities seeking to go solar. NREL conducted an initial technoeconomic assessment of PV and storage feasibility at the selected universities using the REopt model, an energy planning platform that can be used to evaluate RE options, estimate costs, and suggest a mix of RE technologies to meet defined assumptions and constraints. NREL provided each university with customized results, including the cost-effectiveness of PV and storage, recommended system size, estimated capital cost to implement the technology, and estimated life cycle costmore » savings.« less

Integrating Solar into Florida's Power System: Potential Roles for Flexibility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hale, Elaine T; Stoll, Brady; Novacheck, Joshua E

Although Florida has very little photovoltaic (PV) generation to date, it is reasonable to expect significant deployment in the 2020s under a variety of future policy and cost scenarios. To understand these potential futures, we model Florida Reliability Coordinating Council operations in 2026 over a wide range of PV penetrations with various combinations of battery storage capacity, demand response, and increased operational flexibility. By calculating the value of PV under a wide range of conditions, we find that at least 5%, and more likely 10-24%, PV penetration is cost competitive in Florida within the next decade with baseline flexibility andmore » all but the most pessimistic of assumptions. For high PV penetrations, we demonstrate Florida's electrical net-load variability (duck curve) challenges, the associated reduction of PV's value to the system, and the ability of flexibility options-in particular energy-shifting resources-to preserve value and increase the economic carrying capacity of PV. A high level of demand response boosts the economic carrying capacity of PV by up to 0.5-2 percentage points, which is comparable to the impact of deploying 1 GW of battery storage. Adding 4 GW of battery storage expands the economic carrying capacity of PV by up to 6 percentage points.« less

Design and Analysis of Photovoltaic (PV) Power Plant at Different Locations in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Islam, M. A.; Hasanuzzaman, M.; Rahim, N. A.

2018-05-01

Power generation from sun oriented vitality through a photovoltaic (PV) system is ended up prevalent over the world due to clean innovation. Geographical location of Malaysia is very favorable for PV power generation system. The Malaysian government has also taken different steps to increase the use of solar energy especially by emphasizing on building integrated PV (BIPV) system. Comparative study on the feasibility of BIPV installation at the different location of Malaysia is rarely found. On the other hand, solar cell temperature has a negative impact on the electricity generation. So in this study cost effectiveness and initial investment cost of building integrated grid connected solar PV power plant in different regions of Malaysia have been carried. The effect of PV solar cell temperature on the payback period (PBP) is also investigated. Highest PBP is 12.38 years at Selangor and lowest PBP is 9.70 years at Sabah (Kota Kinabalu). Solar cell temperature significantly increases the PBP of PV plant and highest 14.64% and lowest 13.20% raise of PBP are encountered at Penang and Sarawak respectively.

Valuing the Resilience Provided by Solar and Battery Energy Storage Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McLaren, Joyce A; Mullendore, Seth; Laws, Nicholas D

This paper explores the impact of valuing resilience on the economics of photovoltaics (PV) and storage systems for commercial buildings. The analysis presented here illustrates that accounting for the cost of grid power outages can change the breakeven point for PV and storage system investment, and increase the size of systems designed to deliver the greatest economic benefit over time. In other words, valuing resilience can make PV and storage systems economical in cases where they would not be otherwise. As storage costs decrease, and outages occur more frequently, PV and storage are likely to play a larger role inmore » building design and management considerations.« less

Photovoltaics and electric utilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bright, R.; Leigh, R.; Sills, T.

1981-12-01

The long term value of grid connected, residential photovoltaic (PV) systems is determined. The value of the PV electricity is defined as the full avoided cost in accordance with the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. The avoided cost is computed using a long range utility planning approach to measure revenue requirement changes in response to the time phased introduction of PV systems into the grid. A case study approach to three utility systems is used. The changing value of PV electricity over a twenty year period from 1985 is presented, and the fuel and capital savings due to FY are analyzed. These values are translated into measures of breakeven capital investment under several options of power interchange and pricing.

LCP- LIFETIME COST AND PERFORMANCE MODEL FOR DISTRIBUTED PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borden, C. S.

1994-01-01

The Lifetime Cost and Performance (LCP) Model was developed to assist in the assessment of Photovoltaic (PV) system design options. LCP is a simulation of the performance, cost, and revenue streams associated with distributed PV power systems. LCP provides the user with substantial flexibility in specifying the technical and economic environment of the PV application. User-specified input parameters are available to describe PV system characteristics, site climatic conditions, utility purchase and sellback rate structures, discount and escalation rates, construction timing, and lifetime of the system. Such details as PV array orientation and tilt angle, PV module and balance-of-system performance attributes, and the mode of utility interconnection are user-specified. LCP assumes that the distributed PV system is utility grid interactive without dedicated electrical storage. In combination with a suitable economic model, LCP can provide an estimate of the expected net present worth of a PV system to the owner, as compared to electricity purchased from a utility grid. Similarly, LCP might be used to perform sensitivity analyses to identify those PV system parameters having significant impact on net worth. The user describes the PV system configuration to LCP via the basic electrical components. The module is the smallest entity in the PV system which is modeled. A PV module is defined in the simulation by its short circuit current, which varies over the system lifetime due to degradation and failure. Modules are wired in series to form a branch circuit. Bypass diodes are allowed between modules in the branch circuits. Branch circuits are then connected in parallel to form a bus. A collection of buses is connected in parallel to form an increment to capacity of the system. By choosing the appropriate series-parallel wiring design, the user can specify the current, voltage, and reliability characteristics of the system. LCP simulation of system performance is site-specific and follows a three-step procedure. First the hourly power produced by the PV system is computed using a selected year's insolation and temperature profile. For this step it is assumed that there are no module failures or degradation. Next, the monthly simulation is performed involving a month to month progression through the lifetime of the system. In this step, the effects of degradation, failure, dirt accumulation and operations/maintenance efforts on PV system performance over time are used to compute the monthly power capability fraction. The resulting monthly power capability fractions are applied to the hourly power matrix from the first step, giving the anticipated hourly energy output over the lifetime of the system. PV system energy output is compared with the PV system owner's electricity demand for each hour. The amount of energy to be purchased from or sold to the utility grid is then determined. Monthly expenditures on the PV system and the purchase of electricity from the utility grid are also calculated. LCP generates output reports pertaining to the performance of the PV system, and system costs and revenues. The LCP model, written in SIMSCRIPT 2.5 for batch execution on an IBM 370 series computer, was developed in 1981.

Editorial: Photovoltaic Materials and Devices 2014

DOE PAGES

Sopori, Bhushan; Rupnowski, Peter; Shet, Sudhakar; ...

2014-12-22

An ever increasing demand on energy has fostered many new generation technologies, which include photovoltaics. In recent years, photovoltaic industry has grown very rapidly. The installed capacity of PV for 2013 was about 37 GW and 2014 sales are expected to be around 45 GW. However, there has been excess production for last several years, which is responsible in part for the low prices (about 60 c/W). To lower the PV energy costs further, a major strategy appears to be going to high efficiency solar cells. This approach is favored (over lower cost/lower efficiency) because cell efficiency has a verymore » large influence on the acceptable manufacturing cost of a PV module. Hence, the PV industry is moving toward developing processes and equipment to manufacture solar cells that can yield efficiencies >20%. Therefore, further research is needed within existing technologies to accomplish these objectives. Likewise, research will continue to seek new materials and devices.« less

The Multi-TW Scale Future for Photovoltaics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilson, Gregory M

This chapter is focused on photovoltaics (PV) and argues that this rapidly developing technology is emerging as one of the most important tools policy makers have for meeting COP21 carbon emissions reduction targets. Focusing on the contributions and advancements that PV is likely to make to the global energy system over the next 10-15 years, it gives a basic overview of mainstream PV conversion technologies, summarizes roughly 40 years of research and industrial history then closes with a brief discussion of how PV and energy storage are likely to impact the world's energy landscape going forward. The chapter closely couplesmore » an increasingly urgent carbon emissions and climate change problem with dramatic PV advancements over the last 10 years in terms of both performance and cost. Ultimately PV is presented as an extremely useful tool for helping to reduce global carbon emissions with little to no increase in electricity costs, in a timeframe that is meaningful to the global carbon emissions problem.« less

The multi-TW scale future for photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Gregory

2018-01-01

This chapter is focused on photovoltaics (PV) and argues that this rapidly developing technology is emerging as one of the most important tools policy makers have for meeting COP21 carbon emissions reduction targets. Focusing on the contributions and advancements that PV is likely to make to the global energy system over the next 10-15 years, it gives a basic overview of mainstream PV conversion technologies, summarizes roughly 40 years of research and industrial history then closes with a brief discussion of how PV and energy storage are likely to impact the world's energy landscape going forward. The chapter closely couples an increasingly urgent carbon emissions and climate change problem with dramatic PV advancements over the last 10 years in terms of both performance and cost. Ultimately PV is presented as an extremely useful tool for helping to reduce global carbon emissions with little to no increase in electricity costs, in a timeframe that is meaningful to the global carbon emissions problem.

Low concentrator PV optics optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharp, Leonard; Chang, Ben

2008-08-01

Purpose: Cost reduction is a major focus of the solar industry. Thin film technologies and concentration systems are viable ways to reducing cost, with unique strengths and weakness for both. Most of the concentrating PV work focuses on high concentration systems for reducing energy cost. Meanwhile, many believe that low concentrators provide significant cost reduction potential while addressing the mainstream PV market with a product that acts as a flat panel replacement. This paper analyzes the relative benefit of asymmetric vs. symmetric optics for low-concentrators in light of specific PV applications. Approach: Symmetric and asymmetric concentrating PV module performance is evaluated using computer simulation to determine potential value across various geographic locations and applications. The selected optic design is modeled against standard cSi flat panels and thin film to determine application fit, system level energy density and economic value. Results: While symmetric designs may seem ideal, asymmetric designs have an advantage in energy density. Both designs are assessed for aperture, optimum concentration ratio, and ideal system array configuration. Analysis of performance across climate specific effects (diffuse, direct and circumsolar) and location specific effects (sunpath) are also presented. The energy density and energy production of low concentrators provide a compelling value proposition. More significantly, the choice of optics for a low concentrating design can affect real world performance. With the goal of maximizing energy density and return on investment, this paper presents the advantages of asymmetric optic concentration and illustrates the value of this design within specific PV applications.

The SunShot Initiative’s 2030 Goal: 3¢ per Kilowatt Hour for Solar Electricity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

In 2011, when solar power comprised less than 0.1% of the U.S. electricity supply, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched the SunShot Initiative with the goal of making solar electricity cost-competitive with traditionally generated electricity by 2020 without subsidies. At the time, this meant reducing photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) prices by approximately 75% across the residential, commercial, and utility-scale sectors. For utility-scale solar, this target is a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of 6¢ per kilowatt hour (kWh)1. Rapid progress has been made in accelerating achievement of these cost reductions, and DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Officemore » (SETO) sees clear pathways to meeting the SunShot 2020 cost targets on schedule.2 Enabled by the cost reductions to date, solar-generated electricity has become mainstream. In 2014 and 2015, solar represented about one-third of new electrical generating capacity installed in the United States Halfway through 2016, solar was supplying 1% of U.S. electricity demand and growing with an installed capacity of 30 gigawatts.« less

What is Swanson's Law & why Should you Care?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, S. F.; Partain, L.; Hansen, R. T.

2015-12-01

For 40 years the cost of Solar Photovoltaics (PV) has decreased by a factor of 2 for every 10X increase in its cumulative-installed electric-generating capacity (CC). The straight line, log-log, experimental and historical data fit of cost versus CC is called Swanson's Law for its accurate fit of the rapid decrease in cost over 6 orders of magnitude increase in CC with time. Now Solar PV is cost competitive with coal and natural gas in some regions and provides 1% of the world's electric generating capacity. The Law can next be tested to predict the future. With 2 more orders of magnitude increase in CC, Solar PV could provide 10% and then 100% of the world's current electric capacity, as the Law projects costs falling by another factor of 4. For the last 10 years CC has doubled every 2 years under strong public policy support. If this doubling and policy support are extended, an order-of-magnitude increase (10X) will occur every 6.6 yrs and installed solar PV capacity could reach 100% of the current world's consumption in 13 years or by 2028. The world's solar resource, accessible indefinitely and yearly to PV, is over 1000 times current consumption while coal, uranium, petroleum and natural gas are finite, limited resources, destined to be depleted within our lifetimes or the lives of our children or grandchildren. In 2015 a 56 MW fossil fueled power plant was shut down at Stanford University and replaced with Solar PV and geothermal to save money and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. If more such shut downs could follow this same 2 year doubling time as Solar PV, then the replacements could exceed 14,000 within 26 years or by 2041, including all 7000 current coal-fired plants plus an equivalent number fueled by uranium, petroleum and natural gas. These shut-downs, including all current fossil-fueled-power plants, could start reversing the human-generated, greenhouse-gas-induced, global climate changes by 2041.

Impacts of Valuing Resilience on Cost-Optimal PV and Storage Systems for Commercial Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Laws, Nicholas D; Anderson, Katherine H; DiOrio, Nicholas A

Decreasing electric grid reliability in the US, along with increasing severe weather events, have greatly increased interest in resilient energy systems. Few studies have included the value of resilience when sizing PV and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and none have included the cost to island a PV and BESS, grid-connected costs and benefits, and the value of resilience. This work presents a novel method for incorporating the value of resilience provided by a PV and BESS into a techno-economic optimization model. Including the value of resilience in the design of a cost-optimal PV and BESS generally increases the systemmore » capacities, and in some cases makes a system economical where it was not before. For example, for a large hotel in Anaheim, CA no system is economical without resilience valued; however, with a $5317/hr value of resilience a 363 kW and 60 kWh solar and BESS provides a net present value of $50,000. Lastly, we discuss the effect of the 'islandable premium', which must be balanced against the benefits from serving critical loads during outages. Case studies show that the islandable premium can vary widely, which highlights the necessity for case-by-case solutions in a rapidly developing market.« less

Perovskite Solar Cells | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

& Devices pages: High-Efficiency Crystalline PV Polycrystalline Thin-Film PV Perovskite and Organic -Defect Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Perovskite Films as PV Absorbers. (FY 2015FY 2016). In collaboration with organic metal halide perovskite (see article). Ultrahigh-Efficiency and Low-Cost Polycrystalline Halide

The Impact of City-level Permitting Processes on Residential Photovoltaic Installation Prices and Development Times: An Empirical Analysis of Solar Systems in California Cities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiser, Ryan; Dong, Changgui

Business process or “soft” costs account for well over 50% of the installed price of residential photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United States, so understanding these costs is crucial for identifying PV cost-reduction opportunities. Among these costs are those imposed by city-level permitting processes, which may add both expense and time to the PV development process. Building on previous research, this study evaluates the effect of city-level permitting processes on the installed price of residential PV systems and on the time required to develop and install those systems. The study uses a unique dataset from the U.S. Department of Energy’smore » Rooftop Solar Challenge Program, which includes city-level permitting process “scores,” plus data from the California Solar Initiative and the U.S. Census. Econometric methods are used to quantify the price and development-time effects of city-level permitting processes on more than 3,000 PV installations across 44 California cities in 2011. Results indicate that city-level permitting processes have a substantial and statistically significant effect on average installation prices and project development times. The results suggest that cities with the most favorable (i.e., highest-scoring) permitting practices can reduce average residential PV prices by $0.27–$0.77/W (4%–12% of median PV prices in California) compared with cities with the most onerous (i.e., lowest-scoring) permitting practices, depending on the regression model used. Though the empirical models for development times are less robust, results suggest that the most streamlined permitting practices may shorten development times by around 24 days on average (25% of the median development time). These findings illustrate the potential price and development-time benefits of streamlining local permitting procedures for PV systems.« less

Analysis of Solar Census Remote Solar Access Value Calculation Methodology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nangle, J.; Dean, J.; Van Geet, O.

2015-03-01

The costs of photovoltaic (PV) system hardware (PV panels, inverters, racking, etc.) have fallen dramatically over the past few years. Nonhardware (soft) costs, however, have failed to keep pace with the decrease in hardware costs, and soft costs have become a major driver of U.S. PV system prices. Upfront or 'sunken' customer acquisition costs make up a portion of an installation's soft costs and can be addressed through software solutions that aim to streamline sales and system design aspects of customer acquisition. One of the key soft costs associated with sales and system design is collecting information on solar accessmore » for a particular site. Solar access, reported in solar access values (SAVs), is a measurement of the available clear sky over a site and is used to characterize the impacts of local shading objects. Historically, onsite shading studies have been required to characterize the SAV of the proposed array and determine the potential energy production of a photovoltaic system.« less

Market Barriers to Solar in Michigan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, E.; Nobler, E.; Wolf, C.

2012-08-01

The solar industry in the United States is at a turning point; the cost of PV hardware has declined substantially in recent years, placing new attention on reducing the balance of system (BOS) costs of solar that now contribute to a growing percentage of installation expenses. How states address these costs through the creation of a favorable policy and regulatory environment is proving to be a critical determinant of a thriving statewide solar market. This report addresses the permitting and tax issues that may stimulate the solar market growth in Michigan. By making PV installations easier to complete through reducedmore » BOS costs, Michigan would become a more attractive location for manufacturers and installers. As PV module costs decline and BOS costs make up a greater share of the cost of solar, action taken today on these issues will prove beneficial in the long term, providing Michigan an opportunity to establish a leadership position in the solar industry.« less

Reconciling Consumer and Utility Objectives in the Residential Solar PV Market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnold, Michael R.

Today's energy market is facing large-scale changes that will affect all market players. Near the top of that list is the rapid deployment of residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Yet that growing trend will be influenced multiple competing interests between various stakeholders, namely the utility, consumers and technology provides. This study provides a series of analyses---utility-side, consumer-side, and combined analyses---to understand and evaluate the effect of increases in residential solar PV market penetration. Three urban regions have been selected as study locations---Chicago, Phoenix, Seattle---with simulated load data and solar insolation data at each locality. Various time-of-use pricing schedules are investigated, and the effect of net metering is evaluated to determine the optimal capacity of solar PV and battery storage in a typical residential home. The net residential load profile is scaled to assess system-wide technical and economic figures of merit for the utility with an emphasis on intraday load profiles, ramp rates and electricity sales with increasing solar PV penetration. The combined analysis evaluates the least-cost solar PV system for the consumer and models the associated system-wide effects on the electric grid. Utility revenue was found to drop by 1.2% for every percent PV penetration increase, net metering on a monthly or annual basis improved the cost-effectiveness of solar PV but not battery storage, the removal of net metering policy and usage of an improved the cost-effectiveness of battery storage and increases in solar PV penetration reduced the system load factor. As expected, Phoenix had the most favorable economic scenario for residential solar PV, primarily due to high solar insolation. The study location---solar insolation and load profile---was also found to affect the time of year at which the largest net negative system load was realized.

System and method for design and optimization of grid connected photovoltaic power plant with multiple photovoltaic module technologies

DOEpatents

Thomas, Bex George; Elasser, Ahmed; Bollapragada, Srinivas; Galbraith, Anthony William; Agamy, Mohammed; Garifullin, Maxim Valeryevich

2016-03-29

A system and method of using one or more DC-DC/DC-AC converters and/or alternative devices allows strings of multiple module technologies to coexist within the same PV power plant. A computing (optimization) framework estimates the percentage allocation of PV power plant capacity to selected PV module technologies. The framework and its supporting components considers irradiation, temperature, spectral profiles, cost and other practical constraints to achieve the lowest levelized cost of electricity, maximum output and minimum system cost. The system and method can function using any device enabling distributed maximum power point tracking at the module, string or combiner level.

Rooftop solar photovoltaic potential in cities: how scalable are assessment approaches?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castellanos, Sergio; Sunter, Deborah A.; Kammen, Daniel M.

2017-12-01

Distributed photovoltaics (PV) have played a critical role in the deployment of solar energy, currently making up roughly half of the global PV installed capacity. However, there remains significant unused economically beneficial potential. Estimates of the total technical potential for rooftop PV systems in the United States calculate a generation comparable to approximately 40% of the 2016 total national electric-sector sales. To best take advantage of the rooftop PV potential, effective analytic tools that support deployment strategies and aggressive local, state, and national policies to reduce the soft cost of solar energy are vital. A key step is the low-cost automation of data analysis and business case presentation for structure-integrated solar energy. In this paper, the scalability and resolution of various methods to assess the urban rooftop PV potential are compared, concluding with suggestions for future work in bridging methodologies to better assist policy makers.

Revolution…Now The Future Arrives for Five Clean Energy Technologies – 2015 Update

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

In 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released the Revolution Now report, highlighting four transformational technologies: land-based wind power, silicon photovoltaic (PV) solar modules, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and electric vehicles (EVs). That study and its 2014 update showed how dramatic reductions in cost are driving a surge in consumer, industrial, and commercial adoption for these clean energy technologies—as well as yearly progress. In addition to presenting the continued progress made over the last year in these areas, this year’s update goes further. Two separate sections now cover large, central, utility-scale PV plants and smaller, rooftop, distributed PV systems tomore » highlight how both have achieved significant deployment nationwide, and have done so through different innovations, such as easier access to capital for utility-scale PV and reductions of non-hardware costs and third-party ownership for distributed PV. Along with these core technologies« less

Quantifying Reliability - The Next Step for a Rapidly Maturing PV Industry and China's Role

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurtz, Sarah

2015-10-14

PV customers wish to know how long their PV modules will last, but quantitatively predicting service life is difficult because of the large number of ways that a module can fail, the variability of the use environment, the cost of the testing, and the short product development time, especially when compared with the long desired lifetime. China should play a key role in developing international standards because China manufactures most of the world's PV modules. The presentation will describe the steps that need to be taken to create a service life prediction within the context of a defined bill ofmore » materials, process window and use environment. Worldwide standards for cost-effective approaches to service-life predictions will be beneficial to both PV customers and manufacturers since the consequences of premature module failure can be disastrous for both.« less

Power Generation Potential and Cost of a Roof Top Solar PV System in Kathmandu, Nepal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanjel, N.; Zhand, A.

2017-12-01

The paper presents a comparative study of the 3 most used solar PV module technologies in Nepal, which are Si-mono-crystalline, Si-poly-crystalline and Si-amorphous. The aim of the paper is to present and discuss the recorded Global Solar Radiation, received in the Kathmandu valley by three different, Si-mono-crystalline, Si-poly-crystalline and Si-amorphous calibrated solar cell pyranometers and to propose the best-suited solar PV module technology for roof top solar PV systems inside the Kathmandu valley. Data recorded over the course of seven months, thus covering most of the seasonal meteorological conditions determining Kathmandu valley's global solar radiation reception are presented. The results indicate that the Si-amorphous pyranometer captured 1.56% more global solar radiation than the Si-mono-crystalline and 18.4% more than Si-poly-crystalline pyranometer over the course of seven months. Among the three pyranometer technologies the maximum and minimum cell temperature was measured by the Si-mono-crystalline pyranometer. Following the technical data and discussion, an economical analysis, using the versatile software tool PVSYST V5.01is used to calculate the life cycle costs of a 1kW roof top solar PV RAPS system, with battery storage, and a 1kW roof top solar PV grid connected system with no energy storage facility, through simulations, using average recorded global solar radiation data for the KTM valley and investigated market values for each solar PV module and peripheral equipment costs.

[Erwinia amylovora--the fire blight pathogen of trees in Ukraine].

PubMed

Iakovleva, L M; Moroz, S N; Shcherbina, T N; Ogorodnik, L E; Gvozdiak, R I; Patyka, V F

2014-01-01

Niduses of fire blight of fruit and ornamental trees have been found in the Kyiv and Vinnitsa regions of Ukraine. Pathogen Erwinia amylovora was isolated between April and October. The pathogen was often accompanied by bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. Artificial infection with a mixture of bacteria E. amylovora and P. syringae pv. syringae accelerates and enhances the disease process in the laboratory.

Economic implications of current systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daniel, R. E.; Aster, R. W.

1983-01-01

The primary goals of this study are to estimate the value of R&D to photovoltaic (PV) metallization systems cost, and to provide a method for selecting an optimal metallization method for any given PV system. The value-added cost and relative electrical performance of 25 state-of-the-art (SOA) and advanced metallization system techniques are compared.

Comparative Study Between Wind and Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taha, Wesam

This paper reviews two renewable energy systems; wind and photovoltaic (PV) systems. The common debate between the two of them is to conclude which one is better, in terms of cost and efficiency. Therefore, comparative study, in terms of cost and efficiency, is attempted. Regarding total cost of both, wind and PV systems, many parameters must be taken into consideration such as availability of energy (either wind or solar), operation and maintenance, availability of costumers, political influence, and the components used in building the system. The main components and parameters that play major role in determining the overall efficiency of wind systems are the wind turbine generator (WTG), gearbox and control technologies such as power, and speed control. On the other hand, in grid-connected PV systems (GCPVS), converter architecture along with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm and inverter topologies are the issues that affects the efficiency significantly. Cost and efficiency analyses of both systems have been carried out based on the statistics available till today and would be useful in the progress of renewable energy penetration throughout the world.

NREL Adds Solar Array Field to Help Inform Consumers | NREL

Science.gov Websites

PV modules at NREL's new solar array field. Workers install PV modules just north of the NREL parking be Added Each Year Once completed, the new solar array field will house four rows of PV modules. The the lifetime of a PV system, and that increases the per-kilowatt-hour cost of generating solar

Learning curve approach to projecting cost and performance for photovoltaic technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cody, George D.; Tiedje, Thomas

1997-10-01

The current cost of electricity generated by PV power is still extremely high with respect to power supplied by the utility grid, and there remain questions as to whether PV power can ever be competitive with electricity generated by fossil fuels. An objective approach to this important question was given in a previous paper by the authors which introduced analytical tools to define and project the technical/economic status of PV power from 1988 through the year 2010. In this paper, we apply these same tools to update the conclusions of our earlier study in the context of recent announcements by Amoco/Enron-Solar of projected sales of PV power at rates significantly less than the U.S. utility average.

A learning curve approach to projecting cost and performance for photovoltaic technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cody, George D.; Tiedje, Thomas

1997-04-01

The current cost of electricity generated by PV power is still extremely high with respect to power supplied by the utility grid, and there remain questions as to whether PV power can ever be competitive with electricity generated by fossil fuels. An objective approach to this important question was given in a previous paper by the authors which introduced analytical tools to define and project the technical/economic status of PV power from 1988 through the year 2010. In this paper, we apply these same tools to update the conclusions of our earlier study in the context of recent announcements by Amoco/Enron-Solarex of projected sales of PV power at rates significantly less than the US utility average.

To Own or Lease Solar: Understanding Commercial Retailers' Decisions to Use Alternative Financing Models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feldman, David; Margolis, Robert

This report examines the tradeoffs among financing methods for businesses installing onsite photovoltaics (PV). We present case studies of PV financing strategies used by two large commercial retailers that have deployed substantial U.S. PV capacity: IKEA, which owns its PV, and Staples, which purchases power generated from onsite PV systems through power purchase agreements (PPAs). We also analyze the financial considerations that influence any company's choice of PV financing strategy. Our goal in this report is to clarify the financial and institutional costs and benefits of financing strategies and to inform other companies that are considering launching or expanding similarmore » PV programs.« less

Photovoltaic balance-of-system designs and costs at PVUSA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reyes, A. B.; Jennings, C.

1995-05-01

This report is one in a series of 1994-1995 PVUSA reports that document PVUSA lessons learned at demonstration sites in California and Texas. During the last 7 years (1988 to 1994), 16 PV systems ranging from 20 kW to 500 kW have been installed. Six 20-kW emerging module technology (EMT) arrays and three turnkey (i.e., vendor designed and integrated) utility-scale systems were procured and installed at PVUSA's main test site in Davis, California. PVUSA host utilities have installed a total of seven EMT arrays and utility-scale systems in their service areas. Additional systems at Davis and host utility sites are planned. One of PVUSA's key objectives is to evaluate the performance, reliability, and cost of PV balance-of-system (BOS). In the procurement stage PVUSA encouraged innovative design to improve upon present practice by reducing maintenance, improving reliability, or lowering manufacturing or construction costs. The project team worked closely with suppliers during the design stage not only to ensure designs met functional and safety specifications, but to provide suggestions for improvement. This report, intended for the photovoltaic (PV) industry and for utility project managers and engineers considering PV plant construction and ownership, documents PVUSA utility-scale system design and cost lessons learned. Complementary PVUSA topical reports document: construction and safety experience; five-year assessment of EMTs; validation of the Kerman 500-kW grid-support PV plant benefits; PVUSA instrumentation and data analysis techniques; procurement, acceptance, and rating practices for PV power plants; experience with power conditioning units and power quality.

Photovoltaics Innovation Roadmap Request for Information Summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

On June 28, 2017, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) released the Photovoltaics (PV) Innovation Roadmap Request for Information (RFI) for public response and comment. The RFI sought feedback from PV stakeholders, including research and commercial communities, about the most important research and development (R&D) pathways to improve PV cell and module technology to reach the SETO’s SunShot 2030 cost targets of $0.03/W for utility PV installations, $0.04/W for commercial scale installations, and $0.05/W for residential PV installations.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cory, K.; Coughlin, J.; Coggeshall, C.

State and local governments have grown increasingly aware of the economic, environmental, and societal benefits of taking a lead role in U.S. implementation of renewable energy, particularly distributed photovoltaic (PV) installations. Recently, solar energy's cost premium has declined as a result of technology improvements and an increase in the cost of traditional energy generation. At the same time, a nationwide public policy focus on carbon-free, renewable energy has created a wide range of financial incentives to lower the costs of deploying PV even further. These changes have led to exponential increases in the availability of capital for solar projects, andmore » tremendous creativity in the development of third-party ownership structures. As significant users of electricity, state and local governments can be an excellent example for solar PV system deployment on a national scale. Many public entities are not only considering deployment on public building rooftops, but also large-scale applications on available public lands. The changing marketplace requires that state and local governments be financially sophisticated to capture as much of the economic potential of a PV system as possible. This report examines ways that state and local governments can optimize the financial structure of deploying solar PV for public uses.« less

Polycrystalline Thin-Film Photovoltaics | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

(CdTe) We develop processes and a range of materials for CdTe photovoltaic (PV) devices. Our work partners. Our objectives are to improve CdTe PV performance, reduce costs, and advance fundamental processes and materials related to thin-film polycrystalline PV devices, and our measurements and

Review of Interconnection Practices and Costs in the Western States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bird, Lori A; Flores-Espino, Francisco; Volpi, Christina M

The objective of this report is to evaluate the nature of barriers to interconnecting distributed PV, assess costs of interconnection, and compare interconnection practices across various states in the Western Interconnection. The report addresses practices for interconnecting both residential and commercial-scale PV systems to the distribution system. This study is part of a larger, joint project between the Western Interstate Energy Board (WIEB) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, to examine barriers to distributed PV in the 11 states wholly within the Western Interconnection.

The possibility of developing hybrid PV/T solar system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobrnjac, M.; Zivkovic, P.; Babic, V.

2017-05-01

An alternative and cost-effective solution to developing integrated PV system is to use hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar system. The temperature of PV modules increases due to the absorbed solar radiation that is not converted into electricity, causing a decrease in their efficiency. In hybrid PV/T solar systems the reduction of PV module temperature can be combined with a useful fluid heating. In this paper we present the possibility of developing a new hybrid PV/T solar system. Hybrid PV/T system can provide electrical and thermal energy, thus achieving a higher energy conversion rate of the absorbed solar radiation. We developed PV/T prototype consisted of commercial PV module and thermal panel with our original solution of aluminium absorber with special geometric shapes. The main advantages of our combined PV/T system are: removing of heat from the PV panel; extending the lifetime of photovoltaic cells; excess of the removing heat from PV part is used to heat the fluid in the thermal part of the panel; the possibility of using on the roof and facade constructions because less weight.

ABLE project: Development of an advanced lead-acid storage system for autonomous PV installations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemaire-Potteau, Elisabeth; Vallvé, Xavier; Pavlov, Detchko; Papazov, G.; Borg, Nico Van der; Sarrau, Jean-François

In the advanced battery for low-cost renewable energy (ABLE) project, the partners have developed an advanced storage system for small and medium-size PV systems. It is composed of an innovative valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery, optimised for reliability and manufacturing cost, and an integrated regulator, for optimal battery management and anti-fraudulent use. The ABLE battery performances are comparable to flooded tubular batteries, which are the reference in medium-size PV systems. The ABLE regulator has several innovative features regarding energy management and modular series/parallel association. The storage system has been validated by indoor, outdoor and field tests, and it is expected that this concept could be a major improvement for large-scale implementation of PV within the framework of national rural electrification schemes.

Development of a low cost integrated 15 kW A.C. solar tracking sub-array for grid connected PV power system applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stern, M.; West, R.; Fourer, G.; Whalen, W.; Van Loo, M.; Duran, G.

1997-02-01

Utility Power Group has achieved a significant reduction in the installed cost of grid-connected PV systems. The two part technical approach focused on 1) The utilization of a large area factory assembled PV panel, and 2) The integration and packaging of all sub-array power conversion and control functions within a single factory produced enclosure. Eight engineering prototype 15kW ac single axis solar tracking sub-arrays were designed, fabricated, and installed at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District's Hedge Substation site in 1996 and are being evaluated for performance and reliability. A number of design enhancements will be implemented in 1997 and demonstrated by the field deployment and operation of over twenty advanced sub-array PV power systems.

Photovoltaic System Pricing Trends: Historical, Recent, and Near-Term Projections 2015 Edition

DOE Data Explorer

Feldman, David; Barbose, Galen; Margolis, Robert; Bolinger, Mark; Chung, Donald; Fu, Ran; Seel, Joachim; Davidson, Carolyn; Wiser, Ryan

2016-05-13

This is the fourth edition in an annual briefing prepared jointly by LBNL and NREL intended to provide a high-level overview of historical, recent, and projected near-term PV system pricing trends in the United States. The briefing draws on several ongoing research activities at the two labs, including LBNL's annual Tracking the Sun report series, NREL's bottom-up PV cost modeling, and NREL's synthesis of PV market data and projections. The briefing examines progress in PV price reductions to help DOE and other PV stakeholders manage the transition to a market-driven PV industry, and integrates different perspectives and methodologies for characterizing PV system pricing, in order to provide a broader perspective on underlying trends within the industry.

The Value of Transparency in Distributed Solar PV Markets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

OShaughnessy, Eric J.; Margolis, Robert M.

Distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) markets are relatively non-transparent: PV price and product information is not readily available, searching for this information is costly (in terms of time and effort), and customers are mostly unfamiliar with the new technology. Quote aggregation, where third-party companies collect PV quotes on behalf of customers, may be one way to increase PV market transparency. In this paper, quote aggregation data are analyzed to study the value of transparency for distributed solar PV markets. The results suggest that easier access to more quotes results in lower prices. We find that installers tend to offer lower pricesmore » in more competitive market environments. We supplement the empirical analysis with key findings from interviews of residential PV installers.« less

Photovoltaic-Thermal New Technology Demonstration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dean, Jesse; McNutt, Peter; Lisell, Lars

Photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) hybrid solar systems offer increased electricity production by cooling the PV panel, and using the removed thermal energy to heat water - all in the same footprint as a standard PV system. GPG's assessment of the nation's first large-scale PV-T system installed at the Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. Federal Building in Boston, MA, provided numerous lessons learned in system design, and identified a target market of locations with high utility costs and electric hot water backup.

Assessing the economic and environmental feasibility of utility scaled PV electricity production in the state of Georgia.

PubMed

Taylor, Ruthie; Critttenden, John

2012-01-01

Photovoltaic (PV) technology, an increasingly popular source for renewable energy, is being deployed in places with solar insolation that is comparable to that in state of Georgia. This study assesses the feasibility and environmental impact of utility scale photovoltaic (PV) electricity production in Georgia by assessing the economic costs, avoided costs, health benefits, and environmental benefits. The cost of PV used in this study is 3.52 $/kW. The RETScreen model was employed to analyze the impact of incentives on the economic viability of the plants that produce 93 GWh, 371 GWh, and 1,484 GWh, respectively. 57% of the capital cost is required in the form of incentives or subsidies to make the projects economically feasible. The high estimated cost of cleaning the equivalent amount of emissions from a coal-fired power plant is $14.5 million, $58 million, and $232 million for a 50 MW, 200 MW, and 800 MW plant, respectively Avoided costs in health damages are estimated to be $28 million, $112 million, and $449 million and the numbers of jobs to be created are 2,500, 10,000, and 40,000 for 50 MW, 200 MW, and 800 MW plants, respectively. And, the cumulative value of renewable energy credits from a 50 MW, 200 MW, and a 800 MW plant are $59 million, $237 million, and $789 million, respectively.

Exploring the market for third-party-owned residential photovoltaic systems: insights from lease and power-purchase agreement contract structures and costs in California

DOE PAGES

Davidson, Carolyn; Steinberg, Daniel; Margolis, Robert

2015-02-04

We report that over the past several years, third-party-ownership (TPO) structures for residential photovoltaic (PV) systems have become the predominant ownership model in the US residential market. Under a TPO contract, the PV system host typically makes payments to the third-party owner of the system. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the total TPO contract payments made by the customer can differ significantly from payments in which the system host directly purchases the system. Furthermore, payments can vary depending on TPO contract structure. To date, a paucity of data on TPO contracts has precluded studies evaluating trends in TPO contract cost. Thismore » study relies on a sample of 1113 contracts for residential PV systems installed in 2010–2012 under the California Solar Initiative to evaluate how the timing of payments under a TPO contract impacts the ultimate cost of the system to the customer. Furthermore, we evaluate how the total cost of TPO systems to customers has changed through time, and the degree to which contract costs have tracked trends in the installed costs of a PV system. We find that the structure of the contract and the timing of the payments have financial implications for the customer: (1) power-purchase contracts, on average, cost more than leases, (2) no-money-down contracts are more costly than prepaid contracts, assuming a customer's discount rate is lower than 17% and (3) contracts that include escalator clauses cost more, for both power-purchase agreements and leases, at most plausible discount rates. Additionally, all contract costs exhibit a wide range, and do not parallel trends in installed costs over time.« less

Exploring the market for third-party-owned residential photovoltaic systems: insights from lease and power-purchase agreement contract structures and costs in California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, Carolyn; Steinberg, Daniel; Margolis, Robert

2015-02-01

Over the past several years, third-party-ownership (TPO) structures for residential photovoltaic (PV) systems have become the predominant ownership model in the US residential market. Under a TPO contract, the PV system host typically makes payments to the third-party owner of the system. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the total TPO contract payments made by the customer can differ significantly from payments in which the system host directly purchases the system. Furthermore, payments can vary depending on TPO contract structure. To date, a paucity of data on TPO contracts has precluded studies evaluating trends in TPO contract cost. This study relies on a sample of 1113 contracts for residential PV systems installed in 2010-2012 under the California Solar Initiative to evaluate how the timing of payments under a TPO contract impacts the ultimate cost of the system to the customer. Furthermore, we evaluate how the total cost of TPO systems to customers has changed through time, and the degree to which contract costs have tracked trends in the installed costs of a PV system. We find that the structure of the contract and the timing of the payments have financial implications for the customer: (1) power-purchase contracts, on average, cost more than leases, (2) no-money-down contracts are more costly than prepaid contracts, assuming a customer’s discount rate is lower than 17% and (3) contracts that include escalator clauses cost more, for both power-purchase agreements and leases, at most plausible discount rates. In addition, all contract costs exhibit a wide range, and do not parallel trends in installed costs over time.

Exploring the market for third-party-owned residential photovoltaic systems: insights from lease and power-purchase agreement contract structures and costs in California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davidson, Carolyn; Steinberg, Daniel; Margolis, Robert

We report that over the past several years, third-party-ownership (TPO) structures for residential photovoltaic (PV) systems have become the predominant ownership model in the US residential market. Under a TPO contract, the PV system host typically makes payments to the third-party owner of the system. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the total TPO contract payments made by the customer can differ significantly from payments in which the system host directly purchases the system. Furthermore, payments can vary depending on TPO contract structure. To date, a paucity of data on TPO contracts has precluded studies evaluating trends in TPO contract cost. Thismore » study relies on a sample of 1113 contracts for residential PV systems installed in 2010–2012 under the California Solar Initiative to evaluate how the timing of payments under a TPO contract impacts the ultimate cost of the system to the customer. Furthermore, we evaluate how the total cost of TPO systems to customers has changed through time, and the degree to which contract costs have tracked trends in the installed costs of a PV system. We find that the structure of the contract and the timing of the payments have financial implications for the customer: (1) power-purchase contracts, on average, cost more than leases, (2) no-money-down contracts are more costly than prepaid contracts, assuming a customer's discount rate is lower than 17% and (3) contracts that include escalator clauses cost more, for both power-purchase agreements and leases, at most plausible discount rates. Additionally, all contract costs exhibit a wide range, and do not parallel trends in installed costs over time.« less

Extreme Cost Reductions with Multi-Megawatt Centralized Inverter Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwabe, Ulrich; Fishman, Oleg

2015-03-20

The objective of this project was to fully develop, demonstrate, and commercialize a new type of utility scale PV system. Based on patented technology, this includes the development of a truly centralized inverter system with capacities up to 100MW, and a high voltage, distributed harvesting approach. This system promises to greatly impact both the energy yield from large scale PV systems by reducing losses and increasing yield from mismatched arrays, as well as reduce overall system costs through very cost effective conversion and BOS cost reductions enabled by higher voltage operation.

On the Path to SunShot - Emerging Opportunities and Challenges in U.S. Solar Manufacturing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chung, Donald; Horowitz, Kelsey; Kurup, Parthiv

Innovation-driven cost and performance improvements, along with strong projected solar demand in the United States and across the Americas, could increase the attractiveness of U.S.-based solar manufacturing (see Chung et al. 2016). Although improvements to standard PV modules have produced deep cost reductions over the past 5 years, the returns on such incremental improvements appear to be diminishing, and more dramatic innovations in module design and manufacturing are required to continue along the path of rapid progress. At the same time, major opportunities exist for innovation to unlock the potential of CSP technologies. This need for innovation could benefit U.S.more » PV and CSP manufacturers. The United States has been rated one of the world’s most competitive and innovative countries as well as one of the best locations for PV manufacturing. It is a global leader in PV and CSP R&D and patent production, and U.S. PV manufacturers are already pursuing highly differentiated innovations.« less

Limits and Economic Effects of Distributed PV Generation in North and South Carolina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holt, Kyra Moore

The variability of renewable sources, such as wind and solar, when integrated into the electrical system must be compensated by traditional generation sources in-order to maintain the constant balance of supply and demand required for grid stability. The goal of this study is to analyze the effects of increasing large levels of solar Photovoltaic (PV) penetration (in terms of a percentage of annual energy production) on a test grid with similar characteristics to the Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) and Progress Energy Carolinas (PEC) regions of North and South Carolina. PV production is modeled entering the system at the distribution level and regional PV capacity is based on household density. A gridded hourly global horizontal irradiance (GHI) dataset is used to capture the variable nature of PV generation. A unit commitment model (UCM) is then used determine the hourly dispatch of generators based on generator parameters and costs to supply generation to meet demand. Annual modeled results for six different scenarios are evaluated to determine technical, environmental and economic effects of varying levels of distributed PV penetration on the system. This study finds that the main limiting factor for PV integration in the DEC and PEC balancing authority regions is defined by the large generating capacity of base-load nuclear plants within the system. This threshold starts to affect system stability at integration levels of 5.7%. System errors, defined by imbalances caused by over or under generation with respect to demand, are identified in the model however the validity of these errors in real world context needs further examination due to the lack of high frequency irradiance data and modeling limitations. Operational system costs decreased as expected with PV integration although further research is needed to explore the impacts of the capital costs required to achieve the penetration levels found in this study. PV system generation was found to mainly displace coal generation creating a loss of revenue for generator owners. In all scenarios, CO 2 emissions were reduced with PV integration. This reduction could be used to meet impending EPA state-specific CO2 emissions targets.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yelundur, Vijay

Suniva, Inc., in collaboration with the University Center for Excellence in Photovoltaics (UCEP) at the Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT) proposed this comprehensive three year program to enable the development of an advanced high performance product that will help the US regain its competitive edge in PV. This project was designed to overcome cost and efficiency barriers through advances in PV science, technology innovation, low-cost manufacturing and full production of ~22.5% efficient n-type Si cells in Norcross, GA. At the heart of the project is the desire to complement the technology being developed concurrently under the Solarmat and ARPAe initiativesmore » to develop a differentiated product superior in both performance and cost effectiveness to the competing alternatives available on the market, and push towards achieving SunShot objectives while ensuring a sustainable business model based on US manufacturing. A significant reduction of the costs in modules produced today will need to combine reductions in wafer costs, cell processing costs as well as module fabrication costs while delivering a product that is not only more efficient under test conditions but also increases the energy yield in outdoor operations. This project will result in a differentiated high performance product and technology that is consistent with sustaining PV manufacturing in the US for a longer term and further highlights the need for continued support for developing the next generation concepts that can keep US manufacturing thriving to support the growing demand for PV in the US and consistent with the US government’s mandates for energy independence.« less

Multi-position photovoltaic assembly

DOEpatents

Dinwoodie, Thomas L.

2003-03-18

The invention is directed to a PV assembly, for use on a support surface, comprising a base, a PV module, a multi-position module support assembly, securing the module to the base at shipping and inclined-use angles, a deflector, a multi-position deflector support securing the deflector to the base at deflector shipping and deflector inclined-use angles, the module and deflector having opposed edges defining a gap therebetween. The invention permits transport of the PV assemblies in a relatively compact form, thus lowering shipping costs, while facilitating installation of the PV assemblies with the PV module at the proper inclination.

Technologies to Increase PV Hosting Capacity in Distribution Feeders: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ding, Fei; Mather, Barry; Gotseff, Peter

This paper studies the distributed photovoltaic (PV) hosting capacity in distribution feeders by using the stochastic analysis approach. Multiple scenario simulations are conducted to analyze several factors that affect PV hosting capacity, including the existence of voltage regulator, PV location, the power factor of PV inverter and Volt/VAR control. Based on the conclusions obtained from simulation results, three approaches are then proposed to increase distributed PV hosting capacity, which can be formulated as the optimization problem to obtain the optimal solution. All technologies investigated in this paper utilize only existing assets in the feeder and therefore are implementable for amore » low cost. Additionally, the tool developed for these studies is described.« less

Technologies to Increase PV Hosting Capacity in Distribution Feeders

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ding, Fei; Mather, Barry; Gotseff, Peter

This paper studies the distributed photovoltaic (PV) hosting capacity in distribution feeders by using the stochastic analysis approach. Multiple scenario simulations are conducted to analyze several factors that affect PV hosting capacity, including the existence of voltage regulator, PV location, the power factor of PV inverter and Volt/VAR control. Based on the conclusions obtained from simulation results, three approaches are then proposed to increase distributed PV hosting capacity, which can be formulated as the optimization problem to obtain the optimal solution. All technologies investigated in this paper utilize only existing assets in the feeder and therefore are implementable for amore » low cost. Additionally, the tool developed for these studies is described.« less

Interconnecting PV on New York City's Secondary Network Distribution System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, K; Coddington, M; Burman, K

2009-11-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has teamed with cities across the country through the Solar America Cities (SAC) partnership program to help reduce barriers and accelerate implementation of solar energy. The New York City SAC team is a partnership between the City University of New York (CUNY), the New York City Mayor s Office of Long-term Planning and Sustainability, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC).The New York City SAC team is working with DOE s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Con Edison, the local utility, to develop a roadmap for photovoltaic (PV) installations in themore » five boroughs. The city set a goal to increase its installed PV capacity from1.1 MW in 2005 to 8.1 MW by 2015 (the maximum allowed in 2005). A key barrier to reaching this goal, however, is the complexity of the interconnection process with the local utility. Unique challenges are associated with connecting distributed PV systems to secondary network distribution systems (simplified to networks in this report). Although most areas of the country use simpler radial distribution systems to distribute electricity, larger metropolitan areas like New York City typically use networks to increase reliability in large load centers. Unlike the radial distribution system, where each customer receives power through a single line, a network uses a grid of interconnected lines to deliver power to each customer through several parallel circuits and sources. This redundancy improves reliability, but it also requires more complicated coordination and protection schemes that can be disrupted by energy exported from distributed PV systems. Currently, Con Edison studies each potential PV system in New York City to evaluate the system s impact on the network, but this is time consuming for utility engineers and may delay the customer s project or add cost for larger installations. City leaders would like to streamline this process to facilitate faster, simpler, and less expensive distributed PV system interconnections. To assess ways to improve the interconnection process, NREL conducted a four-part study with support from DOE. The NREL team then compiled the final reports from each study into this report. In Section 1PV Deployment Analysis for New York City we analyze the technical potential for rooftop PV systems in the city. This analysis evaluates potential PV power production in ten Con Edison networks of various locations and building densities (ranging from high density apartments to lower density single family homes). Next, we compare the potential power production to network loads to determine where and when PV generation is most likely to exceed network load and disrupt network protection schemes. The results of this analysis may assist Con Edison in evaluating future PV interconnection applications and in planning future network protection system upgrades. This analysis may also assist other utilities interconnecting PV systems to networks by defining a method for assessing the technical potential of PV in the network and its impact on network loads. Section 2. A Briefing for Policy Makers on Connecting PV to a Network Grid presents an overview intended for nontechnical stakeholders. This section describes the issues associated with interconnecting PV systems to networks, along with possible solutions. Section 3. Technical Review of Concerns and Solutions to PV Interconnection in New York City summarizes common concerns of utility engineers and network experts about interconnecting PV systems to secondary networks. This section also contains detailed descriptions of nine solutions, including advantages and disadvantages, potential impacts, and road maps for deployment. Section 4. Utility Application Process Reviewlooks at utility interconnection application processes across the country and identifies administrative best practices for efficient PV interconnection.« less

Cascaded Microinverter PV System for Reduced Cost

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bellus, Daniel R.; Ely, Jeffrey A.

2013-04-29

In this project, a team led by Delphi will develop and demonstrate a novel cascaded photovoltaic (PV) inverter architecture using advanced components. This approach will reduce the cost and improve the performance of medium and large-sized PV systems. The overall project objective is to develop, build, and test a modular 11-level cascaded three-phase inverter building block for photovoltaic applications and to develop and analyze the associated commercialization plan. The system will be designed to utilize photovoltaic panels and will supply power to the electric grid at 208 VAC, 60 Hz 3-phase. With the proposed topology, three inverters, each with anmore » embedded controller, will monitor and control each of the cascade sections, reducing costs associated with extra control boards. This report details the final disposition on this project.« less

Perovskites: transforming photovoltaics, a mini-review

DOE PAGES

Chilvery, Ashwith Kumar; Batra, Ashok K.; Yang, Bin; ...

2015-01-06

The recent power-packed advent of perovskite solar cells is transforming photovoltaics (PV) with their superior efficiencies, ease of fabrication, and cost. This perovskite solar cell further boasts of many unexplored features that can further enhance its PV properties and lead to it being branded as a successful commercial product. This paper provides a detailed insight of the organometal halide based perovskite structure, its unique stoichiometric design, and its underlying principles for PV applications. Finally, the compatibility of various PV layers and its fabrication methods is also discussed.

Economic viability of photovoltaic power for development assistance applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bifano, W. J.

1982-01-01

This paper briefly discusses the development assistance market and examines a number of specific photovoltaic (PV) development assistance field tests, including water pumping/grain grinding (Tangaye, Upper Volta), vaccine refrigerators slated for deployment in 24 countries, rural medical centers to be installed in Ecuador, Guyana, Kenya and Zimbabwe, and remote earth stations to be deployed in the near future. A comparison of levelized energy cost for diesel generators and PV systems covering a range of annual energy consumptions is also included. The analysis does not consider potential societal, environmental or political benefits associated with PV power. PV systems are shown to be competitive with diesel generators, based on life cycle cost considerations, assuming a system price of $20/W(peak), for applications having an annual energy demand of up to 6000 kilowatt-hours per year.

Optimal system sizing in grid-connected photovoltaic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simoens, H. M.; Baert, D. H.; de Mey, G.

A costs/benefits analysis for optimizing the combination of photovoltaic (PV) panels, batteries and an inverter for grid interconnected systems at a 500 W/day Belgian residence is presented. It is assumed that some power purchases from the grid will always be necessary, and that excess PV power can be fed into the grid. A minimal value for the cost divided by the performance is defined for economic optimization. Shortages and excesses are calculated for PV panels of 0.5-10 kWp output, with consideration given to the advantages of a battery back-up. The minimal economic value is found to increase with the magnitude of PV output, and an inverter should never be rated at more than half the array maximum output. A maximum panel size for the Belgian residence is projected to be 6 kWp.

SAVANT: Solar Array Verification and Analysis Tool Demonstrated

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chock, Ricaurte

2000-01-01

The photovoltaics (PV) industry is now being held to strict specifications, such as end-oflife power requirements, that force them to overengineer their products to avoid contractual penalties. Such overengineering has been the only reliable way to meet such specifications. Unfortunately, it also results in a more costly process than is probably necessary. In our conversations with the PV industry, the issue of cost has been raised again and again. Consequently, the Photovoltaics and Space Environment Effects branch at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field has been developing a software tool to address this problem. SAVANT, Glenn's tool for solar array verification and analysis is in the technology demonstration phase. Ongoing work has proven that more efficient and less costly PV designs should be possible by using SAVANT to predict the on-orbit life-cycle performance. The ultimate goal of the SAVANT project is to provide a user-friendly computer tool to predict PV on-orbit life-cycle performance. This should greatly simplify the tasks of scaling and designing the PV power component of any given flight or mission. By being able to predict how a particular PV article will perform, designers will be able to balance mission power requirements (both beginning-of-life and end-of-life) with survivability concerns such as power degradation due to radiation and/or contamination. Recent comparisons with actual flight data from the Photovoltaic Array Space Power Plus Diagnostics (PASP Plus) mission validate this approach.

An Economic Analysis of Residential Photovoltaic Systems with and without Energy Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kizito, Rodney

Residential photovoltaic (PV) systems serve as a source of electricity generation that is separate from the traditional utilities. Investor investment into residential PV systems provides several financial benefits such as federal tax credit incentives for installation, net metering credit from excess generated electricity added back to the grid, and savings in price per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from the PV system generation versus the increasing conventional utility price per kWh. As much benefit as stand-alone PV systems present, the incorporation of energy storage yields even greater benefits. Energy storage (ES) is capable of storing unused PV provided energy from daytime periods of high solar supply but low consumption. This allows the investor to use the stored energy when the cost of conventional utility power is high, while also allowing for excess stored energy to be sold back to the grid. This paper aims to investigate the overall returns for investor's investing in solely PV and ES-based PV systems by using a return of investment (ROI) economic analysis. The analysis is carried out over three scenarios: (1) residence without a PV system or ES, (2) residence with just a PV system, and (3) residence with both a PV system and ES. Due to the variation in solar exposure across the regions of the United States, this paper performs an analysis for eight of the top solar market states separately, accounting for the specific solar generation capabilities of each state. A Microsoft Excel tool is provided for computation of the ROI in scenario 2 and 3. A benefit-cost ration (BCR) is used to depict the annual economic performance of the PV system (scenario 2) and PV + ES system (scenario 3). The tool allows the user to adjust the variables and parameters to satisfy the users' specific investment situation.

Golden Rays - November 2016 | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

develop PV module materials for reliable, low-cost solar electricity. Photo of three individuals behind quantum dots. Photo of a man inside a room with manufacturing equipment NREL Report Shows U.S. Solar PV sustained economic competitiveness of solar PV for the industry across all three sectors. Must Reads

Snapshot of photovoltaics - February 2018

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jäger-Waldau, Arnulf

2018-05-01

Solar photovoltaic electricity generation is the fastest growing power generation source world-wide. The significant cost reduction of solar PV over the last decade, and the zero fuel cost volatility have increased the attractiveness. In 2017, the newly installed solar PV power of over 90 GW was more than all the world-wide cumulative installed PV capacity until the mid of 2012. China was again the main driver behind this strong growth with more than 50 GW of annual installations in 2017. Apart from the electricity sector, renewable energy sources for the generation of heat and environmental friendly synthetic-fuels for the transport sector will become more and more important in the future.

Simulation, measurement, and emulation of photovoltaic modules using high frequency and high power density power electronic circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erkaya, Yunus

The number of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations is growing exponentially, and to improve the energy yield and the efficiency of PV systems, it is necessary to have correct methods for simulation, measurement, and emulation. PV systems can be simulated using PV models for different configurations and technologies of PV modules. Additionally, different environmental conditions of solar irradiance, temperature, and partial shading can be incorporated in the model to accurately simulate PV systems for any given condition. The electrical measurement of PV systems both prior to and after making electrical connections is important for attaining high efficiency and reliability. Measuring PV modules using a current-voltage (I-V) curve tracer allows the installer to know whether the PV modules are 100% operational. The installed modules can be properly matched to maximize performance. Once installed, the whole system needs to be characterized similarly to detect mismatches, partial shading, or installation damage before energizing the system. This will prevent any reliability issues from the onset and ensure the system efficiency will remain high. A capacitive load is implemented in making I-V curve measurements with the goal of minimizing the curve tracer volume and cost. Additionally, the increase of measurement resolution and accuracy is possible via the use of accurate voltage and current measurement methods and accurate PV models to translate the curves to standard testing conditions. A move from mechanical relays to solid-state MOSFETs improved system reliability while significantly reducing device volume and costs. Finally, emulating PV modules is necessary for testing electrical components of a PV system. PV emulation simplifies and standardizes the tests allowing for different irradiance, temperature and partial shading levels to be easily tested. Proper emulation of PV modules requires an accurate and mathematically simple PV model that incorporates all known system variables so that any PV module can be emulated as the design requires. A non-synchronous buck converter is proposed for the emulation of a single, high-power PV module using traditional silicon devices. With the proof-of-concept working and improvements in efficiency, power density and steady-state errors made, dynamic tests were performed using an inverter connected to the PV emulator. In order to improve the dynamic characteristics, a synchronous buck converter topology is proposed along with the use of advanced GaNFET devices which resulted in very high power efficiency and improved dynamic response characteristics when emulating PV modules.

New Best-Practices Guide for Photovoltaic System Operations and Maintenance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fact sheet summarizing technical report TP-7A40-67553. As solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have continued their transition from niche applications into large, mature markets in the United States, their potential as financial investments has risen accordingly. Mainstream investors, however, need to feel confident about the risk and return of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems before committing funds. A major influence on risk and return for PV is operations and maintenance (O&M) - but O&M practices and costs vary widely across the United States, making these variables difficult for investors to predict. To address this barrier to continued PV investment, the PV O&M Workingmore » Group has developed a new best-practices guide for PV O&M.« less

Distribution System Upgrade Unit Cost Database

DOE Data Explorer

Horowitz, Kelsey

2017-11-30

This database contains unit cost information for different components that may be used to integrate distributed photovotaic (D-PV) systems onto distribution systems. Some of these upgrades and costs may also apply to integration of other distributed energy resources (DER). Which components are required, and how many of each, is system-specific and should be determined by analyzing the effects of distributed PV at a given penetration level on the circuit of interest in combination with engineering assessments on the efficacy of different solutions to increase the ability of the circuit to host additional PV as desired. The current state of the distribution system should always be considered in these types of analysis. The data in this database was collected from a variety of utilities, PV developers, technology vendors, and published research reports. Where possible, we have included information on the source of each data point and relevant notes. In some cases where data provided is sensitive or proprietary, we were not able to specify the source, but provide other information that may be useful to the user (e.g. year, location where equipment was installed). NREL has carefully reviewed these sources prior to inclusion in this database. Additional information about the database, data sources, and assumptions is included in the "Unit_cost_database_guide.doc" file included in this submission. This guide provides important information on what costs are included in each entry. Please refer to this guide before using the unit cost database for any purpose.

Feasibility Study of Solar Photovoltaics on Landfills in Puerto Rico (Second Study)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salasovich, J.; Mosey, G.

2011-08-01

This report presents the results of an assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of deploying a solar photovoltaics (PV) system on landfill sites in Puerto Rico. The purpose of this report is to assess the landfills with the highest potential for possible solar PV installation and estimate cost, performance, and site impacts of three different PV options: crystalline silicon (fixed tilt), crystalline silicon (single-axis tracking), and thin film (fixed tilt). The report outlines financing options that could assist in the implementation of a system. According to the site production calculations, the most cost-effective system in terms of return onmore » investment is the thin-film fixed-tilt technology. The report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of such a system. The landfills and sites considered in this report were all determined feasible areas in which to implement solar PV systems.« less

Maximum Power Point tracking charge controllers for telecom applications -- Analysis and economics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wills, R.H.

Simple charge controllers connect photovoltaic modules directly to the battery bank resulting in a significant power loss if the battery bank voltage differs greatly from the PV Maximum Power Point (MPP) voltage. Recent modeling work at AES has shown that dc-dc converter type MPP tracking charge controllers can deliver more than 30% more energy from PV modules to the battery when the PV modules are cool and the battery state of charge is low--this is typically both the worst case condition (i.e., winter) and also the design condition that determines the PV array size. Economic modeling, based on typical telecommore » system installed costs shows benefits of more than $3/Wp for MPPT over conventional charge controllers in this application--a value that greatly exceeds the additional cost of the dc-dc converter.« less

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Refuse Hideaway Landfill in Middleton, Wisconsin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salasovich, J.; Mosey, G.

2011-08-01

This report presents the results of an assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of deploying a photovoltaics (PV) system on a brownfield site at the Refuse Hideaway Landfill in Middleton, Wisconsin. The site currently has a PV system in place and was assessed for further PV installations. The cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options were estimated. The economics of the potential systems were analyzed using an electric rate of $0.1333/kWh and incentives offered by the State of Wisconsin and by the serving utility, Madison Gas and Electric. According to the site production calculations, the most cost-effectivemore » system in terms of return on investment is the thin-film fixed-tilt technology. The report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of such a system.« less

Wavelength-Selective Photovoltaics for Power-generating Greenhouses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, Sue; Loik, Michael; Shugar, David; Corrado, Carley; Wade, Catherine; Alers, Glenn

2014-03-01

While photovoltaic (PV) technologies are being developed that have the potential for meeting the cost target of 0.50/W per module, the cost of installation combined with the competition over land resources could curtail the wide scale deployment needed to generate the Terrawatts per year required to meet the world's electricity demands. To be cost effective, such large scale power generation will almost certainly require PV solar farms to be installed in agricultural and desert areas, thereby competing with food production, crops for biofuels, or the biodiversity of desert ecosystems. This requirement has put the PV community at odds with both the environmental and agricultural groups they would hope to support through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. A possible solution to this challenge is the use of wavelength-selective solar collectors, based on luminescent solar concentrators, that transmit wavelengths needed for plant growth while absorbing the remaining portions of the solar spectrum and converting it to power. Costs are reduced through simultaneous use of land for both food and power production, by replacing the PV cells by inexpensive long-lived luminescent materials as the solar absorber, and by integrating the panels directly into existing greenhouse or cold frames. Results on power generation and crop yields for year-long trials done at academic and commercial greenhouse growers in California will be presented.

A New Approach to Design of an optimized Grid Tied Smart Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farhad, M. Mehedi; Ali, M. Mohammad; Iqbal, M. Asif; Islam, N. Nahar; Ashraf, N.

2012-11-01

Energy is the key element for the economical development of a country. With the increasing concern about the global demand for Renewable Energy (RE) energy, it is very much important to reduce the cost of the whole solar photovoltaic (PV) system. Still now most of the solar photovoltaic (PV) system is highly expensive. In this paper we have shown that grid tied solar system can be developed by omitting the energy storage device like large capacity battery bank. It will not only reduce the internallosses for charging and discharging of battery bank but also at the same time a large amount of cost of the battery will be reduced. So, the system maintenance cost will be reduced also. We have proposed a new approach to design a photovoltaic (PV) solar power system which can be operated by feeding the solar power to the national grid along with the residential load. Again if there is an extra power demand for residential load along with the solar power then this system can also provide an opportunity to consume the power from the national grid. The total system is controlled with the help of some the sensors and a microcontroller. As a whole a significant reduction in the system costs and efficient system performance can be realized.

Photovoltaic Reliability Group activities in USA and Brazil (Presentation Recording)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhere, Neelkanth G.; Cruz, Leila R. O.

2015-09-01

Recently prices of photovoltaic (PV) systems have been reduced considerably and may continue to be reduced making them attractive. If these systems provide electricity over the stipulated warranty period, it would be possible attain socket parity within the next few years. Current photovoltaic module qualifications tests help in minimizing infant mortality but do not guarantee useful lifetime over the warranty period. The PV Module Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) is trying to formulate accelerated tests that will be useful towards achieving the ultimate goal of assuring useful lifetime over the warranty period as well as to assure manufacturing quality. Unfortunately, assuring the manufacturing quality may require 24/7 presence. Alternatively, collecting data on the performance of fielded systems would assist in assuring manufacturing quality. Here PV systems installed by home-owners and small businesses can constitute as an important untapped source of data. The volunteer group, PV - Reliable, Safe and Sustainable Quality! (PVRessQ!) is providing valuable service to small PV system owners. Photovoltaic Reliability Group (PVRG) is initiating activities in USA and Brazil to assist home owners and small businesses in monitoring photovoltaic (PV) module performance and enforcing warranty. It will work in collaboration with small PV system owners, consumer protection agencies. Brazil is endowed with excellent solar irradiance making it attractive for installation of PV systems. Participating owners of small PV systems would instruct inverter manufacturers to copy the daily e-mails to PVRG and as necessary, will authorize the PVRG to carry out review of PV systems. The presentation will consist of overall activities of PVRG in USA and Brazil.

Silicon nanowires for photovoltaic solar energy conversion.

PubMed

Peng, Kui-Qing; Lee, Shuit-Tong

2011-01-11

Semiconductor nanowires are attracting intense interest as a promising material for solar energy conversion for the new-generation photovoltaic (PV) technology. In particular, silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are under active investigation for PV applications because they offer novel approaches for solar-to-electric energy conversion leading to high-efficiency devices via simple manufacturing. This article reviews the recent developments in the utilization of SiNWs for PV applications, the relationship between SiNW-based PV device structure and performance, and the challenges to obtaining high-performance cost-effective solar cells.

The application of the Luus-Jaakola direct search method to the optimization of a hybrid renewable energy system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jatzeck, Bernhard Michael

2000-10-01

The application of the Luus-Jaakola direct search method to the optimization of stand-alone hybrid energy systems consisting of wind turbine generators (WTG's), photovoltaic (PV) modules, batteries, and an auxiliary generator was examined. The loads for these systems were for agricultural applications, with the optimization conducted on the basis of minimum capital, operating, and maintenance costs. Five systems were considered: two near Edmonton, Alberta, and one each near Lethbridge, Alberta, Victoria, British Columbia, and Delta, British Columbia. The optimization algorithm used hourly data for the load demand, WTG output power/area, and PV module output power. These hourly data were in two sets: seasonal (summer and winter values separated) and total (summer and winter values combined). The costs for the WTG's, PV modules, batteries, and auxiliary generator fuel were full market values. To examine the effects of price discounts or tax incentives, these values were lowered to 25% of the full costs for the energy sources and two-thirds of the full cost for agricultural fuel. Annual costs for a renewable energy system depended upon the load, location, component costs, and which data set (seasonal or total) was used. For one Edmonton load, the cost for a renewable energy system consisting of 27.01 m2 of WTG area, 14 PV modules, and 18 batteries (full price, total data set) was 6873/year. For Lethbridge, a system with 22.85 m2 of WTG area, 47 PV modules, and 5 batteries (reduced prices, seasonal data set) cost 2913/year. The performance of renewable energy systems based on the obtained results was tested in a simulation using load and weather data for selected days. Test results for one Edmonton load showed that the simulations for most of the systems examined ran for at least 17 hours per day before failing due to either an excessive load on the auxiliary generator or a battery constraint being violated. Additional testing indicated that increasing the generator capacity and reducing the maximum allowed battery charge current during the time of the day at which these failures occurred allowed the simulation to successfully operate.

On the Path to SunShot - Emerging Issues and Challenges with Integrating High Levels of Solar into the Distribution System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palminitier, Bryan; Broderick, Robert; Mather, Barry

2016-05-01

Wide use of advanced inverters could double the electricity-distribution system’s hosting capacity for distributed PV at low costs—from about 170 GW to 350 GW (see Palmintier et al. 2016). At the distribution system level, increased variable generation due to high penetrations of distributed PV (typically rooftop and smaller ground-mounted systems) could challenge the management of distribution voltage, potentially increase wear and tear on electromechanical utility equipment, and complicate the configuration of circuit-breakers and other protection systems—all of which could increase costs, limit further PV deployment, or both. However, improved analysis of distribution system hosting capacity—the amount of distributed PV thatmore » can be interconnected without changing the existing infrastructure or prematurely wearing out equipment—has overturned previous rule-of-thumb assumptions such as the idea that distributed PV penetrations higher than 15% require detailed impact studies. For example, new analysis suggests that the hosting capacity for distributed PV could rise from approximately 170 GW using traditional inverters to about 350 GW with the use of advanced inverters for voltage management, and it could be even higher using accessible and low-cost strategies such as careful siting of PV systems within a distribution feeder and additional minor changes in distribution operations. Also critical to facilitating distributed PV deployment is the improvement of interconnection processes, associated standards and codes, and compensation mechanisms so they embrace PV’s contributions to system-wide operations. Ultimately SunShot-level PV deployment will require unprecedented coordination of the historically separate distribution and transmission systems along with incorporation of energy storage and “virtual storage,” which exploits improved management of electric vehicle charging, building energy systems, and other large loads. Additional analysis and innovation are neede« less

Cost Estimates Of Concentrated Photovoltaic Heat Sink Production

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

steady year-round sunshine and in many cases high levels of direct normal irradiance (DNI). Beyond traditional PV , some climates favor rooftop solar ...water heating, but the majority of installed solar systems, are PV (EIA, 2015). Solar power generation has great benefits for the DON considering the...systems concentrate and focus sunlight onto a smaller focal point in order to take advantage of the highly efficient solar cells. Generally, PV

Design and construction evaluation of a photovoltaic DC LED lighting system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhamidipati, Jyotsna

2008-08-01

The market demand for commercialization of Photovoltaic (PV) systems depends a lot on the reliability, efficiency and performance of various components within the system. PV panels produce DC power when exposed to sunlight, and an inverter converts this to AC power in a typical solar powered building. Though, PV lighting has existed for a long time it hasn't been very effective, as incandescent light sources were commonly used which are inefficient. Today fluorescent fixtures are mostly used with PV's due to its high efficacy. Light-emitting diodes present a new vision to energy efficiency in lighting design with their low energy consumption. Current research predicts improved efficiencies of LED light fixtures and their commercial use is a few years away. LEDs which operate on DC voltages when coupled with photovoltaics can be a simple PV lighting application and a sustainable solution with potential for payback. This research evaluates the design and construction of a photovoltaic DC LED lighting system for a solar house at Pennsylvania State University. A detailed cost and payback analysis of a PV DC LED lighting system is presented in this research. PV output simulations for the solar house are presented. Results presented in this research indicate that the Solid state lighting market is evolving rapidly and that LED's are a choice in stand-alone photovoltaic DC lighting systems. The efficiency and the cost-effectiveness of such systems would however improve in the coming years with research and development now focused on PV systems and on Solid state lighting technologies.

Sizing procedures for sun-tracking PV system with batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nezih Gerek, Ömer; Başaran Filik, Ümmühan; Filik, Tansu

2017-11-01

Deciding optimum number of PV panels, wind turbines and batteries (i.e. a complete renewable energy system) for minimum cost and complete energy balance is a challenging and interesting problem. In the literature, some rough data models or limited recorded data together with low resolution hourly averaged meteorological values are used to test the sizing strategies. In this study, active sun tracking and fixed PV solar power generation values of ready-to-serve commercial products are recorded throughout 2015-2016. Simultaneously several outdoor parameters (solar radiation, temperature, humidity, wind speed/direction, pressure) are recorded with high resolution. The hourly energy consumption values of a standard 4-person household, which is constructed in our campus in Eskisehir, Turkey, are also recorded for the same period. During sizing, novel parametric random process models for wind speed, temperature, solar radiation, energy demand and electricity generation curves are achieved and it is observed that these models provide sizing results with lower LLP through Monte Carlo experiments that consider average and minimum performance cases. Furthermore, another novel cost optimization strategy is adopted to show that solar tracking PV panels provide lower costs by enabling reduced number of installed batteries. Results are verified over real recorded data.

Earth abundant thin film technology for next generation photovoltaic modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alapatt, Githin Francis

With a cumulative generation capacity of over 100 GW, Photovoltaics (PV) technology is uniquely poised to become increasingly popular in the coming decades. Although, several breakthroughs have propelled PV technology, it accounts for only less than 1% of the energy produced worldwide. This aspect of the PV technology is primarily due to the somewhat high cost per watt, which is dependent on the efficiency of the PV cells as well as the cost of manufacturing and installing them. Currently, the efficiency of the PV conversion process is limited to about 25% for commercial terrestrial cells; improving this efficiency can increase the penetration of PV worldwide rapidly. A critical review of all possibilities pursued in the public domain reveals serious shortcomings and manufacturing issues. To make PV generated power a reality in every home, a Multi-Junction Multi-Terminal (MJMT) PV architecture can be employed combining silicon and another earth abundant material. However, forming electronic grade thin films of earth abundant materials is a non-trivial challenge; without solving this, it is impossible to increase the overall PV efficiency. Deposition of Copper (I) Oxide, an earth abundant semiconducting material, was conducted using an optimized Photo assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition process. X-Ray Diffraction, Ellipsometry, Transmission Electron Microscopy, and Profilometry revealed that the films composed of Cu2O of about 90 nm thickness and the grain size was as large as 600 nm. This result shows an improvement in material properties over previously grown thin films of Cu2O. Measurement of I-V characteristics of a diode structure composed of the Cu2O indicates an increase in On/Off ratio to 17,000 from the previous best value of 800. These results suggest that the electronic quality of the thin films deposited using our optimized process to be better than the results reported elsewhere. Using this optimized thin film forming technique, it is now possible to create a complete MJMT structure to improve the terrestrial commercial PV efficiency.

The Italian programme in photovoltaic solar energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farinelli, U.

Italian programs and goals for developing a photovoltaic (PV) industry and market are outlined. It is suggested that only a few megawatts of PVs will be produced for domestic consumption in the next few years, while the largest market is for developing nations where costly diesel-fueled generators are used. The installation of PV systems in developing areas will permit testing and scaling up of production capacities from several MW to several hundred MW and then to GW annual production. Approximately 55,000,000 was devoted to government research in PV in 1982 and a PV research laboratory is being built near Naples.

Status of multijunction solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeh, Y. C. M.; Chu, C. L.

1996-01-01

This paper describes Applied Solar's present activity on Multijunction (MJ) space cells. We have worked on a variety of MJ cells, both monolithic and mechanically stacked. In recent years, most effort has been directed to GaInP2/GaAs monolithic cells, grown on Ge substrates, and the status of this cell design will be reviewed here. MJ cells are in demand to provide satellite power because of the acceptance of the overwhelming importance of high efficiency to reduce the area, weight and cost of space PV power systems. The need for high efficiencies has already accelerated the production of GaAs/Ge cells, with efficiencies 18.5-19%. When users realized that MJ cells could provide higher efficiencies (from 22% to 26%) with only fractional increase in costs, the demand for production MJ cells increased rapidly. The main purpose of the work described is to transfer the MOCVD growth technology of MJ high efficiency cells to a production environment, providing all the space requirements of users.

Serum of patients with oral pemphigus vulgaris impairs keratinocyte wound repair in vitro: a time-lapse study on the efficacy of methylprednisolone and pyridostigmine bromide.

PubMed

Lanza, A; Stellavato, A; Heulfe, I; Landi, C; Gombos, F; Cirillo, N

2009-10-01

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune blistering disease affecting primarily oral mucosa and skin. Among the drugs used for the therapy of pemphigus, both methylprednisolone (MP) and pyridostigmine bromide (PBr) can prevent acantholysis in vitro. However, their putative therapeutic properties in regenerating PV-like lesions and promoting the healing process still remain to be demonstrated. To address this issue, here we have developed a model for studying the process of epithelial cleft regeneration in PV by artificially wounding keratinocyte monolayers. The experimental model was established by scratching confluent monolayers to simulate the epithelial cleft; then, wound regeneration in the presence of submaximal concentrations of PV sera was studied by time-lapse microscopy, with or without the addition of MP and PBr in the culture medium. Pemphigus vulgaris serum inhibited epithelial cleft repair of wounded monolayers. Indeed, in the presence of 10% (v/v) PV serum, keratinocytes reached only 2% confluence within 72 h vs an almost complete healing of controls. When administered together with PV sera, MP significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced wound fill by 30% after 72 h. PV-associated wound repair was significantly (P < 0.05) ameliorated by PBr by 24 h and keratinocytes reached 20% confluence after 72 h. Interestingly, neither MP nor PBr could accelerate wound healing when compared with untreated control monolayers. In PV, MP and PBr exert their curative effects in part by enhancing the regeneration properties of keratinocytes. Indeed, our data suggest that both drugs can specifically counterbalance the detrimental effects of PV serum on keratinocyte wound healing. These findings provide an explanation for the efficacy of MP and PBr in the treatment of PV lesions in human skin and oral mucosa.

Technical Qualifications for Treating Photovoltaic Assets as Real Property by Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feldman, D.; Mendelsohn, M.; Coughlin, J.

2012-06-01

It has been proposed that Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) have the potential to lower the cost and increase the adoption of photovoltaic systems (PV) by offering a more attractive source of capital. The purpose of this paper is to explain the fundamental physical characteristics of PV and compare them to the characteristics of 'real' property, to help determine whether REITs can own PV systems.

REopt Improves the Operations of Alcatraz's Solar PV-Battery-Diesel Hybrid System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olis, Daniel R; Walker, H. A; Van Geet, Otto D

This poster identifies operations improvement strategies for a photovoltaic (PV)-battery-diesel hybrid system at the National Park Service's Alcatraz Island using NREL's REopt analysis tool. The current 'cycle charging' strategy results in significant curtailing of energy production from the PV array, requiring excessive diesel use, while also incurring high wear on batteries without benefit of improved efficiency. A simple 'load following' strategy results in near optimal operating cost reduction.

Data Transparency | Distributed Generation Interconnection Collaborative |

Science.gov Websites

quality and availability are increasingly vital for reducing the costs of distributed generation completion in certain areas, increasing accountability for utility application processing. As distributed PV NREL, HECO, TSRG Improving Data Transparency for the Distributed PV Interconnection Process: Emergent

On the Path to SunShot - Emerging Issues and Challenges in Integrating High Levels of Solar into the Electrical Generation and Transmission System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denholm, Paul; Clark, Kara; O'Connell, Matt

Increasing the use of grid-flexibility options (improved grid management, demand response, and energy storage) could enable 25% or higher penetration of PV at low costs (see Denholm et al. 2016). Considering the large-scale integration of solar into electric-power systems complicates the calculation of the value of solar. In fact a comprehensive examination reveals that the value of solar technologies—or any other power-system technology or operating strategy—can only be understood in the context of the generation system as a whole. This is well illustrated by analysis of curtailment at high PV penetrations within the bulk power and transmission systems. As themore » deployment of PV increases, it is possible that during some sunny midday periods due to limited flexibility of conventional generators, system operators would need to reduce (curtail) PV output in order to maintain the crucial balance between electric supply and demand. As a result, PV’s value and cost competitiveness would degrade. For example, for utility-scale PV with a baseline SunShot LCOE of 6¢/kWh, increasing the annual energy demand met by solar energy from 10% to 20% would increase the marginal LCOE of PV from 6¢/kWh to almost 11¢/kWh in a California grid system with limited flexibility. However, this loss of value could be stemmed by increasing system flexibility via enhanced control of variable-generation resources, added energy storage, and the ability to motivate more electricity consumers to shift consumption to lower-demand periods. The combination of these measures would minimize solar curtailment and keep PV cost-competitive at penetrations at least as high as 25%. Efficient deployment of the grid-flexibility options needed to maintain solar’s value will require various innovations, from the development of communication, control, and energy storage technologies to the implementation of new market rules and operating procedures.« less

A Two-Stage Stochastic Mixed-Integer Programming Approach to the Smart House Scheduling Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozoe, Shunsuke; Tanaka, Yoichi; Fukushima, Masao

A “Smart House” is a highly energy-optimized house equipped with photovoltaic systems (PV systems), electric battery systems, fuel cell cogeneration systems (FC systems), electric vehicles (EVs) and so on. Smart houses are attracting much attention recently thanks to their enhanced ability to save energy by making full use of renewable energy and by achieving power grid stability despite an increased power draw for installed PV systems. Yet running a smart house's power system, with its multiple power sources and power storages, is no simple task. In this paper, we consider the problem of power scheduling for a smart house with a PV system, an FC system and an EV. We formulate the problem as a mixed integer programming problem, and then extend it to a stochastic programming problem involving recourse costs to cope with uncertain electricity demand, heat demand and PV power generation. Using our method, we seek to achieve the optimal power schedule running at the minimum expected operation cost. We present some results of numerical experiments with data on real-life demands and PV power generation to show the effectiveness of our method.

PV Reliability -- Where We've Been and Where We're Going

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurtz, Sarah

2017-04-27

The photovoltaic (PV) industry has demonstrated impressive progress toward deploying hardware with excellent quality. As module prices drop and designs are squeezed to reduce cost of materials and processing, how will this affect the failures that are seen in the field?

U.S. Photovoltaic Prices and Cost Breakdowns. Q1 2015 Benchmarks for Residential, Commercial, and Utility-Scale Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chung, Donald; Davidson, Carolyn; Fu, Ran

The price of photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United States (i.e., the cost to the system owner) has continued to decline across all major market sectors. This report provides a Q1 2015 update regarding the prices of residential, commercial, and utility scale PV systems, based on an objective methodology that closely approximates the book value of a PV system. Several cases are benchmarked to represent common variations in business models, labor rates, and system architecture choice. We estimate a weighted-average cash purchase price of $3.09/W for residential scale rooftop systems, $2.15/W for commercial scale rooftop systems, $1.77/W for utility scalemore » systems with fixed mounting structures, and $1.91/W for utility scale systems using single-axis trackers. All systems are modeled assuming standard-efficiency, polycrystalline-silicon PV modules, and further assume installation within the United States.« less

Optimization of the silicon subcell for III-V on silicon multijunction solar cells: Key differences with conventional silicon technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Tabarés, Elisa; Martín, Diego; García, Iván; Lelièvre, Jean François; Rey-Stolle, Ignacio

2012-10-01

Dual-junction solar cells formed by a GaAsP or GaInP top cell and a silicon (Si) bottom cell seem to be attractive candidates to materialize the long sought-for integration of III-V materials on Si for photovoltaic (PV) applications. Such integration would offer a cost breakthrough for PV technology, unifying the low cost of Si and the efficiency potential of III-V multijunction solar cells. The optimization of the Si solar cells properties in flat-plate PV technology is well-known; nevertheless, it has been proven that the behavior of Si substrates is different when processed in an MOVPE reactor In this study, we analyze several factors influencing the bottom subcell performance, namely, 1) the emitter formation as a result of phosphorus diffusion; 2) the passivation quality provided by the GaP nucleation layer; and 3) the process impact on the bottom subcell PV properties.

Assessment of the biophysical impacts of utility-scale photovoltaics through observations and modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broadbent, A. M.; Georgescu, M.; Krayenhoff, E. S.; Sailor, D.

2017-12-01

Utility-scale solar power plants are a rapidly growing component of the solar energy sector. Utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) solar power generation in the United States has increased by 867% since 2012 (EIA, 2016). This expansion is likely to continue as the cost PV technologies decrease. While most agree that solar power can decrease greenhouse gas emissions, the biophysical effects of PV systems on surface energy balance (SEB), and implications for surface climate, are not well understood. To our knowledge, there has never been a detailed observational study of SEB at a utility-scale solar array. This study presents data from an eddy covariance observational tower, temporarily placed above a utility-scale PV array in Southern Arizona. Comparison of PV SEB with a reference (unmodified) site, shows that solar panels can alter the SEB and near surface climate. SEB observations are used to develop and validate a new and more complete SEB PV model. In addition, the PV model is compared to simpler PV modelling methods. The simpler PV models produce differing results to our newly developed model and cannot capture the more complex processes that influence PV SEB. Finally, hypothetical scenarios of PV expansion across the continental United States (CONUS) were developed using various spatial mapping criteria. CONUS simulations of PV expansion reveal regional variability in biophysical effects of PV expansion. The study presents the first rigorous and validated simulations of the biophysical effects of utility-scale PV arrays.

Evaluating the causes of photovoltaics cost reduction: Why is PV different?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trancik, Jessika; McNerney, James; Kavlak, Goksin

The goals of this project were to quantify sources of cost reduction in photovoltaics (PV), improve theories of technological evolution, develop new analytical methods, and formu- late guidelines for continued cost reduction in photovoltaics. A number of explanations have been suggested for why photovoltaics have come down in cost rapidly over time, including increased production rates, significant R&D expenditures, heavy patenting ac- tivity, decreasing material and input costs, scale economies, reduced plant construction costs, and higher conversion efficiencies. We classified these proposed causes into low- level factors and high-level drivers. Low-level factors include technical characteristics, such as module efficiency ormore » wafer area, which are easily posed in terms of variables of a cost equation. High-level factors include scale economies, research and development (R&D), and learning-by-doing.« less

Countermeasure for Surplus Electricity of PV using Replacement Battery of EVs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takagi, Masaaki; Iwafune, Yumiko; Yamamoto, Hiromi; Yamaji, Kenji; Okano, Kunihiko; Hiwatari, Ryouji; Ikeya, Tomohiko

In the power sector, the national government has set the goal that the introduction of PV reaches 53 million kW by 2030. However, large-scale introduction of PV will cause several problems in power systems such as surplus electricity. We need large capacity of pumped storages or batteries for the surplus electricity, but the construction costs of these plants are very high. On the other hand, in the transport sector, Electric Vehicle (EV) is being developed as an environmentally friendly vehicle. To promote the diffusion of EV, it is necessary to build infrastructures that can charge EV in a short time; a battery switch station is one of the solutions to this problem. At a station, the automated switch platform will replace the depleted battery with a fully-charged battery. The depleted battery is placed in a storage room and recharged to be available to other drivers. In this study, we propose the use of station's battery as a countermeasure for surplus electricity of PV and evaluate the economic value of the proposed system. We assumed that 53 million kW of PV is introduced in the nationwide power system and considered two countermeasures for surplus electricity: (1) Pumped storage; (2) Battery of station. The difference in total annual cost between Pumped case and Battery case results in 792.6 billion yen. Hence, if a utility leases the batteries from stations fewer than 792.6 billion yen, the utility will have the cost advantage in Battery case.

Grid-Tied Photovoltaic Power System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eichenberg, Dennis J.

2011-01-01

A grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) power system is connected directly to the utility distribution grid. Facility power can be obtained from the utility system as normal. The PV system is synchronized with the utility system to provide power for the facility, and excess power is provided to the utility. Operating costs of a PV power system are low compared to conventional power technologies. This method can displace the highest-cost electricity during times of peak demand in most climatic regions, and thus reduce grid loading. Net metering is often used, in which independent power producers such as PV power systems are connected to the utility grid via the customers main service panels and meters. When the PV power system is generating more power than required at that location, the excess power is provided to the utility grid. The customer pays the net of the power purchased when the on-site power demand is greater than the onsite power production, and the excess power is returned to the utility grid. Power generated by the PV system reduces utility demand, and the surplus power aids the community. Modern PV panels are readily available, reliable, efficient, and economical, with a life expectancy of at least 25 years. Modern electronics have been the enabling technology behind grid-tied power systems, making them safe, reliable, efficient, and economical with a life expectancy equal to the modern PV panels. The grid-tied PV power system was successfully designed and developed, and this served to validate the basic principles developed, and the theoretical work that was performed. Grid-tied PV power systems are reliable, maintenance- free, long-life power systems, and are of significant value to NASA and the community. Of particular value are the analytical tools and capabilities that have been successfully developed. Performance predictions can be made confidently for grid-tied PV systems of various scales. The work was done under the NASA Hybrid Power Management (HPM) Program, which is the integration of diverse power devices in an optimal configuration for space and terrestrial applications.

Interconnection Assessment Methodology and Cost Benefit Analysis for High-Penetration PV Deployment in the Arizona Public Service System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baggu, Murali; Giraldez, Julieta; Harris, Tom

In an effort to better understand the impacts of high penetrations of photovoltaic (PV) generators on distribution systems, Arizona Public Service and its partners completed a multi-year project to develop the tools and knowledge base needed to safely and reliably integrate high penetrations of utility- and residential-scale PV. Building upon the APS Community Power Project-Flagstaff Pilot, this project investigates the impact of PV on a representative feeder in northeast Flagstaff. To quantify and catalog the effects of the estimated 1.3 MW of PV that will be installed on the feeder (both smaller units at homes and large, centrally located systems),more » high-speed weather and electrical data acquisition systems and digital 'smart' meters were designed and installed to facilitate monitoring and to build and validate comprehensive, high-resolution models of the distribution system. These models are being developed to analyze the impacts of PV on distribution circuit protection systems (including coordination and anti-islanding), predict voltage regulation and phase balance issues, and develop volt/VAr control schemes. This paper continues from a paper presented at the 2014 IEEE PVSC conference that described feeder model evaluation and high penetration advanced scenario analysis, specifically feeder reconfiguration. This paper presents results from Phase 5 of the project. Specifically, the paper discusses tool automation; interconnection assessment methodology and cost benefit analysis.« less

Challenges to Scaling CIGS Photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanbery, B. J.

2011-03-01

The challenges of scaling any photovoltaic technology to terawatts of global capacity are arguably more economic than technological or resource constraints. All commercial thin-film PV technologies are based on direct bandgap semiconductors whose absorption coefficient and bandgap alignment with the solar spectrum enable micron-thick coatings in lieu to hundreds of microns required using indirect-bandgap c-Si. Although thin-film PV reduces semiconductor materials cost, its manufacture is more capital intensive than c-Si production, and proportional to deposition rate. Only when combined with sufficient efficiency and cost of capital does this tradeoff yield lower manufacturing cost. CIGS has the potential to become the first thin film technology to achieve the terawatt benchmark because of its superior conversion efficiency, making it the only commercial thin film technology which demonstrably delivers performance comparable to the dominant incumbent, c-Si. Since module performance leverages total systems cost, this competitive advantage bears directly on CIGS' potential to displace c-Si and attract the requisite capital to finance the tens of gigawatts of annual production capacity needed to manufacture terawatts of PV modules apace with global demand growth.

Low-cost modular array-field designs for flat-panel and concentrator photovoltaic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Post, H. N.; Carmichael, D. C.; Alexander, G.; Castle, J. A.

1982-09-01

Described are the design and development of low-cost, modular array fields for flat-panel and concentrator photovoltaic (PV) systems. The objective of the work was to reduce substantially the cost of the array-field Balance-of-System (BOS) subsystems and site-specific design costs as compared to previous PV installations. These subsystems include site preparation, foundations, support structures, electrical writing, grounding, lightning protection, electromagnetic interference considerations, and controls. To reduce these BOS and design costs, standardized modular (building-block) designs for flat-panel and concentrator array fields have been developed that are fully integrated and optimized for lowest life-cycle costs. Using drawings and specifications now available, these building-block designs can be used in multiples to install various size array fields. The developed designs are immediately applicable (1982) and reduce the array-field BOS costs to a fraction of previous costs.

Concentrated photovoltaics system costs and learning curve analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haysom, Joan E.; Jafarieh, Omid; Anis, Hanan; Hinzer, Karin

2013-09-01

An extensive set of costs in /W for the installed costs of CPV systems has been amassed from a range of public sources, including both individual company prices and market reports. Cost reductions over time are very evident, with current prices for 2012 in the range of 3.0 ± 0.7 /W and a predicted cost of 1.5 /W for 2020. Cost data is combined with deployment volumes in a learning curve analysis, providing a fitted learning rate of either 18.5% or 22.3% depending on the methodology. This learning rate is compared to that of PV modules and PV installed systems, and the influence of soft costs is discussed. Finally, if an annual growth rate of 39% is assumed for deployed volumes, then, using the learning rate of 20%, this would predict the achievement of a cost point of 1.5 /W by 2016.

U.S. Residential Photovoltaic (PV) System Prices, Q4 2013 Benchmarks: Cash Purchase, Fair Market Value, and Prepaid Lease Transaction Prices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davidson, C.; James, T. L.; Margolis, R.

The price of photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United States (i.e., the cost to the system owner) has dropped precipitously in recent years, led by substantial reductions in global PV module prices. This report provides a Q4 2013 update for residential PV systems, based on an objective methodology that closely approximates the book value of a PV system. Several cases are benchmarked to represent common variation in business models, labor rates, and module choice. We estimate a weighted-average cash purchase price of $3.29/W for modeled standard-efficiency, polycrystalline-silicon residential PV systems installed in the United States. This is a 46% declinemore » from the 2013-dollar-adjusted price reported in the Q4 2010 benchmark report. In addition, this report frames the cash purchase price in the context of key price metrics relevant to the continually evolving landscape of third-party-owned PV systems by benchmarking the minimum sustainable lease price and the fair market value of residential PV systems.« less

Active power control of solar PV generation for large interconnection frequency regulation and oscillation damping

DOE PAGES

Liu, Yong; Zhu, Lin; Zhan, Lingwei; ...

2015-06-23

Because of zero greenhouse gas emission and decreased manufacture cost, solar photovoltaic (PV) generation is expected to account for a significant portion of future power grid generation portfolio. Because it is indirectly connected to the power grid via power electronic devices, solar PV generation system is fully decoupled from the power grid, which will influence the interconnected power grid dynamic characteristics as a result. In this study, the impact of solar PV penetration on large interconnected power system frequency response and inter-area oscillation is evaluated, taking the United States Eastern Interconnection (EI) as an example. Furthermore, based on the constructedmore » solar PV electrical control model with additional active power control loops, the potential contributions of solar PV generation to power system frequency regulation and oscillation damping are examined. The advantages of solar PV frequency support over that of wind generator are also discussed. Finally, simulation results demonstrate that solar PV generations can effectively work as ‘actuators’ in alleviating the negative impacts they bring about.« less

High Efficiency Solar Integrated Roof Membrane Product

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Partyka, Eric; Shenoy, Anil

2013-05-15

This project was designed to address the Solar Energy Technology Program objective, to develop new methods to integrate photovoltaic (PV) cells or modules within a building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) application that will result in lower installed cost as well as higher efficiencies of the encapsulated/embedded PV module. The technology assessment and development focused on the evaluation and identification of manufacturing technologies and equipment capable of producing such low-cost, high-efficiency, flexible BIPV solar cells on single-ply roofing membranes.

Analysis of photovoltaic with water pump cooling by using ANSYS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syafiqah, Z.; Amin, N. A. M.; Irwan, Y. M.; Shobry, M. Z.; Majid, M. S. A.

2017-10-01

Almost all regions in the world are facing with problem of increasing electricity cost from time to time. Besides, with the mankind’s anxiety about global warming, it has infused an ideology to rapidly move towards renewable energy sources since it is believed to be more reliable and safer. One example of the best alternatives to replace the fossil fuels sourced is solar energy. Photovoltaic (PV) panel is used to convert the sunlight into electricity. Unfortunately, the performance of PV panel can be affected by its operating temperature. With the increment of ambient temperature, the PV panel operating temperature also increase and will affect the performance of PV panel (in terms of power generated). With this concern, a water cooling system was installed on top of PV panel to help reduce the PV panel’s temperature. Five different water mass flow rate is tested due to investigate their impact towards the thermal performance and heat transfer rate.

Practical design considerations for photovoltaic power station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swanson, T. D.

Aspects of photovoltaic (PV) technology are discussed along with generic PV design considerations, taking into account the resource sunlight, PV modules and their reliability, questions of PV system design, the support structure subsystem, and a power conditioning unit subsystem. A description is presented of two recent projects which demonstrate the translation of an idea into actual working PV systems. A privately financed project in Denton, Maryland, went on line in early December, 1982, and began providing power to the local utility grid. It represents the first intermediate size, grid-connected, privately financed power station in the U.S. Based on firm quotes, the actual cost of this system is about $13/W peak. The other project, called the PV Breeder, is an energy independent facility which utilizes solar power to make new solar cells. It is also the first large industrial structure completely powered by the sun.

Process development for single-crystal silicon solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohra, Mihir H.

Solar energy is a viable, rapidly growing and an important renewable alternative to other sources of energy generation because of its abundant supply and low manufacturing cost. Silicon still remains the major contributor for manufacturing solar cells accounting for 80% of the market share. Of this, single-crystal solar cells account for half of the share. Laboratory cells have demonstrated 25% efficiency; however, commercial cells have efficiencies of 16% - 20% resulting from a focus on implementation processes geared to rapid throughput and low cost, thereby reducing the energy pay-back time. An example would be the use of metal pastes which dissolve the dielectric during the firing process as opposed to lithographically defined contacts. With current trends of single-crystal silicon photovoltaic (PV) module prices down to 0.60/W, almost all other PV technologies are challenged to remain cost competitive. This presents a unique opportunity in revisiting the PV cell fabrication process and incorporating moderately more expensive IC process practices into PV manufacturing. While they may drive the cost toward a 1/W benchmark, there is substantial room to "experiment", leading to higher efficiencies which will help maintain the overall system cost. This work entails a turn-key process designed to provide a platform for rapid evaluation of novel materials and processes. A two-step lithographic process yielding a baseline 11% - 13% efficient cell is described. Results of three studies have shown improvements in solar cell output parameters due to the inclusion of a back-surface field implant, a higher emitter doping and also an additional RCA Clean.

High throughput manufacturing of thin-film CdTe photovoltaic modules. Annual subcontract report, 16 November 1993--15 November 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sandwisch, D W

1995-11-01

This report describes work performed by Solar Cells, Inc. (SCI), under a 3-year subcontract to advance SCI`s PV manufacturing technologies, reduce module production costs, increase module performance, and provide the groundwork for SCI to expand its commercial production capacities. SCI will meet these objectives in three phases by designing, debugging, and operating a 20-MW/year, automated, continuous PV manufacturing line that produces 60-cm {times} 120-cm thin-film CdTe PV modules. This report describes tasks completed under Phase 1 of the US Department of Energy`s PV Manufacturing Technology program.

Optimization of a stand-alone Solar PV-Wind-DG Hybrid System for Distributed Power Generation at Sagar Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, P. C.; Majumder, A.; Chakraborty, N.

2010-10-01

An estimation of a stand-alone solar PV and wind hybrid system for distributed power generation has been made based on the resources available at Sagar island, a remote area distant to grid operation. Optimization and sensitivity analysis has been made to evaluate the feasibility and size of the power generation unit. A comparison of the different modes of hybrid system has been studied. It has been estimated that Solar PV-Wind-DG hybrid system provides lesser per unit electricity cost. Capital investment is observed to be lesser when the system run with Wind-DG compared to Solar PV-DG.

Analyzing the Energy Performance, Wind Loading, and Costs of Photovoltaic Slat Modules on Commercial Rooftops

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Geet, Otto D.; Fu, Ran; Horowitz, Kelsey A.

NREL studied a new type of photovoltaic (PV) module configuration wherein multiple narrow, tilted slats are mounted in a single frame. Each slat of the PV slat module contains a single row of cells and is made using ordinary crystalline silicon PV module materials and processes, including a glass front sheet and weatherproof polymer encapsulation. Compared to a conventional ballasted system, a system using slat modules offer higher energy production and lower weight at lower LCOE. The key benefits of slat modules are reduced wind loading, improved capacity factor and reduced installation cost. First, the individual slats allow air tomore » flow through, which reduce wind loading. Using PV performance modeling software, we compared the performance of an optimized installation of slats modules to a typical installation of conventional modules in a ballasted rack mounting system. Based on the results of the performance modeling two different row tilt and spacing were tested in a wind tunnel. Scaled models of the PV Slat modules were wind tunnel tested to quantify the wind loading of a slat module system on a commercial rooftop, comparing the results to conventional ballasted rack mounted PV modules. Some commercial roofs do not have sufficient reserve dead load capacity to accommodate a ballasted system. A reduced ballast system design could make PV system installation on these roofs feasible for the first time without accepting the disadvantages of penetrating mounts. Finally, technoeconomic analysis was conducted to enable an economic comparison between a conventional commercial rooftop system and a reduced-ballast slat module installation.« less

2017 Annual Technology Baseline

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cole, Wesley J; Hand, M. M; Eberle, Annika

Consistent cost and performance data for various electricity generation technologies can be difficult to find and may change frequently for certain technologies. With the Annual Technology Baseline (ATB), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory annually provides an organized and centralized set of such cost and performance data. The ATB uses the best information from the Department of Energy national laboratories' renewable energy analysts as well as information from the Energy Information Administration for fuel-based technologies. The ATB has been reviewed by experts and it includes the following electricity generation technologies: land-based wind, offshore wind, utility-scale solar photovoltaics (PV), commercial-scale solar PV,more » residential-scale solar PV, concentrating solar power, geothermal power, hydropower, coal, natural gas, nuclear, and conventional biopower. This webinar presentation introduces the 2017 ATB.« less

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lawrence, Richard

The U.S. DOE’s Office of EERE National Solar Energy Technology Program (SETP) calls for a “National Accreditation and Certification Program for Installation and Acceptance of Photovoltaic Systems.” A near-term goal listed in the U.S. Photovoltaic Industry’s Roadmap, 2000 - 2020 is to work to establish standards, codes, and certifications which are essential for consumer protection and acceptance as part of the goal of building toward a viable future PV industry. This program paves the way for a voluntary national certification program for PV system practitioners and installers, initiation of the first steps toward certification of hardware, and reinforcement of allmore » five of the technical objectives in the Systems category of SETPs Multi-Year technical Plan. Through this project, NABCEP will direct the continued initiation of and sustained implementation and administration of the NABCEP Solar PV Installer Certification Program (hereafter the “Program”). The NABCEP Program is a national, voluntary program designed to provide certification for those PV installers who demonstrate the requisite skills, abilities and knowledge typically required to install and maintain PV systems. The core document upon which the Program was developed and upon which the national exam is based, is referred to as the (Program) Task Analysis. It is a thorough descriptive document containing specific psychomotor and cognitive tasks for the purposes of identifying the types of training/assessment methods that apply. Psychomotor skills require measuring, assembling, fastening and related activities. Cognitive skills require knowledge processing, decision-making and computations. NABCEP effectively evaluates an applicant’s psychomotor skills through review of a candidate’s PV installations and hands-on training received. NABCEP evaluates the candidate’s cognitive skills through administration of its national Program exam. By first qualifying for and then obtaining the required passing score, NABCEP certificants receive an accreditation that upholds NABCEP’s standards of quality, compliance to applicable codes and safety in PV installation. The objectives of DOE’s National Solar Energy Technology Program (SETP) are intrinsic to NABCEP. As detailed in the PV Roadmap, the lifespan of a PV system is a function of reliability and value. PV system reliability is directly dependent upon the quality of components and, design, installation and maintenance of a system. The latter three are all core components of the NABCEP Task Analysis - accordingly NABCEP certified installers will be instrumental in improving reliability of systems through safe, code and manufacturer-compliant installation and necessary post-installation maintenance of PV systems. This will have the effect of ensuring and increasing the performance of installed systems and, as consumers realize the benefits of well-installed and maintained systems, increased demand will follow and manufacturers will respond - supporting further growth in the PV industry. Furthermore, as more NABCEP certified installers perform these installations and maintenance competently, additional installations (whole system re-installations) and unnecessary repairs can be avoided. This will drive down system costs. This combined with creation/enhancement of the DE-FG36-04GO14348/005 NABCEP Central Data Base of Installers – providing consumers with installation/maintenance service options will further reduce system costs and help meet the overall goal of reducing life cycle costs. As consumers receive more value from PV systems which are providing longer, trouble free, renewable energy, they will join the ranks of professionals and enthusiasts calling for reduced technological barriers to installation (particularly for grid-tied systems). States and utilities will react to pressure and begin easing onerous net-metering and other technological restrictions. The benefits of NABCEP’s Program will be evident to consumers, manufacturers, distributors, state energy officials and solar academic institutions. Consumers benefit through increased system performance and reduced costs. Manufacturers of PV and balance of system components as well as distributors support and benefit from NABCEP because of assurances that systems are installed in accordance to code (i.e., NEC) and their specifications, resulting in longer life. Collaborators including state energy officials (i.e., New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) benefit by knowing that rebate funds are spent on systems whose benefits will far exceed system costs. Program Objectives The improvements and advantages offered by a national voluntary certification program can only expand the horizons for photovoltaic applications.« less

NREL photovoltaic program FY 1997 annual report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McConnell, R.D.; Hansen, A.; Smoller, S.

1998-06-01

This report summarizes the in-house and subcontracted research and development (R and D) activities under the NREL PV Program from October 1, 1996, through September 30, 1997 (FY 1997). The NREL PV Program is part of the US Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) National Photovoltaics Program, as described in the DOE National Photovoltaics Program Plan for 1996--2000. The FY 1997 budget authority for carrying out the NREL PV Program was $39.3 million in operating funds and $0.4 million in capital equipment funds. Subcontract activities represent a major part of the NREL PV Program, with $21.8 million (55% of PV funds) goingmore » to some 84 subcontractors. Cost sharing by industry added almost $8.8 million to the subcontract R and D activities with industry.« less

Using Measured Plane-of-Array Data Directly in Photovoltaic Modeling: Methodology and Validation: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Freeman, Janine; Freestate, David; Riley, Cameron

2016-11-01

Measured plane-of-array (POA) irradiance may provide a lower-cost alternative to standard irradiance component data for photovoltaic (PV) system performance modeling without loss of accuracy. Previous work has shown that transposition models typically used by PV models to calculate POA irradiance from horizontal data introduce error into the POA irradiance estimates, and that measured POA data can correlate better to measured performance data. However, popular PV modeling tools historically have not directly used input POA data. This paper introduces a new capability in NREL's System Advisor Model (SAM) to directly use POA data in PV modeling, and compares SAM results frommore » both POA irradiance and irradiance components inputs against measured performance data for eight operating PV systems.« less

Using Measured Plane-of-Array Data Directly in Photovoltaic Modeling: Methodology and Validation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Freeman, Janine; Freestate, David; Hobbs, William

2016-11-21

Measured plane-of-array (POA) irradiance may provide a lower-cost alternative to standard irradiance component data for photovoltaic (PV) system performance modeling without loss of accuracy. Previous work has shown that transposition models typically used by PV models to calculate POA irradiance from horizontal data introduce error into the POA irradiance estimates, and that measured POA data can correlate better to measured performance data. However, popular PV modeling tools historically have not directly used input POA data. This paper introduces a new capability in NREL's System Advisor Model (SAM) to directly use POA data in PV modeling, and compares SAM results frommore » both POA irradiance and irradiance components inputs against measured performance data for eight operating PV systems.« less

Using Measured Plane-of-Array Data Directly in Photovoltaic Modeling: Methodology and Validation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Freeman, Janine; Freestate, David; Hobbs, William

2016-06-05

Measured plane-of-array (POA) irradiance may provide a lower-cost alternative to standard irradiance component data for photovoltaic (PV) system performance modeling without loss of accuracy. Previous work has shown that transposition models typically used by PV models to calculate POA irradiance from horizontal data introduce error into the POA irradiance estimates, and that measured POA data can correlate better to measured performance data. However, popular PV modeling tools historically have not directly used input POA data. This paper introduces a new capability in NREL's System Advisor Model (SAM) to directly use POA data in PV modeling, and compares SAM results frommore » both POA irradiance and irradiance components inputs against measured performance data for eight operating PV systems.« less

Market assessment of photovoltaic power systems for agricultural applications in the Philippines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabraal, R. A.; Delasanta, D.; Burrill, G.

1981-01-01

The market potential in the Philippines for stand alone photovoltaic (P/V) systems in agriculture was assessed. Applications include: irrigation, postharvest operation, food and fiber processing and storage, and livestock and fisheries operations. Power and energy use profiles for many applications as well as assessments of business, government and financial climate for P/V sales are described. Many characteristics of the Philippine agriculture and energy sector favorably influence the use of P/V systems. However, serious and significant barriers prevent achieving the technically feasible, cost competitive market for P/V systems in the agricultural sector. The reason for the small market is the limited availability capital for financing P/V systems. It is suggested that innovative financing schemes and promotional campaigns should be devised.

Market assessment of photovoltaic power systems for agricultural applications in the Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabraal, R. A.; Delasanta, D.; Burrill, G.

1981-04-01

The market potential in the Philippines for stand alone photovoltaic (P/V) systems in agriculture was assessed. Applications include: irrigation, postharvest operation, food and fiber processing and storage, and livestock and fisheries operations. Power and energy use profiles for many applications as well as assessments of business, government and financial climate for P/V sales are described. Many characteristics of the Philippine agriculture and energy sector favorably influence the use of P/V systems. However, serious and significant barriers prevent achieving the technically feasible, cost competitive market for P/V systems in the agricultural sector. The reason for the small market is the limited availability capital for financing P/V systems. It is suggested that innovative financing schemes and promotional campaigns should be devised.

Keeping the Future Bright: Department of Defense (DOD) Sustainable Energy Strategy for Installations

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-04

solar photovoltaic ( PV ) energy from a novelty to a mainstream energy source represents another one of the biggest clean energy stories of the past...still slightly more expensive to install than utility-scale PV , distributed solar installation costs decreased in half since 2008, and this power source...capacity will increase in the coming years (See Figure 3)6 Figure 3: Solar PV (Utility Scale) Utility-Scale Median Sy5tem Price —12 10 6 Ibid. Ibid. 9 up

Inverter testing at Sandia National Laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ginn, Jerry W.; Bonn, Russell H.; Sittler, Greg

1997-02-01

Inverters are key building blocks of photovoltaic (PV) systems that produce ac power. The balance of systems (BOS) portion of a PV system can account for up to 50% of the system cost, and its reliable operation is essential for a successful PV system. As part of its BOS program, Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) maintains a laboratory wherein accurate electrical measurements of power systems can be made under a variety of conditions. This paper outlines the work that is done in that laboratory.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosenthal, A

Southwest Technology Development Institute (SWTDI), an independent, university-based research institute, has been the operator of the Southwest Region Photovoltaic Experiment Station (SWRES) for almost 30 years. The overarching mission of SWTDI is to position PV systems and solar technologies to become cost-effective, major sources of energy for the United States. Embedded in SWTDI's general mission has been the more-focused mission of the SWRES: to provide value added technical support to the DOE Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP) to effectively and efficiently meet the R&D needs and targets specified in the SETP Multi-Year Technical Plan. : The DOE/SETP goals of growingmore » U.S. PV manufacturing into giga-watt capacities and seeing tera-watt-hours of solar energy production in the U.S. require an infrastructure that is under development. The staff of the SWRES has supported DOE/SETP through a coherent, integrated program to address infrastructural needs inhibiting wide-scale PV deployment in three major technical categories: specialized engineering services, workforce development, and deployment facilitation. The SWRES contract underwent three major revisions during its five year period-of- performance, but all tasks and deliverables fell within the following task areas: Task 1: PV Systems Assistance Center 1. Develop a Comprehensive multi-year plan 2. Provide technical workforce development materials and workshops for PV stakeholder groups including university, professional installers, inspectors, state energy offices, Federal agencies 3. Serve on the NABCEP exam committee 4. Provide on-demand technical PV system design reviews for U.S. PV stakeholders 5. Provide PV system field testing and instrumentation, technical outreach (including extensive support for the DOE Market Transformation program) Task 2: Design-for-Manufacture PV Systems 1. Develop and install 18 kW parking carport (cost share) and PV-thermal carport (Albuquerque) deriving and publishing lessons learned Task 3: PV Codes and Standards 1. Serve as the national lead for development and preparation of all proposals (related to PV) to the National Electrical Code 2. Participate in the Standards Technical Panels for modules (UL1703) and inverters (UL1741) Task 4: Assess Inverter Long Term Reliability 1. Install and monitor identical inverters at SWRES and SERES 2. Operate and monitor all inverters for 5 years, characterizing all failures and performance trends Task 5: Test and Evaluation Support for Solar America Initiative 1. Provide test and evaluation services to the National Laboratories for stage gate and progress measurements of SAI TPP winners« less

1366 Project Automate: Enabling Automation for <$0.10/W High-Efficiency Kerfless Wafers Manufactured in the US

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lorenz, Adam

For photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing to thrive in the U.S., there must be an innovative core to the technology. Project Automate builds on 1366’s proprietary Direct Wafer® kerfless wafer technology and aims to unlock the cost and efficiency advantages of thin kerfless wafers. Direct Wafer is an innovative, U.S.-friendly (efficient, low-labor content) manufacturing process that addresses the main cost barrier limiting silicon PV cost-reductions – the 35-year-old grand challenge of manufacturing quality wafers (40% of the cost of modules) without the cost and waste of sawing. This simple, scalable process will allow 1366 to manufacture “drop-in” replacement wafers for the $10more » billion silicon PV wafer market at 50% of the cost, 60% of the capital, and 30% of the electricity of conventional casting and sawing manufacturing processes. This SolarMat project developed the Direct Wafer processes’ unique capability to tailor the shape of wafers to simultaneously make thinner AND stronger wafers (with lower silicon usage) that enable high-efficiency cell architectures. By producing wafers with a unique target geometry including a thick border (which determines handling characteristics) and thin interior regions (which control light capture and electron transport and therefore determine efficiency), 1366 can simultaneously improve quality and lower cost (using less silicon).« less

Measurement of inflight shell areal density near peak velocity using a self backlighting technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pickworth, L. A.; Hammel, B. A.; Smalyuk, V. A.; MacPhee, A. G.; Scott, H. A.; Robey, H. F.; Landen, O. L.; Barrios, M. A.; Regan, S. P.; Schneider, M. B.; Hoppe, M., Jr.; Kohut, T.; Holunga, D.; Walters, C.; Haid, B.; Dayton, M.

2016-05-01

The growth of perturbations in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) capsules can lead to significant variation of inflight shell areal density (ρR), ultimately resulting in poor compression and ablator material mixing into the hotspot. As the capsule is accelerated inward, the perturbation growth results from the initial shock-transit through the shell and then amplification by Rayleigh-Taylor as the shell accelerates inwards. Measurements of ρR perturbations near peak implosion velocity (PV) are essential to our understanding of ICF implosions because they reflect the integrity of the capsule, after the inward acceleration growth is complete, of the actual shell perturbations including native capsule surface roughness and “isolated defects”. Quantitative measurements of shell-ρR perturbations in capsules near PV are challenging, requiring a new method with which to radiograph the shell. An innovative method, utilized in this paper, is to use the self-emission from the hotspot to “self- backlight” the shell inflight. However, with nominal capsule fills there is insufficient self-emission for this method until the capsule nears peak compression (PC). We produce a sufficiently bright continuum self-emission backlighter through the addition of a high-Z gas (∼ 1% Ar) to the capsule fill. This provides a significant (∼10x) increase in emission at hυ∼8 keV over nominal fills. “Self backlit” radiographs are obtained for times when the shock is rebounding from the capsule center, expanding out to meet the incoming shell, providing a means to sample the capsule optical density though only one side, as it converges through PV.

Integrating Solar PV in Utility System Operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mills, A.; Botterud, A.; Wu, J.

2013-10-31

This study develops a systematic framework for estimating the increase in operating costs due to uncertainty and variability in renewable resources, uses the framework to quantify the integration costs associated with sub-hourly solar power variability and uncertainty, and shows how changes in system operations may affect these costs. Toward this end, we present a statistical method for estimating the required balancing reserves to maintain system reliability along with a model for commitment and dispatch of the portfolio of thermal and renewable resources at different stages of system operations. We estimate the costs of sub-hourly solar variability, short-term forecast errors, andmore » day-ahead (DA) forecast errors as the difference in production costs between a case with “realistic” PV (i.e., subhourly solar variability and uncertainty are fully included in the modeling) and a case with “well behaved” PV (i.e., PV is assumed to have no sub-hourly variability and can be perfectly forecasted). In addition, we highlight current practices that allow utilities to compensate for the issues encountered at the sub-hourly time frame with increased levels of PV penetration. In this analysis we use the analytical framework to simulate utility operations with increasing deployment of PV in a case study of Arizona Public Service Company (APS), a utility in the southwestern United States. In our analysis, we focus on three processes that are important in understanding the management of PV variability and uncertainty in power system operations. First, we represent the decisions made the day before the operating day through a DA commitment model that relies on imperfect DA forecasts of load and wind as well as PV generation. Second, we represent the decisions made by schedulers in the operating day through hour-ahead (HA) scheduling. Peaking units can be committed or decommitted in the HA schedules and online units can be redispatched using forecasts that are improved relative to DA forecasts, but still imperfect. Finally, we represent decisions within the operating hour by schedulers and transmission system operators as real-time (RT) balancing. We simulate the DA and HA scheduling processes with a detailed unit-commitment (UC) and economic dispatch (ED) optimization model. This model creates a least-cost dispatch and commitment plan for the conventional generating units using forecasts and reserve requirements as inputs. We consider only the generation units and load of the utility in this analysis; we do not consider opportunities to trade power with neighboring utilities. We also do not consider provision of reserves from renewables or from demand-side options. We estimate dynamic reserve requirements in order to meet reliability requirements in the RT operations, considering the uncertainty and variability in load, solar PV, and wind resources. Balancing reserve requirements are based on the 2.5th and 97.5th percentile of 1-min deviations from the HA schedule in a previous year. We then simulate RT deployment of balancing reserves using a separate minute-by-minute simulation of deviations from the HA schedules in the operating year. In the simulations we assume that balancing reserves can be fully deployed in 10 min. The minute-by-minute deviations account for HA forecasting errors and the actual variability of the load, wind, and solar generation. Using these minute-by-minute deviations and deployment of balancing reserves, we evaluate the impact of PV on system reliability through the calculation of the standard reliability metric called Control Performance Standard 2 (CPS2). Broadly speaking, the CPS2 score measures the percentage of 10-min periods in which a balancing area is able to balance supply and demand within a specific threshold. Compliance with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) reliability standards requires that the CPS2 score must exceed 90% (i.e., the balancing area must maintain adequate balance for 90% of the 10-min periods). The combination of representing DA forecast errors in the DA commitments, using 1-min PV data to simulate RT balancing, and estimates of reliability performance through the CPS2 metric, all factors that are important to operating systems with increasing amounts of PV, makes this study unique in its scope.« less

Design of high-reliability low-cost amorphous silicon modules for high energy yield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jansen, Kai W.; Varvar, Anthony; Twesme, Edward; Berens, Troy; Dhere, Neelkanth G.

2008-08-01

For PV modules to fulfill their intended purpose, they must generate sufficient economic return over their lifetime to justify their initial cost. Not only must modules be manufactured at a low cost/Wp with a high energy yield (kWh/kWp), they must also be designed to withstand the significant environmental stresses experienced throughout their 25+ year lifetime. Based on field experience, the most common factors affecting the lifetime energy yield of glass-based amorphous silicon (a-Si) modules have been identified; these include: 1) light-induced degradation; 2) moisture ingress and thin film corrosion; 3) transparent conductive oxide (TCO) delamination; and 4) glass breakage. The current approaches to mitigating the effect of these degradation mechanisms are discussed and the accelerated tests designed to simulate some of the field failures are described. In some cases, novel accelerated tests have been created to facilitate the development of improved manufacturing processes, including a unique test to screen for TCO delamination. Modules using the most reliable designs are tested in high voltage arrays at customer and internal test sites, as well as at independent laboratories. Data from tests at the Florida Solar Energy Center has shown that a-Si tandem modules can demonstrate an energy yield exceeding 1200 kWh/kWp/yr in a subtropical climate. In the same study, the test arrays demonstrated low long-term power loss over two years of data collection, after initial stabilization. The absolute power produced by the test arrays varied seasonally by approximately +/-7%, as expected.

Degradation Analysis of Field-Exposed Photovoltaic Modules with Non-Fluoropolymer-Based Backsheets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kempe, Michael D; Fairbrother, Andrew; Julien, Scott

The selection of polymeric materials utilized in photovoltaic (PV) modules has changed relatively little since the inception of the PV industry, with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and fluoropolymer-based laminates being the most widely adopted primary components of the encapsulant and backsheet materials. The backsheet must serve to electrically insulate the solar cells and protect them from the effects of weathering. Due to continued downward pressure on cost, other polymeric materials are being formulated to withstand outdoor exposure for use in backsheets to replace either the PET film, the fluoropoymer film, or both. Because of their relatively recent deployment,more » less is known about their reliability and if they are durable enough to fulfill the greater than or equal to 25 year warranties of current PV modules. This work presents a degradation analysis of field-exposed modules with polyamide- and polyester-based backsheets. Modules were exposed for up to five years in different geographic locations: USA (Maryland, Ohio), China, and Italy. Surface and cross-sectional analysis included visual inspection, colorimetry, glossimetry, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Each module experienced different types of degradation depending on the exposure site, even for the same material and module brand. For instance, the polyamide-based backsheet experienced hairline cracking and greater yellowing and chemical changes in China (Changsu, humid subtropical climate), while in Italy (Rome, hot-summer Mediterranean climate) it underwent macroscopic cracking and greater losses in gloss. Spectroscopic studies have permitted identification of degradation products and changes in polymer structure over time. Comparisons are made to fielded modules with fluoropolymer-based backsheets, as well as backsheet materials in accelerated laboratory exposures. Implications for qualification testing and service life prediction of the non-fluoropolymer-based backsheets are discussed.« less

Degradation analysis of field-exposed photovoltaic modules with non-fluoropolymer-based backsheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fairbrother, Andrew; Julien, Scott; Wan, Kai-Tak; Ji, Liang; Boyce, Kenneth; Merzlic, Sebastien; Lefebvre, Amy; O'Brien, Greg; Wang, Yu; Bruckman, Laura; French, Roger; Kempe, Michael; Gu, Xiaohong

2017-08-01

The selection of polymeric materials utilized in photovoltaic (PV) modules has changed relatively little since the inception of the PV industry, with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and fluoropolymer-based laminates being the most widely adopted primary components of the encapsulant and backsheet materials. The backsheet must serve to electrically insulate the solar cells and protect them from the effects of weathering. Due to continued downward pressure on cost, other polymeric materials are being formulated to withstand outdoor exposure for use in backsheets to replace either the PET film, the fluoropoymer film, or both. Because of their relatively recent deployment, less is known about their reliability and if they are durable enough to fulfill the >=25 year warranties of current PV modules. This work presents a degradation analysis of field-exposed modules with polyamide- and polyester-based backsheets. Modules were exposed for up to five years in different geographic locations: USA (Maryland, Ohio), China, and Italy. Surface and cross-sectional analysis included visual inspection, colorimetry, glossimetry, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Each module experienced different types of degradation depending on the exposure site, even for the same material and module brand. For instance, the polyamide-based backsheet experienced hairline cracking and greater yellowing and chemical changes in China (Changsu, humid subtropical climate), while in Italy (Rome, hot-summer Mediterranean climate) it underwent macroscopic cracking and greater losses in gloss. Spectroscopic studies have permitted identification of degradation products and changes in polymer structure over time. Comparisons are made to fielded modules with fluoropolymer-based backsheets, as well as backsheet materials in accelerated laboratory exposures. Implications for qualification testing and service life prediction of the non-fluoropolymer-based backsheets are discussed.

Solar Photovoltaics Technology: The Revolution Begins . . .

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazmerski, Lawrence

2009-11-01

The prospects of current and coming solar-photovoltaic (PV) technologies are envisioned, arguing this solar-electricity source is at a tipping point in the complex worldwide energy outlook. The emphasis of this presentation is on R&D advances (cell, materials, and module options), with indications of the limitations and strengths of crystalline (Si and GaAs) and thin-film (a-Si:H, Si, Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2, CdTe). The contributions and technological pathways for now and near-term technologies (silicon, III-Vs, and thin films) and status and forecasts for next- generation PV (organics, nanotechnologies, non-conventional junction approaches) are evaluated. Recent advances in concentrators with efficiencies headed toward 50%, new directions for thin films (20% and beyond), and materials/device technology issues are discussed in terms of technology progress. Insights into technical and other investments needed to tip photovoltaics to its next level of contribution as a significant clean-energy partner in the world energy portfolio. The need for R&D accelerating the now and imminent (evolutionary) technologies balanced with work in mid-term (disruptive) approaches is highlighted. Moreover, technology progress and ownership for next generation solar PV mandates a balanced investment in research on longer-term (the revolution needs revolutionary approaches to sustain itself) technologies (quantum dots, multi-multijunctions, intermediate-band concepts, nanotubes, bio-inspired, thermophotonics, solar hydrogen. . . ) having high-risk, but extremely high performance and cost returns for our next generations of energy consumers. Issues relating to manufacturing are explored-especially with the requirements for the next-generation technologies. This presentation provides insights into how this technology has developed-and where the R&D investments should be made and we can expect to be by this mid-21st century.

PV water pumping: NEOS Corporation recent PV water pumping activities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lane, C.

1995-11-01

NEOS Corporation has been very active in PV-powered water pumping, particularly with respect to electric utilities. Most of the recent activity has been through the Photovoltaic Services Network (PSN). The PSN is an independent, not-for-profit organization comprised of all types of electric utilities: rural electric coops, public power districts, investor-owned utilities, and power marketing agencies. The PSN`s mission is to work pro-actively to promote utility involvement in PV through education and training. PV information is distributed by the PSN in three primary forms: (1) consultation with PSN technical service representatives: (2) literature generated by the PSN; and (3) literature publishedmore » by other organizations. The PSN can also provide assistance to members in developing PV customer service programs. The PSN`s product support activities include consolidation of information on existing packaged PV systems and facilitation of the development of new PV product packages that meet utility-defined specifications for cost performance, and reliability. The PSN`s initial product support efforts will be focused on commercially available packaged PV systems for a variety of off-grid applications. In parallel with this effort, if no products exist that meet the PSN`s functional specifications, the PSN will initiate the second phase of product development support process by encouraging the development of new packaged systems. Through these services and product support activities, the PSN anticipates engaging all segments for the PV industry, thus providing benefits to PV systems suppliers as well as local PV service contractors.This paper describes field testing of pv power systems for water pumping.« less

Solar Photovoltaic Manufacturing Cost Analysis | Energy Analysis | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Solar Photovoltaic Manufacturing Cost Analysis Solar Photovoltaic Manufacturing Cost Analysis NREL's photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing cost analysis-part of our broader effort supporting manufacturing manufacturing sector, and is that growth sustainable? NREL's manufacturing cost analysis studies show that: U.S

Photovoltaics Fact Sheet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2016-02-01

This fact sheet is an overview of the Photovoltaics (PV) subprogram at the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Solar Energy Technologies Office works with industry, academia, national laboratories, and other government agencies to advance solar PV, which is the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity by a semiconductor, in support of the goals of the SunShot Initiative. SunShot supports research and development to aggressively advance PV technology by improving efficiency and reliability and lowering manufacturing costs. SunShot’s PV portfolio spans work from early-stage solar cell research through technology commercialization, including work on materials,more » processes, and device structure and characterization techniques.« less

Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

the cost of solar cells, modules, and systems; and improving the reliability of PV components and Science-funded Center for Next Generation of Materials by Design. Reliability. Real-Time PV and Solar Research Solar panels line the rooftop of the parking garage at the south table mountain campus of

Life cycle cost analysis of a stand-alone PV system in rural Kenya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daly, Emma

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine the economic feasibility of a stand-alone PV system to electrify a rural area in Kenya. The research conducted involved a comprehensive review of all the relevant literature associated with the study. Methodologies were extrapolated from this extensive literature to develop a model for the complete design and economic analysis of a stand-alone PV system. A women's center in rural Kenya was used as a worked example to demonstrate the workings of the model. The results suggest that electrifying the center using a stand-alone PV system is an economically viable option which is encouraging for the surrounding area. This model can be used as a business model to determine the economic feasibility of a stand-alone PV system in alternative sites in Kenya.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crago, Christine Lasco; Chernyakhovskiy, Ilya

State incentives for solar power have grown significantly in the past several years. This paper examines the effectiveness of policy incentives to increase residential solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity. We use county-level panel data and control for demographic characteristics, solar resources, and pro-environmental preferences. Results show that among financial incentives, rebates have the most impact with an additional $1 per watt rebate increasing annual PV capacity additions by close to 50%. Factors that affect financial returns to solar PV such as electricity price and solar insolation are also found to be significant. Results also point to a significant positive relationship betweenmore » hybrid vehicle sales and residential PV capacity growth, indicating the importance of pro-environmental preferences as a predictor of solar PV demand. Back of the envelope calculations suggest that the cost of carbon mitigation through rebates is around $184 per ton of CO2.« less

A Survey of State and Local PV Program Response to Financial Innovation and Disparate Federal Tax Treatment in the Residential PV Sector

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bolinger, Mark; Holt, Edward

High up-front costs and a lack of financing options have historically been the primary barriers to the adoption of photovoltaics (PV) in the residential sector. State clean energy funds, which emerged in a number of states from the restructuring of the electricity industry in the mid-to-late 1990s, have for many years attempted to overcome these barriers through PV rebate and, in some cases, loan programs. While these programs (rebate programs in particular) have been popular, the residential PV market in the United States only started to achieve significant scale in the last five years – driven in large part bymore » an initial wave of financial innovation that led to the rise of third-party ownership.« less

Smoothing PV System’s Output by Tuning MPPT Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ina, Nobuhiko; Yanagawa, Shigeyuki; Kato, Takeyoshi; Suzuoki, Yasuo

A PV system’s output is not stable and fluctuates depending on a weather condition. Using a battery is one of the feasible ways to stabilize a PV system’s output, although it requires an additional cost and provides an additional waste of the used battery. In this paper, we propose tuning a characteristic of Maxiumum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control for smoothing a short term change of PV system’s output during a sharp insolation fluctuation, as an approach without additional equipments. In our proposed method, when an insolation increases rapidly, the operation point of MPPT control changes to the new point where the maximum power is not generated with present insolation, so that the speed of PV system’s output increase is limited to a certain value, i. e. 1%/min. In order to evaluate the effect of our proposed method in terms of reducing the additional operation task of the electric power system, we evaluated the additional LFC capacity for a large-scale installation of PV systems. As a result, it was revealed that the additional LFC capacity is not required even if a PV system is installed by 5% of utility system, when our proposed method is applied to all PV systems.

Three junction holographic micro-scale PV system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yuechen; Vorndran, Shelby; Ayala Pelaez, Silvana; Kostuk, Raymond K.

2016-09-01

In this work a spectrum splitting micro-scale concentrating PV system is evaluated to increase the conversion efficiency of flat panel PV systems. In this approach, the dispersed spectrum splitting concentration systems is scaled down to a small size and structured in an array. The spectrum splitting configuration allows the use of separate single bandgap PV cells that increase spectral overlap with the incident solar spectrum. This results in an overall increase in the spectral conversion efficiency of the resulting system. In addition other benefits of the micro-scale PV system are retained such reduced PV cell material requirements, more versatile interconnect configurations, and lower heat rejection requirements that can lead to a lower cost system. The system proposed in this work consists of two cascaded off-axis holograms in combination with a micro lens array, and three types of PV cells. An aspherical lens design is made to minimize the dispersion so that higher concentration ratios can be achieved for a three-junction system. An analysis methodology is also developed to determine the optical efficiency of the resulting system, the characteristics of the dispersed spectrum, and the overall system conversion efficiency for a combination of three types of PV cells.

Flexible copper-indium-diselenide films and devices for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Armstrong, J. H.; Pistole, C. O.; Misra, M. S.; Kapur, V. K.; Basol, B. M.

1991-01-01

With the ever increasing demands on space power systems, it is imperative that low cost, lightweight, reliable photovoltaics be developed. One avenue of pursuit for future space power applications is the use of low cost, lightweight flexible PV cells and arrays. Most work in this area assumes the use of flexible amorphous silicon (a-Si), despite its inherent instability and low efficiencies. However, polycrystalline thin film PV such as copper-indium-diselenide (CIS) are inherently more stable and exhibit better performance than a-Si. Furthermore, preliminary data indicate that CIS also offers exciting properties with respect to space applications. However, CIS has only heretofore only produced on rigid substrates. The implications of flexible CIS upon present and future space power platforms was explored. Results indicate that space qualified CIS can dramatically reduce the cost of PV, and in most cases, can be substituted for silicon (Si) based on end-of-life (EOL) estimations. Furthermore, where cost is a prime consideration, CIS can become cost effective than gallium arsenide (GaAs) in some applications. Second, investigations into thin film deposition on flexible substrates were made, and data from these tests indicate that fabrication of flexible CIS devices is feasible. Finally, data is also presented on preliminary TCO/CdS/CuInSe2/Mo devices.

Economically sustainable scaling of photovoltaics to meet climate targets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Needleman, David Berney; Poindexter, Jeremy R.; Kurchin, Rachel C.

To meet climate targets, power generation capacity from photovoltaics (PV) in 2030 will have to be much greater than is predicted from either steady state growth using today's manufacturing capacity or industry roadmaps. Analysis of whether current technology can scale, in an economically sustainable way, to sufficient levels to meet these targets has not yet been undertaken, nor have tools to perform this analysis been presented. Here, we use bottom-up cost modeling to predict cumulative capacity as a function of technological and economic variables. We find that today's technology falls short in two ways: profits are too small relative tomore » upfront factory costs to grow manufacturing capacity rapidly enough to meet climate targets, and costs are too high to generate enough demand to meet climate targets. We show that decreasing the capital intensity (capex) of PV manufacturing to increase manufacturing capacity and effectively reducing cost (e.g., through higher efficiency) to increase demand are the most effective and least risky ways to address these barriers to scale. We also assess the effects of variations in demand due to hard-to-predict factors, like public policy, on the necessary reductions in cost.Lastly, we review examples of redundant technology pathways for crystalline silicon PV to achieve the necessary innovations in capex, performance, and price.« less

Economically sustainable scaling of photovoltaics to meet climate targets

DOE PAGES

Needleman, David Berney; Poindexter, Jeremy R.; Kurchin, Rachel C.; ...

2016-04-21

To meet climate targets, power generation capacity from photovoltaics (PV) in 2030 will have to be much greater than is predicted from either steady state growth using today's manufacturing capacity or industry roadmaps. Analysis of whether current technology can scale, in an economically sustainable way, to sufficient levels to meet these targets has not yet been undertaken, nor have tools to perform this analysis been presented. Here, we use bottom-up cost modeling to predict cumulative capacity as a function of technological and economic variables. We find that today's technology falls short in two ways: profits are too small relative tomore » upfront factory costs to grow manufacturing capacity rapidly enough to meet climate targets, and costs are too high to generate enough demand to meet climate targets. We show that decreasing the capital intensity (capex) of PV manufacturing to increase manufacturing capacity and effectively reducing cost (e.g., through higher efficiency) to increase demand are the most effective and least risky ways to address these barriers to scale. We also assess the effects of variations in demand due to hard-to-predict factors, like public policy, on the necessary reductions in cost.Lastly, we review examples of redundant technology pathways for crystalline silicon PV to achieve the necessary innovations in capex, performance, and price.« less

Energy production estimation for Kosh-Agach grid-tie photovoltaic power plant for different photovoltaic module types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabderakhmanova, T. S.; Kiseleva, S. V.; Frid, S. E.; Tarasenko, A. B.

2016-11-01

This paper is devoted to calculation of yearly energy production, demanded area and capital costs for first Russian 5 MW grid-tie photovoltaic (PV) plant in Altay Republic that is named Kosh-Agach. Simple linear calculation model, involving average solar radiation and temperature data, grid-tie inverter power-efficiency dependence and PV modules parameters is proposed. Monthly and yearly energy production, equipment costs and demanded area for PV plant are estimated for mono-, polycrystalline and amorphous modules. Calculation includes three types of initial radiation and temperature data—average day for every month from NASA SSE, average radiation and temperature for each day of the year from NASA POWER and typical meteorology year generated from average data for every month. The peculiarities for each type of initial data and their influence on results are discussed.

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salasovich, J.; Mosey, G.

2011-03-01

This report presents the results of an assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of deploying a photovoltaics (PV) system on brownfield sites in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. All of the assessed sites are landfills. The sites were assessed for possible PV installations. The cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options were estimated. The economics of the potential systems were analyzed using an electric rate of $0.119/kWh and incentives offered by Puerto Rico and by the serving utility, PREPA. According to the site production calculations, the most cost-effective system in terms of return on investment is themore » thin-film fixed-tilt technology. The report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of such a system.« less

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Former St. Marks Refinery in St. Marks, Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lisell, L.; Mosey, G.

2010-09-01

This report presents the results of an assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of deploying a photovoltaics (PV) system on a brownfield site in St. Marks, Florida. The site was assessed for possible PV installations. The cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options were estimated. The economics of the potential systems were analyzed using an electric rate of $0.08/kWh and incentives offered in the State of Florida and from the two accessible utilities, Progress Energy and the City of Tallahassee. According to the site production calculations, the most cost-effective system in terms of return on investment ismore » the fixed-tilt thin film technology. The report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of such a system.« less

Solar San Diego: The Impact of Binomial Rate Structures on Real PV Systems; Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

VanGeet, O.; Brown, E.; Blair, T.

2008-05-01

There is confusion in the marketplace regarding the impact of solar photovoltaics (PV) on the user's actual electricity bill under California Net Energy Metering, particularly with binomial tariffs (those that include both demand and energy charges) and time-of-use (TOU) rate structures. The City of San Diego has extensive real-time electrical metering on most of its buildings and PV systems, with interval data for overall consumption and PV electrical production available for multiple years. This paper uses 2007 PV-system data from two city facilities to illustrate the impacts of binomial rate designs. The analysis will determine the energy and demand savingsmore » that the PV systems are achieving relative to the absence of systems. A financial analysis of PV-system performance under various rate structures is presented. The data revealed that actual demand and energy use benefits of binomial tariffs increase in summer months, when solar resources allow for maximized electricity production. In a binomial tariff system, varying on- and semi-peak times can result in approximately $1,100 change in demand charges per month over not having a PV system in place, an approximate 30% cost savings. The PV systems are also shown to have a 30%-50% reduction in facility energy charges in 2007.« less

Impact of Research and Development, Analysis, and Standardization on PV Project Financing Costs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feldman, David J; Margolis, Robert M; Jones-Albertus, Rebecca

The technical report discusses how R and D efforts focused on removing perceived risk from cash flows to investors have the potential to lower the cost of capital and increase the amount of leverage in a solar project. It also discusses how creating business efficiencies that allow financing transactions to occur more quickly with less effort can reduce the upfront costs associated with arranging financing for a solar project or group of projects. The paper then assesses the impact that these R and D activities might have on the volatility of PV asset cash flows and asset value, as wellmore » as the upfront costs of arranging a financial transaction. Finally, we insert these assumptions into financial models to analyze their impacts on the cost of capital for equity and debt investors, project leverage, and upfront financial transaction costs.« less

Is $50/MWh solar for real? Falling project prices and rising capacity factors drive utility-scale PV toward economic competitiveness

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bolinger, Mark; Weaver, Samantha; Zuboy, Jarett

Recently announced low-priced power purchase agreements (PPAs) for US utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) projects suggest $50/MWh solar might be viable under certain conditions. To explore this possibility, this paper draws on an increasing wealth of empirical data to analyze trends in three of the most important PPA price drivers: upfront installed project prices, operations, and maintenance (O&M) costs, and capacity factors. Average installed prices among a sample of utility-scale PV projects declined by more than one third (from 5.8/W AC to 3.7/WAC) from the 2007–2009 period through 2013, even as costlier systems with crystalline-silicon modules, sun tracking, and higher inverter loadingmore » ratios (ILRs) have constituted an increasing proportion of total utility-scale PV capacity (all values shown here are in 2013 dollars). Actual and projected O&M costs from a very small sample of projects appear to range from $20–$40/kW AC-year. Furthermore, the average net capacity factor is 30% for projects installed in 2012, up from 24% for projects installed in 2010, owing to better solar resources, higher ILRs, and greater use of tracking among the more recent projects. Based on these trends, a pro-forma financial model suggests that $50/MWh utility-scale PV is achievable using a combination of aggressive-but-achievable technical and financial input parameters (including receipt of the 30% federal investment tax credit). Although the US utility-scale PV market is still young, the rapid progress in the key metrics documented in this paper has made PV a viable competitor against other utility-scale renewable generators, and even conventional peaking generators, in certain regions of the country.« less

Is $50/MWh solar for real? Falling project prices and rising capacity factors drive utility-scale PV toward economic competitiveness

DOE PAGES

Bolinger, Mark; Weaver, Samantha; Zuboy, Jarett

2015-05-22

Recently announced low-priced power purchase agreements (PPAs) for US utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) projects suggest $50/MWh solar might be viable under certain conditions. To explore this possibility, this paper draws on an increasing wealth of empirical data to analyze trends in three of the most important PPA price drivers: upfront installed project prices, operations, and maintenance (O&M) costs, and capacity factors. Average installed prices among a sample of utility-scale PV projects declined by more than one third (from 5.8/W AC to 3.7/WAC) from the 2007–2009 period through 2013, even as costlier systems with crystalline-silicon modules, sun tracking, and higher inverter loadingmore » ratios (ILRs) have constituted an increasing proportion of total utility-scale PV capacity (all values shown here are in 2013 dollars). Actual and projected O&M costs from a very small sample of projects appear to range from $20–$40/kW AC-year. Furthermore, the average net capacity factor is 30% for projects installed in 2012, up from 24% for projects installed in 2010, owing to better solar resources, higher ILRs, and greater use of tracking among the more recent projects. Based on these trends, a pro-forma financial model suggests that $50/MWh utility-scale PV is achievable using a combination of aggressive-but-achievable technical and financial input parameters (including receipt of the 30% federal investment tax credit). Although the US utility-scale PV market is still young, the rapid progress in the key metrics documented in this paper has made PV a viable competitor against other utility-scale renewable generators, and even conventional peaking generators, in certain regions of the country.« less

Net radiative forcing from widespread deployment of photovoltaics.

PubMed

Nemet, Gregory F

2009-03-15

If photovoltaics (PV) are to contribute significantly to stabilizing the climate, they will need to be deployed on the scale of multiple terawatts. Installation of that much PV would cover substantial portions of the Earth's surface with dark-colored, sunlight-absorbing panels, reducing the Earth's albedo. How much radiative forcing would result from this change in land use? How does this amount compare to the radiative forcing avoided by substituting PV for fossil fuels? This analysis uses a series of simple equations to compare the two effects and finds that substitution dominates; the avoided radiative forcing due to substitution of PV for fossil fuels is approximately 30 times largerthan the forcing due to albedo modification. Sensitivity analysis, including discounting of future costs and benefits, identifies unfavorable yet plausible configurations in which the albedo effect substantially reduces the climatic benefits of PV. The value of PV as a climate mitigation option depends on how it is deployed, not just how much it is deployed--efficiency of PV systems and the carbon intensity of the substituted energy are particularly important

Flexible Ultra Moisture Barrier Film for Thin-Film Photovoltaic Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David M. Dean

2012-10-30

Flexible Thin-film photovoltaic (TFPV) is a low cost alternative to incumbent c-Si PV products as it requires less volume of costly semiconductor materials and it can potentially reduce installation cost. Among the TFPV options, copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) has the highest efficiency and is believed to be one of the most attractive candidates to achieve PV cost reduction. However, CIGS cells are very moisture sensitive and require module water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of less than 1x10-4 gram of water per square meter per day (g-H2O/m2/day). Successful development and commercialization of flexible transparent ultra moisture barrier film is themore » key to enable flexible CIGS TFPV products, and thus enable ultimate PV cost reduction. At DuPont, we have demonstrated at lab scale that we can successfully make polymer-based flexible transparent ultra moisture barrier film by depositing alumina on polymer films using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology. The layer by layer ALD approach results in uniform and amorphous structure which effectively reduces pinhole density of the inorganic coating on the polymer, and thus allow the fabrication of flexible barrier film with WVTR of 10-5 g-H2O/m2/day. Currently ALD is a time-consuming process suitable only for high-value, relatively small substrates. To successfully commercialize the ALD-on-plastic technology for the PV industry, there is the need to scale up this technology and improve throughput. The goal of this contract work was to build a prototype demonstrating that the ALD technology could be scaled-up for commercial use. Unfortunately, the prototype failed to produce an ultra-barrier film by the close of the project.« less

An Analysis of the Effects of Residential Photovoltaic Energy Systems on Home Sales Prices in California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoen, Ben; Cappers, Peter; Wiser, Ryan

2011-04-19

An increasing number of homes in the U.S. have sold with photovoltaic (PV) energy systems installed at the time of sale, yet relatively little research exists that estimates the marginal impacts of those PV systems on home sale prices. A clearer understanding of these possible impacts might influence the decisions of homeowners considering the installation of a PV system, homebuyers considering the purchase of a home with PV already installed, and new home builders considering including PV as an optional or standard product on their homes. This research analyzes a large dataset of California homes that sold from 2000 throughmore » mid-2009 with PV installed. It finds strong evidence that homes with PV systems sold for a premium over comparable homes without PV systems during this time frame. Estimates for this premium expressed in dollars per watt of installed PV range, on average, from roughly $4 to $5.5/watt across a large number of hedonic and repeat sales model specifications and robustness tests. When expressed as a ratio of the sales price premium of PV to estimated annual energy cost savings associated with PV, an average ratio of 14:1 to 19:1 can be calculated; these results are consistent with those of the more-extensive existing literature on the impact of energy efficiency on sales prices. When the data are split among new and existing homes, however, PV system premiums are markedly affected. New homes with PV show premiums of $2.3-2.6/watt, while existing homes with PV show premiums of more than $6/watt. Reasons for this discrepancy are suggested, yet further research is warranted. A number of other areas where future research would be useful are also highlighted.« less

Cost and surface optimization of a remote photovoltaic system for two kinds of panels' technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avril, S.; Arnaud, G.; Colin, H.; Montignac, F.; Mansilla, C.; Vinard, M.

2011-10-01

Stand alone photovoltaic (PV) systems comprise one of the promising electrification solutions to cover the demand of remote consumers, especially when it is coupled with a storage solution that would both increase the productivity of power plants and reduce the areas dedicated to energy production. This short communication presents a multi-objective design of a remote PV system coupled to battery and hydrogen storages systems simultaneously minimizing the total levelized cost and the occupied area, while fulfilling a constraint of consumer satisfaction. For this task, a multi-objective code based on particle swarm optimization has been used to find the best combination of different energy devices. Both short and mid terms based on forecasts assumptions have been investigated. An application for the site of La Nouvelle in the French overseas island of La Réunion is proposed. It points up a strong cost advantage by using Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer (HIT) rather than crystalline silicon (c-Si) cells for the short term. However, the discrimination between these two PV cell technologies is less obvious for the mid term: a strong constraint on the occupied area will promote HIT, whereas a strong constraint on the cost will promote c-Si.

Solar plus: Optimization of distributed solar PV through battery storage and dispatchable load in residential buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Shaughnessy, Eric; Cutler, Dylan; Ardani, Kristen

As utility electricity rates evolve, pairing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with battery storage has potential to ensure the value proposition of residential solar by mitigating economic uncertainty. In addition to batteries, load control technologies can reshape customer load profiles to optimize PV system use. The combination of PV, energy storage, and load control provides an integrated approach to PV deployment, which we call 'solar plus'. The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Renewable Energy Optimization (REopt) model is utilized to evaluate cost-optimal technology selection, sizing, and dispatch in residential buildings under a variety of rate structures and locations. The REopt modelmore » is extended to include a controllable or 'smart' domestic hot water heater model and smart air conditioner model. We find that the solar plus approach improves end user economics across a variety of rate structures - especially those that are challenging for PV - including lower grid export rates, non-coincident time-of-use structures, and demand charges.« less

Solar plus: Optimization of distributed solar PV through battery storage and dispatchable load in residential buildings

DOE PAGES

O'Shaughnessy, Eric; Cutler, Dylan; Ardani, Kristen; ...

2018-01-11

As utility electricity rates evolve, pairing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with battery storage has potential to ensure the value proposition of residential solar by mitigating economic uncertainty. In addition to batteries, load control technologies can reshape customer load profiles to optimize PV system use. The combination of PV, energy storage, and load control provides an integrated approach to PV deployment, which we call 'solar plus'. The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Renewable Energy Optimization (REopt) model is utilized to evaluate cost-optimal technology selection, sizing, and dispatch in residential buildings under a variety of rate structures and locations. The REopt modelmore » is extended to include a controllable or 'smart' domestic hot water heater model and smart air conditioner model. We find that the solar plus approach improves end user economics across a variety of rate structures - especially those that are challenging for PV - including lower grid export rates, non-coincident time-of-use structures, and demand charges.« less

PV system field experience and reliability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durand, Steven; Rosenthal, Andrew; Thomas, Mike

1997-02-01

Hybrid power systems consisting of battery inverters coupled with diesel, propane, or gasoline engine-driven electrical generators, and photovoltaic arrays are being used in many remote locations. The potential cost advantages of hybrid systems over simple engine-driven generator systems are causing hybrid systems to be considered for numerous applications including single-family residential, communications, and village power. This paper discusses the various design constraints of such systems and presents one technique for reducing hybrid system losses. The Southwest Technology Development Institute under contract to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories has been installing data acquisition systems (DAS) on a number of small and large hybrid PV systems. These systems range from small residential systems (1 kW PV - 7 kW generator), to medium sized systems (10 kW PV - 20 kW generator), to larger systems (100 kW PV - 200 kW generator). Even larger systems are being installed with hundreds of kilowatts of PV modules, multiple wind machines, and larger diesel generators.

Commercialization of PV-powered pumping systems for use in utility PV service programs. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-03-01

The project described in this report was a commercialization effort focused on cost-effective remote water pumping systems for use in utility-based photovoltaic (PV) service programs. The project combined a commercialization strategy tailored specifically for electric utilities with the development of a PV-powered pumping system that operates conventional ac pumps rather than relying on the more expensive and less reliable PV pumps on the market. By combining these two attributes, a project goal was established of creating sustained utility purchases of 250 PV-powered water pumping systems per year. The results of each of these tasks are presented in two parts containedmore » in this Final Summary Report. The first part summarizes the results of the Photovoltaic Services Network (PSN) as a new business venture, while the second part summarizes the results of the Golden Photon system installations. Specifically, results and photographs from each of the system installations are presented in this latter part.« less

Progress of the PV Technology Incubator Project Towards an Enhanced U.S. Manufacturing Base

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ullal, H.; Mitchell, R.; Keyes, B.

In this paper, we report on the major accomplishments of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP) Photovoltaic (PV) Technology Incubator project. The Incubator project facilitates a company's transition from developing a solar cell or PV module prototype to pilot- and large-scale U.S. manufacturing. The project targets small businesses that have demonstrated proof-of-concept devices or processes in the laboratory. Their success supports U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu's SunShot Initiative, which seeks to achieve PV technologies that are cost-competitive without subsidies at large scale with fossil-based energy sources by the end of this decade. The Incubatormore » Project has enhanced U.S. PV manufacturing capacity and created more than 1200 clean energy jobs, resulting in an increase in American economic competitiveness. The investment raised to date by these PV Incubator companies as a result of DOE's $ 59 million investment total nearly $ 1.3 billion.« less

Distribution Grid Integration Unit Cost Database | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Unit Cost Database Distribution Grid Integration Unit Cost Database NREL's Distribution Grid Integration Unit Cost Database contains unit cost information for different components that may be used to associated with PV. It includes information from the California utility unit cost guides on traditional

Improved Transparent Conducting Oxides for Photovoltaics: Final Research Report, 1 May 1999--31 December 2002

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mason, T. O.; Chang, R. P. H.; Marks, T. J.

2003-10-01

This subcontract focused on next-generation transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) for improved PV performance. More specifically, there were two research foci: (1) improved Sn-based, n-type TCOs aimed at enhanced CdTe PV cell performance, and (2) novel Cu-based, p-type TCOs applicable to a variety of PV designs. The objective of the research under this subcontract was to identify, explore, evaluate, and develop future generations of photovoltaic technologies that can meet the long-term goal of producing low-cost electricity from sunlight.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stoltenberg, B.; Konz, C.; Mosey, G.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in accordance with the RE-Powering America's Land initiative, selected the Former Fort Ord Army Base (FOAB) site in Marina, California, for a feasibility study of renewable energy production. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) provided technical assistance for this project. The purpose of this report is to assess the site for a possible photovoltaic (PV) system installation and estimate the cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options. In addition, the report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of a PV system at the site.

Solar Energy Technology Office Portfolio Review: Promotion of PV Soft Cost Reductions in the Southeastern US

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fox, E.

From 2016-2021, the installed solar capacity in South Carolina will mushroom from less than 20 megawatts to more than 300 megawatts. Concurrently, the number of customer-sited, load-centered solar generation is expected to grow from less than 500 statewide to as many as 10,000 by 2021. This growth is anticipated to be the direct result of a landmark state policy initiative, Act 236, passed by the South Carolina General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor in June of 2014. Local policy makers in South Carolina are ill-equipped to handle the onslaught of solar permitting and zoning requests expected overmore » the next five years. Similarly, the state’s building inspectors, first responders, and tax assessors know little about photovoltaic (PV) technology and best practices. Finally, South Carolina’s workforce and workforce trainers are underprepared to benefit from the tremendous opportunity created by the passage of Act 236. Each of these deficits in knowledge of and preparedness for solar PV translates into higher “soft costs” of installed solar PV in South Carolina. Currently, we estimate that the installed costs of residential rooftop solar are as much as 25 percent higher than the national average. The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), together with almost a dozen electricity stakeholders in the Southeast, proposes to create a replicable model for solar PV soft cost reduction in South Carolina through human capacity-building at the local level and direct efforts to harmonize policy at the inter-county or regional level. The primary goal of this effort is to close the gap between South Carolina installed costs of residential rooftop solar and national averages. The secondary goal is to develop a portable and replicable model that can be applied to other jurisdictions in the Southeastern US.« less

Integrated Building Energy Systems Design Considering Storage Technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stadler, Michael; Marnay, Chris; Siddiqui, Afzal

The addition of storage technologies such as flow batteries, conventional batteries, and heat storage can improve the economic, as well as environmental attraction of micro-generation systems (e.g., PV or fuel cells with or without CHP) and contribute to enhanced demand response. The interactions among PV, solar thermal, and storage systems can be complex, depending on the tariff structure, load profile, etc. In order to examine the impact of storage technologies on demand response and CO2 emissions, a microgrid's distributed energy resources (DER) adoption problem is formulated as a mixed-integer linear program that can pursue two strategies as its objective function.more » These two strategies are minimization of its annual energy costs or of its CO2 emissions. The problem is solved for a given test year at representative customer sites, e.g., nursing homes, to obtain not only the optimal investment portfolio, but also the optimal hourly operating schedules for the selected technologies. This paper focuses on analysis of storage technologies in micro-generation optimization on a building level, with example applications in New York State and California. It shows results from a two-year research projectperformed for the U.S. Department of Energy and ongoing work. Contrary to established expectations, our results indicate that PV and electric storage adoption compete rather than supplement each other considering the tariff structure and costs of electricity supply. The work shows that high electricity tariffs during on-peak hours are a significant driver for the adoption of electric storage technologies. To satisfy the site's objective of minimizing energy costs, the batteries have to be charged by grid power during off-peak hours instead of PV during on-peak hours. In contrast, we also show a CO2 minimization strategy where the common assumption that batteries can be charged by PV can be fulfilled at extraordinarily high energy costs for the site.« less

Mitigating Short-Term Variations of Photovoltaic Generation Using Energy Storage with VOLTTRON

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrissey, Kevin

A smart-building communications system performs smoothing on photovoltaic (PV) power generation using a battery energy storage system (BESS). The system runs using VOLTTRON(TM), a multi-agent python-based software platform dedicated to power systems. The VOLTTRON(TM) system designed for this project runs synergistically with the larger University of Washington VOLTTRON(TM) environment, which is designed to operate UW device communications and databases as well as to perform real-time operations for research. One such research algorithm that operates simultaneously with this PV Smoothing System is an energy cost optimization system which optimizes net demand and associated cost throughout a day using the BESS. The PV Smoothing System features an active low-pass filter with an adaptable time constant, as well as adjustable limitations on the output power and accumulated battery energy of the BESS contribution. The system was analyzed using 26 days of PV generation at 1-second resolution. PV smoothing was studied with unconstrained BESS contribution as well as under a broad range of BESS constraints analogous to variable-sized storage. It was determined that a large inverter output power was more important for PV smoothing than a large battery energy capacity. Two methods of selecting the time constant in real time, static and adaptive, are studied for their impact on system performance. It was found that both systems provide a high level of PV smoothing performance, within 8% of the ideal case where the best time constant is known ahead of time. The system was run in real time using VOLTTRON(TM) with BESS limitations of 5 kW/6.5 kWh and an adaptive update period of 7 days. The system behaved as expected given the BESS parameters and time constant selection methods, providing smoothing on the PV generation and updating the time constant periodically using the adaptive time constant selection method.

Hybrid Tandem Solar Cells | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Hybrid Tandem Solar Cells Hybrid Tandem Solar Cells To achieve aggressive cost reductions in photovoltaics (PV) beyond the 6¢/kWh SunShot Initiative 2020 goal, module efficiency must be increased beyond on a silicon platform and that aim to provide viable prototypes for commercialization. PV Research

On the Path to SunShot. Utility Regulatory and Business Model Reforms for Addressing the Financial Impacts of Distributed Solar on Utilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barbose, Galen; Miller, John; Sigrin, Ben

Net-energy metering (NEM) has helped drive the rapid growth of distributed PV (DPV) but has raised concerns about electricity cost shifts, utility financial losses, and inefficient resource allocation. These concerns have motivated real and proposed reforms to utility regulatory and business models. This report explores the challenges and opportunities associated with such reforms in the context of the U.S. Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative. Most of the reforms to date address NEM concerns by reducing the benefits provided to DPV customers and thus constraining DPV deployment. Eliminating NEM nationwide, by compensating exports of PV electricity at wholesale rather than retailmore » rates, could cut cumulative DPV deployment by 20% in 2050 compared with a continuation of current policies. This would slow the PV cost reductions that arise from larger scale and market certainty. It could also thwart achievement of the SunShot deployment goals even if the initiative's cost targets are achieved. This undesirable prospect is stimulating the development of alternative reform strategies that address concerns about distributed PV compensation without inordinately harming PV economics and growth. These alternatives fall into the categories of facilitating higher-value DPV deployment, broadening customer access to solar, and aligning utility profits and earnings with DPV. Specific strategies include utility ownership and financing of DPV, community solar, distribution network operators, services-driven utilities, performance-based incentives, enhanced utility system planning, pricing structures that incentivize high-value DPV configurations, and decoupling and other ratemaking reforms that reduce regulatory lag. These approaches represent near- and long-term solutions for preserving the legacy of the SunShot Initiative.« less

Degradation in PV Encapsulant Strength of Attachment: An Interlaboratory Study Towards a Climate-Specific Test: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, David C.; Annigoni, Eleonora; Ballion, Amal

Reduced strength of attachment of the encapsulant resulting from outdoor environment, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation, may decrease photovoltaic (PV) module lifetime by enabling widespread corrosion of internal components. To date, few studies exist showing how the adhesion of PV components varies with environmental stress. We have conducted an interlaboratory experiment to provide an understanding that will be used to develop climatic specific module tests. Factors examined in the study included the UV light source (lamp type), temperature, and humidity to be proposed for use in accelerated aging tests. A poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) formulation often used in veteran PV installationsmore » was studied using a compressive shear test - to quantify the strength of attachment at the EVA/glass interface. Replicate laminated glass/polymer/glass coupon specimens were weathered at 12 institutions using a variety of indoor chambers or field aging. Shear strength, shear strain, and toughness were measured using a mechanical load-frame for the compressive shear test, with subsequent optical imaging and electron microscopy of the separated surfaces.« less

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at Massachusetts Military Reservation. A Study Prepared in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stafford, B.; Robichaud, R.; Mosey, G.

2011-07-01

This report presents the results of an assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of deploying photovoltaics (PV) systems on a superfund site located within the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR). The site was assessed for possible PV installations. The cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options were estimated. The economics of the potential systems were analyzed using an electric rate of $0.17/kWh and incentives offered in the State of Massachusetts, such as the solar renewable energy credits. According to calculations, MMR can place 8 MW of ballast-weighted, ground-mounted PV systems on the crowns of the three landfill capsmore » and the borrow pit with the PV modules tilted at 30 degrees.« less

Comparing Photovoltaic (PV) Costs and Deployment Drivers in the Japanese and U.S. Residential and Commercial Markets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friedman, B.; Margolis, R.; Seel, J.

Japan has re-emerged in 2013 as one of the world's fastest-growing and largest photovoltaic (PV) markets (Renewable Energy World 2013). Year-over-year growth in Japanese installed capacity in the first half of 2013 was about 270%. Japan's PV market was on pace to triple in 2013 compared with 2012, with approximately 2.7 GW installed during the first half of 2013 (compared to about 1.6 GW in the United States). This places Japan's market among the world's largest PV markets, along with China, Germany, and the United States. This report explores details of the rapidly changing Japanese market, and similarities and differencesmore » between the Japanese and U.S. markets. We collected data from a diverse group of Japanese PV installers, and we gathered additional Japanese and U.S. data from published sources as well as internal analyses.« less

Nationwide Analysis of U.S. Commercial Building Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Breakeven Conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davidson, Carolyn; Gagnon, Pieter; Denholm, Paul

2015-10-01

The commercial sector offers strong potential for solar photovoltaics (PV) owing to abundant available roof space suitable for PV and the opportunity to offset the sector's substantial retail electricity purchases. This report evaluated the breakeven price of PV for 15 different building types and various financing options by calculating electricity savings based on detailed rate structures for most U.S. utility territories (representing approximately two thirds of U.S. commercial customers). We find that at current capital costs, an estimated 1/3 of U.S. commercial customers break even in the cash scenario and approximately 2/3 break even in the loan scenario. Variation inmore » retail rates is a stronger driver of breakeven prices than is variation in building load or solar generation profiles. At the building level, variation in the average breakeven price is largely driven by the ability for a PV system to reduce demand charges.« less

Results of the harmonics measurement program at the John F. Long photovoltaic house

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campen, G. L.

1982-03-01

Photovoltaic (PV) systems used in single-family dwellings require an inverter to act as an interface between the direct-current (dc) power output of the PV unit and the alternating-current (ac) power needed by house loads. A type of inverter known as line commutated injects harmonic currents on the ac side and requires large amounts of reactive power. Large numbers of such PV installations could lead to unacceptable levels of harmonic voltages on the utility system, and the need to increase the utility's deliver of reactive power could result in significant cost increases. The harmonics and power-factor effects are examined for a single PV installation using a line-commutated inverter. The magnitude and phase of various currents and voltages from the fundamental to the 13th harmonic were recorded both with and without the operation of the PV system.

Solar photovoltaic systems in the development of Papua New Guinea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinnell, G. H.

Geographic and demographic features of Papua New Guinea are summarized, together with current applications of photovoltaic (PV) systems. The PV systems displace the increasing costs of generating power from diesel and kerosene powered units. PV systems power air navigation aids for the extensive air transport used in the absence of a road system. Remote television and visual aid education is possible with PV modules. A total of 50 kW of PV power is presently implemented, with the bulk dedicated to microwave repeater stations, navigation aids, and radio and lighting supplies. A village pumping installation is in operation, as are office lighting and ventilation, house lighting, and construction camp lighting. Another 350 kW is planned for the next 10 yr to run medical supply refrigeration, and further growth is seen for coupling with government-developed village lighting kits that feature industrial reflectors.

Interactive smart battery storage for a PV and wind hybrid energy management control based on conservative power theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godoy Simões, Marcelo; Davi Curi Busarello, Tiago; Saad Bubshait, Abdullah; Harirchi, Farnaz; Antenor Pomilio, José; Blaabjerg, Frede

2016-04-01

This paper presents interactive smart battery-based storage (BBS) for wind generator (WG) and photovoltaic (PV) systems. The BBS is composed of an asymmetric cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter (ACMI) with staircase modulation. The structure is parallel to the WG and PV systems, allowing the ACMI to have a reduction in power losses compared to the usual solution for storage connected at the DC-link of the converter for WG or PV systems. Moreover, the BBS is embedded with a decision algorithm running real-time energy costs, plus a battery state-of-charge manager and power quality capabilities, making the described system in this paper very interactive, smart and multifunctional. The paper describes how BBS interacts with the WG and PV and how its performance is improved. Experimental results are presented showing the efficacy of this BBS for renewable energy applications.

Chapter 10.2: Encapsulant Materials for PV Modules

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kempe, Michael D

2017-01-07

Encapsulant materials used in photovoltaic (PV) modules serve multiple purposes; it provides optical coupling of PV cells and protection against environmental stress. Polymers must perform these functions under prolonged periods of high temperature, humidity, and UV radiation. When PV panels were first developed in the 1960s and the 1970s, the dominant encapsulants were based on polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS). Ethylene-co-vinyl acetate (EVA) is currently the dominant encapsulant chosen for PV applications, not because it has the best combination of properties, but because it is an economical option with an established history of acceptable durability. Getting new products onto the market ismore » challenging because there is no room for dramatic improvements, and one must balance the initial cost and performance with the unknowns of long-term service life. Recently, there has been renewed interest in using alternative encapsulant materials with some significant manufacturers switching from EVA to polyolefin elastomer-based (POE) alternatives.« less

Impact of Different Economic Performance Metrics on the Perceived Value of Solar Photovoltaics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Drury, E.; Denholm, P.; Margolis, R.

2011-10-01

Photovoltaic (PV) systems are installed by several types of market participants, ranging from residential customers to large-scale project developers and utilities. Each type of market participant frequently uses a different economic performance metric to characterize PV value because they are looking for different types of returns from a PV investment. This report finds that different economic performance metrics frequently show different price thresholds for when a PV investment becomes profitable or attractive. Several project parameters, such as financing terms, can have a significant impact on some metrics [e.g., internal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV), and benefit-to-cost (B/C)more » ratio] while having a minimal impact on other metrics (e.g., simple payback time). As such, the choice of economic performance metric by different customer types can significantly shape each customer's perception of PV investment value and ultimately their adoption decision.« less

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar PV at the Atlas Industrial Park in Duluth, Minnesota

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steen, M.; Lisell, L.; Mosey, G.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5, in accordance with the RE-Powering America's Land initiative, selected the Atlas Industrial Park in Duluth, Minnesota, for a feasibility study of renewable energy production. The EPA provided funding to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to support a feasibility study of solar renewable energy generation at the Atlas Industrial Park. NREL provided technical assistance for this project but did not assess environmental conditions at the site beyond those related to the performance of a photovoltaic (PV) system. The purpose of this study is to assess the site for a possible PV installationmore » and estimate the cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV configurations. In addition, the study evaluates financing options that could assist in the implementation of a PV system at the site.« less

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Stringfellow Superfund Site in Riverside, California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mosey, G.; Van Geet, O.

2010-12-01

This report presents the results of an assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of deploying a photovoltaics (PV) system on the Stringfellow Superfund Site in Riverside, California. The site was assessed for possible PV installations. The cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options were estimated. The economics of the potential systems were analyzed using an electric rate of $0.13/kWh and incentives offered by Southern California Edison under the California Solar Initiative. According to the assessment, a government-owned, ground-mounted PV system represents a technically and economically feasible option. The report recommends financing options that could assist in themore » implementation of such a system.« less

Economically Sustainable Scaling of Photovoltaics to Meet Climate Targets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Needleman, David Berney; Poindexter, Jeremy R.; Kurchin, Rachel C.

To meet climate goals, photovoltaics (PV) deployment will have to grow rapidly over the next fifteen years. We identify two barriers to this growth: scale-up of manufacturing capacity and the cost of PV module production. We explore several technoeconomic approaches to overcoming these barriers and identify deep reductions in the capital intensity (capex) of PV module manufacturing and large increases in module efficiency as the most promising routes to rapid deployment. Given the lag inherent in rolling out new technology, we explore an approach where growth is fueled by debt or subsidies in the short-term and technological advances in themore » medium term. Finally, we analyze the current capex structure of crystalline silicon PV module manufacturing to identify potential savings.« less

The microeconomics of residential photovoltaics: Tariffs, network operation and maintenance, and ancillary services in distribution-level electricity markets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boero, Riccardo; Backhaus, Scott N.; Edwards, Brian K.

Here, we develop a microeconomic model of a distribution-level electricity market that takes explicit account of residential photovoltaics (PV) adoption. The model allows us to study the consequences of most tariffs on PV adoption and the consequences of increased residential PV adoption under the assumption of economic sustainability for electric utilities. We also validated the model using U.S. data and extend it to consider different pricing schemes for operation and maintenance costs of the distribution network and for ancillary services. Results show that net metering promotes more environmental benefits and social welfare than other tariffs. But, if costs to operatemore » the distribution network increase, net metering will amplify the unequal distribution of surplus among households. In conclusion, maintaining the economic sustainability of electric utilities under net metering may become extremely difficult unless the uneven distribution of surplus is legitimated by environmental benefits.« less

The microeconomics of residential photovoltaics: Tariffs, network operation and maintenance, and ancillary services in distribution-level electricity markets

DOE PAGES

Boero, Riccardo; Backhaus, Scott N.; Edwards, Brian K.

2016-11-12

Here, we develop a microeconomic model of a distribution-level electricity market that takes explicit account of residential photovoltaics (PV) adoption. The model allows us to study the consequences of most tariffs on PV adoption and the consequences of increased residential PV adoption under the assumption of economic sustainability for electric utilities. We also validated the model using U.S. data and extend it to consider different pricing schemes for operation and maintenance costs of the distribution network and for ancillary services. Results show that net metering promotes more environmental benefits and social welfare than other tariffs. But, if costs to operatemore » the distribution network increase, net metering will amplify the unequal distribution of surplus among households. In conclusion, maintaining the economic sustainability of electric utilities under net metering may become extremely difficult unless the uneven distribution of surplus is legitimated by environmental benefits.« less

Thin-film filament-based solar cells and modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuttle, J. R.; Cole, E. D.; Berens, T. A.; Alleman, J.; Keane, J.

1997-04-01

This concept paper describes a patented, novel photovoltaic (PV) technology that is capable of achieving near-term commercialization and profitability based upon design features that maximize product performance while minimizing initial and future manufacturing costs. DayStar Technologies plans to exploit these features and introduce a product to the market based upon these differential positions. The technology combines the demonstrated performance and reliability of existing thin-film PV product with a cell and module geometry that cuts material usage by a factor of 5, and enhances performance and manufacturability relative to standard flat-plate designs. The target product introduction price is 1.50/Watt-peak (Wp). This is approximately one-half the cost of the presently available PV product. Additional features include: increased efficiency through low-level concentration, no scribe or grid loss, simple series interconnect, high voltage, light weight, high-throughput manufacturing, large area immediate demonstration, flexibility, modularity.

U.S. Department of Energy Photovoltaic Energy Program Contract Summary: Fiscal Year 2000

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Surek, T.

2001-02-21

This report summarizes the in-house and subcontracted research and development (R and D) activities under the National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Photovoltaics Program from October 1, 1999, through September 30, 2000 (FY 2000). The mission of the DOE National Photovoltaics Program is to make PV a significant part of the domestic economy-as an industry and an energy resource. The two primary goals of the national program are to (1) maintain the U.S. industry's world leadership in research and technology development and (2) help the U.S. industry remain a major, profitable force in themore » world market. The NCPV is part of the National PV Program and provides leadership and support to the national program toward achieving its mission and goals. This Contract Summary for fiscal year (FY) 2000 documents some 179 research projects supported by the PV Program, performed by 107 organizations in 32 states, including 69 projects performed by universities and 60 projects performed by our industry partners. Of the total FY 2000 PV Program budget of $65.9 million, the industry and university research efforts received $36.9 million, or nearly 56%. And, of this amount, more than 93% was for contractors selected on a competitive basis. Much of the funding to industry was matched by industry cost-sharing. Each individual effort described in this summary represents another step toward improving PV manufacturing, performance, cost, and applications, and another step toward accomplishing the DOE PV Program's overall mission.« less

A Modular Multilevel Converter with Power Mismatch Control for Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems

DOE PAGES

Duman, Turgay; Marti, Shilpa; Moonem, M. A.; ...

2017-05-17

A modular multilevel power converter configuration for grid connected photovoltaic (PV) systems is proposed. The converter configuration replaces the conventional bulky line frequency transformer with several high frequency transformers, potentially reducing the balance of systems cost of PV systems. The front-end converter for each port is a neutral-point diode clamped (NPC) multi-level dc-dc dual-active bridge (ML-DAB) which allows maximum power point tracking (MPPT). The integrated high frequency transformer provides the galvanic isolation between the PV and grid side and also steps up the low dc voltage from PV source. Following the ML-DAB stage, in each port, is a NPC inverter.more » N number of NPC inverters’ outputs are cascaded to attain the per-phase line-to-neutral voltage to connect directly to the distribution grid (i.e., 13.8 kV). The cascaded NPC (CNPC) inverters have the inherent advantage of using lower rated devices, smaller filters and low total harmonic distortion required for PV grid interconnection. The proposed converter system is modular, scalable, and serviceable with zero downtime with lower foot print and lower overall cost. A novel voltage balance control at each module based on power mismatch among N-ports, have been presented and verified in simulation. Analysis and simulation results are presented for the N-port converter. The converter performance has also been verified on a hardware prototype.« less

A Modular Multilevel Converter with Power Mismatch Control for Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duman, Turgay; Marti, Shilpa; Moonem, M. A.

A modular multilevel power converter configuration for grid connected photovoltaic (PV) systems is proposed. The converter configuration replaces the conventional bulky line frequency transformer with several high frequency transformers, potentially reducing the balance of systems cost of PV systems. The front-end converter for each port is a neutral-point diode clamped (NPC) multi-level dc-dc dual-active bridge (ML-DAB) which allows maximum power point tracking (MPPT). The integrated high frequency transformer provides the galvanic isolation between the PV and grid side and also steps up the low dc voltage from PV source. Following the ML-DAB stage, in each port, is a NPC inverter.more » N number of NPC inverters’ outputs are cascaded to attain the per-phase line-to-neutral voltage to connect directly to the distribution grid (i.e., 13.8 kV). The cascaded NPC (CNPC) inverters have the inherent advantage of using lower rated devices, smaller filters and low total harmonic distortion required for PV grid interconnection. The proposed converter system is modular, scalable, and serviceable with zero downtime with lower foot print and lower overall cost. A novel voltage balance control at each module based on power mismatch among N-ports, have been presented and verified in simulation. Analysis and simulation results are presented for the N-port converter. The converter performance has also been verified on a hardware prototype.« less

Market assessment of photovoltaic power systems for agricultural applications in Morocco

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steingass, H.; Asmon, I.

1981-01-01

Results of a month-long study in Morocco aimed at assessing the market potential for stand-alone photovoltaic systems in agriculture and rural service applications are presented. The following applications, requiring less than 15 kW of power, are described: irrigation, cattle watering, refrigeration, crop processing, potable water and educational TV. Telecommunications and transportation signalling applications, descriptions of power and energy use profiles, assessments of business environment, government and private sector attitudes towards photovoltaics, and financing were also considered. The Moroccan market presents both advantages and disadvantages for American PV manufacturers. The principle advantages of the Moroccan market are: a limited grid, interest in and present use of PV in communications applications, attractive investment incentives, and a stated policy favoring American investment. Disadvantages include: lack of government incentives for PV use, general unfamiliarity with PV technology, high first cost of PV, a well-established market network for diesel generators, and difficulty with financing. The market for PV in Morocco (1981-1986), will be relatively small, about 340 kwp. The market for PV is likely to be more favorable in telecommunications, transport signalling and some rural services. The primary market appears to be in the public (i.e., government) rather than private sector, due to financial constraints and the high price of PV relative to conventional power sector.

Market assessment of photovoltaic power systems for agricultural applications in Morocco

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steingass, H.; Asmon, I.

1981-09-01

Results of a month-long study in Morocco aimed at assessing the market potential for stand-alone photovoltaic systems in agriculture and rural service applications are presented. The following applications, requiring less than 15 kW of power, are described: irrigation, cattle watering, refrigeration, crop processing, potable water and educational TV. Telecommunications and transportation signalling applications, descriptions of power and energy use profiles, assessments of business environment, government and private sector attitudes towards photovoltaics, and financing were also considered. The Moroccan market presents both advantages and disadvantages for American PV manufacturers. The principle advantages of the Moroccan market are: a limited grid, interest in and present use of PV in communications applications, attractive investment incentives, and a stated policy favoring American investment. Disadvantages include: lack of government incentives for PV use, general unfamiliarity with PV technology, high first cost of PV, a well-established market network for diesel generators, and difficulty with financing. The market for PV in Morocco (1981-1986), will be relatively small, about 340 kwp. The market for PV is likely to be more favorable in telecommunications, transport signalling and some rural services. The primary market appears to be in the public (i.e., government) rather than private sector, due to financial constraints and the high price of PV relative to conventional power sector.

A technological review on electric vehicle DC charging stations using photovoltaic sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youssef, Cheddadi; Fatima, Errahimi; najia, Es-sbai; Chakib, Alaoui

2018-05-01

Within the next few years, Electrified vehicles are destined to become the essential component of the transport field. Consequently, the charging infrastructure should be developed in the same time. Among this substructure, Charging stations photovoltaic-assisted are attracting a substantial interest due to increased environmental awareness, cost reduction and rise in efficiency of the PV modules. The intention of this paper is to review the technological status of Photovoltaic–Electric vehicle (PV-EV) charging stations during the last decade. The PV-EV charging station is divided into two categories, which are PV-grid and PV-standalone charging systems. From a practical point view, the distinction between the two architectures is the bidirectional inverter, which is added to link the station to the smart grid. The technological infrastructure includes the common hardware components of every station, namely: PV array, dc-dc converter provided with MPPT control, energy storage unit, bidirectional dc charger and inverter. We investigate, compare and evaluate many valuable researches that contain the design and control of PV-EV charging system. Additionally, this concise overview reports the studies that include charging standards, the power converters topologies that focus on the adoption of Vehicle-to grid technology and the control for both PV–grid and PV standalone DC charging systems.

Moving Toward Quantifying Reliability - The Next Step in a Rapidly Maturing PV Industry: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurtz, Sarah; Sample, Tony; Wohlgemuth, John

2015-12-07

Some may say that PV modules are moving toward being a simple commodity, but most major PV customers ask: 'How can I minimize chances of a module recall?' Or, 'How can I quantify the added value of a 'premium' module?' Or, 'How can I assess the value of an old PV system that I'm thinking of purchasing?' These are all questions that PVQAT (the International PV Quality Assurance Task Force) and partner organizations are working to answer. Defining standard methods for ensuring minimal acceptable quality of PV modules, differentiating modules that provide added value in the toughest of environments, andmore » creating a process (e.g. through IECRE [1]) that can follow a PV system from design through installation and operation are tough tasks, but having standard approaches for these will increase confidence, reduce costs, and be a critical foundation of a mature PV industry. This paper summarizes current needs for new tests, some challenges for defining those tests, and some of the key efforts toward development of international standards, emphasizing that meaningful quantification of reliability (as in defining a service life prediction) must be done in the context of a specific product with design parameters defined through a quality management system.« less

The Papillomavirus Episteme: a central resource for papillomavirus sequence data and analysis.

PubMed

Van Doorslaer, Koenraad; Tan, Qina; Xirasagar, Sandhya; Bandaru, Sandya; Gopalan, Vivek; Mohamoud, Yasmin; Huyen, Yentram; McBride, Alison A

2013-01-01

The goal of the Papillomavirus Episteme (PaVE) is to provide an integrated resource for the analysis of papillomavirus (PV) genome sequences and related information. The PaVE is a freely accessible, web-based tool (http://pave.niaid.nih.gov) created around a relational database, which enables storage, analysis and exchange of sequence information. From a design perspective, the PaVE adopts an Open Source software approach and stresses the integration and reuse of existing tools. Reference PV genome sequences have been extracted from publicly available databases and reannotated using a custom-created tool. To date, the PaVE contains 241 annotated PV genomes, 2245 genes and regions, 2004 protein sequences and 47 protein structures, which users can explore, analyze or download. The PaVE provides scientists with the data and tools needed to accelerate scientific progress for the study and treatment of diseases caused by PVs.

Enhancement of real-time EPICS IOC PV management for the data archiving system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jae-Ha

2015-10-01

The operation of a 100-MeV linear proton accelerator, the major driving values and experimental data need to be archived. According to the experimental conditions, different data are required. Functions that can add new data and delete data in real time need to be implemented. In an experimental physics and industrial control system (EPICS) input output controller (IOC), the value of process variables (PVs) are matched with the driving values and data. The PV values are archived in text file format by using the channel archiver. There is no need to create a database (DB) server, just a need for large hard disk. Through the web, the archived data can be loaded, and new PV values can be archived without stopping the archive engine. The details of the implementation of a data archiving system with channel archiver are presented, and some preliminary results are reported.

Opportunities for co-location of solar PV with agriculture for cost reductions and carbon, water, and energy footprint mitigation in the tropics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, C. S.; Macknick, J.; Ravi, S.

2017-12-01

Recently, co-locating the production of agricultural crops or biofuels with solar photovoltaics (PV) installations has been studied as a possible strategy to mitigate the environmental impacts and the high cost of solar PV in arid and semi-arid regions. Co-located PV and agricultural systems can provide multiple benefits in these areas related to water savings, erosion control, energy access, and rural economic development. However, such studies have been rare for water-rich, land-limited tropical countries, where ideal agricultural growing conditions can be substantially different from those in arid regions. We consider a case study in Indonesia to address this research gap. As the fourth most populous nation with an ever-growing energy demand and high vulnerability to the effects of climate change, Indonesia is being prompted to develop means to electrify approximately one-fifth of its population that still lacks access to the grid without incurring increases in its carbon footprint. We address the following questions to explore the feasibility and the benefits of co-location of solar PV with patchouli cultivation and essential oil production: i) How do the lifetime carbon, water, and energy footprints per unit land area of co-located solar PV/patchouli compare to those of standalone diesel microgrid, solar PV or patchouli cultivation? ii) Does energy production from standalone solar PV, diesel/solar PV microgrid, or co-located solar PV/patchouli systems satisfy energy demands of a typical rural Indonesian village? iii) How does the net economic return of the co-located system compare to each standalone land use? iv) How can surplus energy from the co-located system benefit rural socioeconomics? To answer these questions, life cycle assessment and economic analysis are performed for each of the standalone and the co-located land uses utilizing known values and data collected from a field visit to the island of Java in Indonesia. Then, sensitivity analyses and Monte Carlo simulations are performed to examine the range of possible economic outcomes and net carbon, water, and energy footprints per unit area. Interviews and existing case studies are used to examine the rural socioeconomic outcomes and opportunities of the surplus energy.

Multi-country willingness to pay study on road-traffic environmental health effects: are people willing and able to provide a number?

PubMed

Istamto, Tifanny; Houthuijs, Danny; Lebret, Erik

2014-05-09

The health impacts from traffic-related pollutants bring costs to society, which are often not reflected in market prices for transportation. We set out to simultaneously assess the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for traffic-related air pollution and noise effect on health, using a single measurement instrument and approach. We investigated the proportion and determinants of "protest vote/PV responses (people who were against valuing their health in terms of money)" and "don't know"/DK answers, and explored the effect of DK on the WTP distributions. Within the framework of the EU-funded project INTARESE, we asked over 5,200 respondents in five European countries to state their WTP to avoid health effects from road traffic-related air pollution and noise in an open-ended web-based questionnaire. Determinants of PV and DK were studied by logistic regression using variables concerning socio-demographics, income, health and environmental concern, and risk perception. About 10% of the respondents indicated a PV response and between 47-56% of respondents gave DK responses. About one-third of PV respondents thought that costs should be included in transportation prices, i.e. the polluter should pay. Logistic regression analyses showed associations of PV and DK with several factors. In addition to social-demographic, economic and health factors known to affect WTP, environmental concern, awareness of health effects, respondent's ability to relax in polluted places, and their view on the government's role to reduce pollution and on policy to improve wellbeing, also affected the PV and DK response. An exploratory weighting and imputation exercise did not show substantial effects of DK on the WTP distribution. With a proportion of about 50%, DK answers may be a more relevant issue affecting WTP than PV's. The likelihood to give PV and DK response were influenced by socio-demographic, economic and health factors, as well as environmental concerns and appreciation of environmental conditions and policies. In contested policy issues where actual policy may be based on WTP studies, PV and DK answers may indeed affect the outcome of the WTP study. PV and DK answers and their determinants therefore deserve further study in CV studies on environmental health effects.

Systems Integration | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

& Engineering pages: Real-Time PV & Solar Resource Testing Accelerated Testing & Analysis integration support, system-level testing, and systems analysis for the Department of Energy's solar issues and develop solutions for high-penetration grid integration of solar technologies into the

An Analysis of Techno-Economic Requirements for MOSAIC CPV Systems to Achieve Cost Competitiveness

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horowitz, Kelsey A; Cunningham, David W.; Zahler, James

A comprehensive bottom-up cost model has been developed by NREL for ARPAE's MOSAIC micro-concentrator PV program. It will calculate LCOE for MOSAIC technologies and assess their cost competitiveness compared to traditional flat-plate systems.

SAIL: Summation-bAsed Incremental Learning for Information-Theoretic Text Clustering.

PubMed

Cao, Jie; Wu, Zhiang; Wu, Junjie; Xiong, Hui

2013-04-01

Information-theoretic clustering aims to exploit information-theoretic measures as the clustering criteria. A common practice on this topic is the so-called Info-Kmeans, which performs K-means clustering with KL-divergence as the proximity function. While expert efforts on Info-Kmeans have shown promising results, a remaining challenge is to deal with high-dimensional sparse data such as text corpora. Indeed, it is possible that the centroids contain many zero-value features for high-dimensional text vectors, which leads to infinite KL-divergence values and creates a dilemma in assigning objects to centroids during the iteration process of Info-Kmeans. To meet this challenge, in this paper, we propose a Summation-bAsed Incremental Learning (SAIL) algorithm for Info-Kmeans clustering. Specifically, by using an equivalent objective function, SAIL replaces the computation of KL-divergence by the incremental computation of Shannon entropy. This can avoid the zero-feature dilemma caused by the use of KL-divergence. To improve the clustering quality, we further introduce the variable neighborhood search scheme and propose the V-SAIL algorithm, which is then accelerated by a multithreaded scheme in PV-SAIL. Our experimental results on various real-world text collections have shown that, with SAIL as a booster, the clustering performance of Info-Kmeans can be significantly improved. Also, V-SAIL and PV-SAIL indeed help improve the clustering quality at a lower cost of computation.

Evolution of consumer information preferences with market maturity in solar PV adoption

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reeves, D. Cale; Rai, Varun; Margolis, Robert

Residential adoption of solar photovoltaics (PV) is spreading rapidly, supported by policy initiatives at the federal, state, and local levels. Potential adopters navigate increasingly complex decision-making landscapes in their path to adoption. Much is known about the individual-level drivers of solar PV diffusion that steer adopters through this process, but relatively little is known about the evolution of these drivers as solar PV markets mature. By understanding the evolution of emerging solar PV markets over time, stakeholders in the diffusion of solar PV can increase policy effectiveness and reduce costs. This analysis uses survey data to compare two adjacent marketsmore » across a range of relevant characteristics, then models changes in the importance of local vs cosmopolitan information sources by combining theory relating market maturity to adopter behavior with event-history techniques. In younger markets, earlier, innovative adoptions that are tied to a preference for cosmopolitan information sources are more prevalent than expected, suggesting a frustrated demand for solar PV that segues into adoptions fueled by local information preferences contemporary with similar adoptions in older markets. Furthermore, the analysis concludes with policy recommendations to leverage changing consumer information preferences as markets mature.« less

Evolution of consumer information preferences with market maturity in solar PV adoption

DOE PAGES

Reeves, D. Cale; Rai, Varun; Margolis, Robert

2017-07-04

Residential adoption of solar photovoltaics (PV) is spreading rapidly, supported by policy initiatives at the federal, state, and local levels. Potential adopters navigate increasingly complex decision-making landscapes in their path to adoption. Much is known about the individual-level drivers of solar PV diffusion that steer adopters through this process, but relatively little is known about the evolution of these drivers as solar PV markets mature. By understanding the evolution of emerging solar PV markets over time, stakeholders in the diffusion of solar PV can increase policy effectiveness and reduce costs. This analysis uses survey data to compare two adjacent marketsmore » across a range of relevant characteristics, then models changes in the importance of local vs cosmopolitan information sources by combining theory relating market maturity to adopter behavior with event-history techniques. In younger markets, earlier, innovative adoptions that are tied to a preference for cosmopolitan information sources are more prevalent than expected, suggesting a frustrated demand for solar PV that segues into adoptions fueled by local information preferences contemporary with similar adoptions in older markets. Furthermore, the analysis concludes with policy recommendations to leverage changing consumer information preferences as markets mature.« less

Evolution of consumer information preferences with market maturity in solar PV adoption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cale Reeves, D.; Rai, Varun; Margolis, Robert

2017-07-01

Residential adoption of solar photovoltaics (PV) is spreading rapidly, supported by policy initiatives at the federal, state, and local levels. Potential adopters navigate increasingly complex decision-making landscapes in their path to adoption. Much is known about the individual-level drivers of solar PV diffusion that steer adopters through this process, but relatively little is known about the evolution of these drivers as solar PV markets mature. By understanding the evolution of emerging solar PV markets over time, stakeholders in the diffusion of solar PV can increase policy effectiveness and reduce costs. This analysis uses survey data to compare two adjacent markets across a range of relevant characteristics, then models changes in the importance of local vs cosmopolitan information sources by combining theory relating market maturity to adopter behavior with event-history techniques. In younger markets, earlier, innovative adoptions that are tied to a preference for cosmopolitan information sources are more prevalent than expected, suggesting a frustrated demand for solar PV that segues into adoptions fueled by local information preferences contemporary with similar adoptions in older markets. The analysis concludes with policy recommendations to leverage changing consumer information preferences as markets mature.

Oxidative stability of egg and soy lecithin as affected by transition metal ions and pH in emulsion.

PubMed

Wang, Guang; Wang, Tong

2008-12-10

Oxidative stability of egg and soy lecithin in emulsion was evaluated with two transition metal ions, cupric and ferric ion, at two concentration levels (50 and 500 microM). The effect of pH on lipid oxidation was also examined under these two concentrations for each ion. Egg lecithin (EL) had similar peroxide value (PV) development pattern as soy lecithin (SL) when treated with cupric ion under both acidic and neutral pH. Acidic pH of 3 accelerated oxidation of both EL and SL, especially under high concentration of copper. When treated with ferric ion, EL oxidized much faster than SL did. EL had higher value of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) than SL, possibly because of its higher content of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Acidic pH accelerated TBARS development for both EL and SL, but EL had more significantly increased values. Cupric ion was more powerful than ferric in catalyzing oxidation of both EL and SL under both acidic and neutral pH conditions as measured by PV and TBARS. Linoleic acid may contribute to higher PV production, however, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid may have contributed more to TBARS production. Overall, SL showed better oxidative stability than EL under the experimental conditions. This study also suggests that using multiple methods is necessary in properly evaluating lipid oxidative stability.

Qualitative Characteristics and Determining Shelf-Life of Milk Beverage Product Supplemented with Coffee Extracts

PubMed Central

Kim, Jae-Hoon; Oh, Duk-Geun

2017-01-01

This study was conducted to establish the shelf-life of a milk beverage product supplemented with coffee extracts. Qualitative changes including peroxide value (PV), microorganism content, caffeine content, and sensory evaluation were measured periodically in beverages kept at 10, 20, and 30°C for 8 wk. Lipid oxidation of the product was measured by peroxide value analysis, and apparent changes were observed during a 4 wk storage period. Caffeine analysis revealed that the changes in caffeine content were negligible during the storage period. Total aerobic bacteria, Escherichia coli, yeast, and mold were not detected in the products during an 8 wk storage period. Sensory evaluation revealed that after 4 wk of storage overall acceptance was less than 3 points on a 5-point scale. In this study, PV was used as an indicator of the shelf-life of the milk beverage product. PV analysis revealed that a value of 20 meq/kg was the end of the shelf-life using the Arrhenius equation and the accelerated shelf-life test (ASLT). Assuming that the beverages are kept at 4°C during distribution, calculation of when the PV reached the quality limit point (20 meq/kg) was done with the equation ln(PV) = 0.3644X − 2.21834 and, using that equation, PV = e0.3644X-2.21834 was calculated. Therefore, 14.3086 wk was determined to be the shelf-life of the milk beverage supplemented with coffee when stored at 4°C. PMID:28515654

The Capital Intensity of Photovoltaics Manufacturing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Basore, Paul

2015-10-19

Factory capital expenditure (capex) for photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing strongly influences the per-unit cost of a c-Si module. This provides a significant opportunity to address the U.S. DOE SunShot module price target through capex innovation. Innovation options to reduce the capex of PV manufacturing include incremental and disruptive process innovation with c-Si, platform innovations, and financial approaches. and financial approaches.

Spectrum-splitting hybrid CSP-CPV solar energy system with standalone and parabolic trough plant retrofit applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orosz, Matthew; Zweibaum, Nicolas; Lance, Tamir; Ruiz, Maritza; Morad, Ratson

2016-05-01

Sunlight to electricity efficiencies of Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) plants are typically on the order of 15%, while commercial solar Photovoltaic (PV) technologies routinely achieve efficiencies of greater than 20%, albeit with much higher conversion efficiencies of photons at the band gap. Hybridizing concentrating solar power and photovoltaic technologies can lead to higher aggregate efficiencies due to the matching of photons to the appropriate converter based on wavelength. This can be accomplished through spectral filtering whereby photons unusable or poorly utilitized by PV (IR and UV) are passed through to a heat collection element, while useful photons (VIS) are reflected onto a concentrating PV (CPV) receiver. The mechanical design and experimental validation of spectral splitting optics is described in conjunction with system level modeling and economic analysis. The implications of this architecture include higher efficiency, lower cost hybrid CSP-PV power systems, as well as the potential to retrofit existing PTC plants to boost their output by ~ 10% at a projected investment cost of less than 1 per additional net Watt and an IRR of 18%, while preserving the dispatchability of the CSP plant's thermal energy storage.

Expanding Midscale Solar: Examining the Economic Potential, Barriers, and Opportunities at Offices, Hotels, Warehouses, and Universities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bird, Lori; Gagnon, Pieter; Heeter, Jenny

The midscale market for solar photovoltaics (PV), defined as behind-the-meter systems between 100 kW and 2 MW, has grown more slowly than other PV market segments in recent years. A number of key barriers have impeded growth, including tenant and landlord split incentives, contracting challenges, the mismatch in building lease and PV financing terms, and high transaction costs relative to project sizes. This report explores prospects for expansion of the midscale solar market, with a focus on four building segments: offices, hotels, warehouses, and universities.

Solar Access Public Capital (SAPC) Working Group: Best Practices in PV Operations and Maintenance; Version 1.0, March 2015; Period of Performance, January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2015

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Keating, T. J.; Walker, A.; Ardani, K.

2015-03-01

This PV O&M Best Practices Guide is designed to improve solar asset transparency for investors and rating agencies, provide an industry framework for quality management, and reduce transaction costs in the solar asset securitization process. The PV O&M Best Practices Guide is intended to outline the minimum requirements for third-party ownership providers (“Providers”). Adherence to the guide is voluntary. Providers that adhere to the guide are responsible for selfcertifying that they have fulfilled the guide requirements.

How, When, and Where? Assessing Renewable Energy Self-Sufficiency at the Neighborhood Level.

PubMed

Grosspietsch, David; Thömmes, Philippe; Girod, Bastien; Hoffmann, Volker H

2018-02-20

Self-sufficient decentralized systems challenge the centralized energy paradigm. Although scholars have assessed specific locations and technological aspects, it remains unclear how, when, and where energy self-sufficiency could become competitive. To address this gap, we develop a techno-economic model for energy self-sufficient neighborhoods that integrates solar photovoltaics (PV), conversion, and storage technologies. We assess the cost of 100% self-sufficiency for both electricity and heat, comparing different technical configurations for a stylized neighborhood in Switzerland and juxtaposing these findings with projections on market and technology development. We then broaden the scope and vary the neighborhood's composition (residential share) and geographic position (along different latitudes). Regarding how to design self-sufficient neighborhoods, we find two promising technical configurations. The "PV-battery-hydrogen" configuration is projected to outperform a fossil-fueled and grid-connected reference configuration when energy prices increase by 2.5% annually and cost reductions in hydrogen-related technologies by a factor of 2 are achieved. The "PV-battery" configuration would allow achieving parity with the reference configuration sooner, at 21% cost reduction. Additionally, more cost-efficient deployment is found in neighborhoods where the end-use is small commercial or mixed and in regions where seasonal fluctuations are low and thus allow for reducing storage requirements.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Puskar, Joseph David; Quintana, Michael A.; Sorensen, Neil Robert

A program is underway at Sandia National Laboratories to predict long-term reliability of photovoltaic (PV) systems. The vehicle for the reliability predictions is a Reliability Block Diagram (RBD), which models system behavior. Because this model is based mainly on field failure and repair times, it can be used to predict current reliability, but it cannot currently be used to accurately predict lifetime. In order to be truly predictive, physics-informed degradation processes and failure mechanisms need to be included in the model. This paper describes accelerated life testing of metal foil tapes used in thin-film PV modules, and how tape jointmore » degradation, a possible failure mode, can be incorporated into the model.« less

Proposed acceptance, qualification, and characterization tests for thin-film PV modules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waddington, D.; Mrig, L.; Deblasio, R.; Ross, R.

1988-01-01

Details of a proposed test program for PV thin-film modules which the Department of Energy has directed the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) to prepare are presented. Results of one of the characterization tests that SERI has performed are also presented. The objective is to establish a common approach to testing modules that will be acceptable to both users and manufacturers. The tests include acceptance, qualification, and characterization tests. Acceptance tests verify that randomly selected modules have similar characteristics. Qualification tests are based on accelerated test methods designed to simulate adverse conditions. Characterization tests provide data on performance in a predefined environment.

Emerging photovoltaic technologies: Environmental and health issues update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fthenakis, Vasilis M.; Moskowitz, Paul D.

1997-02-01

New photovoltaic (PV) technologies promise low-cost, reliable PV modules and have the potential for significant PV penetration into the energy market. These prospects for commercialization have attracted renewed interest in the advantageous environmental impact of using PV and also in the potential environmental, health and safety (EHS) burdens in PV manufacturing and decommissioning. In this paper, we highlight recent studies on EHS issues: a) An integrated energy-environmental-economic analysis which shows that large-scale use of PV can significantly contribute to alleviating the greenhouse effect; in the United States alone, it could displace 450 million tons of carbon emissions by the year 2030, b) Recycling of the spent modules and scarp is economically feasible; current research centers on improving the efficiency and economics of recycling CdTe and CIS modules, c) Toxicological studies conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) compared the acute toxicity of CdTe, CIS, and CGS; CdTe was the most toxic, and CGS the least toxic of the three. Additional studies are now comparing the systemic toxicity of these compounds with the toxicity of their precursors.

New Report Shines Light on Installed Costs and Deployment Barriers for

Science.gov Websites

Laboratory (NREL) are making available the most detailed component and system-level cost breakdowns to date previously unknown soft costs for the first time. The report, titled "Installed Cost Benchmarks and interest in pairing distributed PV with storage, but there's a lack of publicly available cost data and

Distribution Grid Integration Costs Under High PV Penetrations Workshop |

Science.gov Websites

grids. These distribution grid integration costs are one component of a complete cost-benefit analysis . Engaging stakeholders to coalesce around transparent and mutually acceptable frameworks for cost-benefit -voltage only). In particular, there was be a focus on methods most appropriate for cost-benefit analysis

Understanding the Evolution of Customer Motivations and Adoption Barriers in Residential Solar Markets: Survey Data

DOE Data Explorer

Sigrin, Ben; Dietz, Tom; Henry, Adam; Ingle, Aaron; Lutzenhiser, Loren; Moezzi, Mithra; Spielman, Seth; Stern, Paul; Todd, Annika; Tong, James; Wolske, Kim

2017-06-12

This research focused on accelerating solar photovoltaic (PV) diffusion by collecting new market data and developing predictive modeling frameworks to test and refine understandings of household level motivations for adopting solar. Three different household-level surveys were fielded: one for households who had installed PV on their current home or had signed a contract to do so (the Adopter survey), one for households that had seriously considered PV but had not installed it (the Considerer survey), and one for the general population who did not have PV on their current home (the general population survey or GPS). Survey respondents were from four U.S. states: New Jersey, New York, Arizona, and California. Details of recruiting and sampling are documented below. Research projects on residential PV adoption often collect data only from PV adopters or from the general population. One of the innovations of this project was the three-pronged household survey data collection. By collecting similar data from three fairly different "statuses" with respect to adoption, the surveys provide a basis for understanding how those who do not have rooftop PV differ from those who have, for how and why people do (or don't) transition from not having to having rooftop PV on their home, and for understanding the characteristics and viewpoints of households who have scarcely, or not at all, entered the "PV consideration" track. All three surveys covered single-family owner-occupied households in each of the four target states used in the project -- Arizona, California, New Jersey, and New York - allowing a comparative approach to understanding how the factors that affect PV adoption vary by geography and policy conditions. The General Population and Considerer surveys provide a basis for understanding opinions about and interest in solar, and how these relate to household demographics and other conditions. Paired with the Adopter survey, they also provide data for understanding how those who do not have rooftop PV differ from those who have, and for how and why people do (or don't) transition from not having to having rooftop PV on their home. The Adopter survey questions were designed to capture a broad range of information on what motivates and impedes households to install rooftop PV, as well as the details and timing of the decision and installation. Survey instrument development drew from existing PV adoption survey instruments, PV adoption literature, and research team experience, as well as from past work on household interest in energy efficiency, environmental attitudes, purchasing tendencies, and related knowledge. Early interviews and discussions with installers and others in the PV industry were also taken into consideration.

An economic analysis comparison of stationary and dual-axis tracking grid-connected photovoltaic systems in the US Upper Midwest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Wongyu; Pate, Michael B.; Warren, Ryan D.; Nelson, Ron M.

2018-05-01

This paper presents an economic analysis of stationary and dual-axis tracking photovoltaic (PV) systems installed in the US Upper Midwest in terms of life-cycle costs, payback period, internal rate of return, and the incremental cost of solar energy. The first-year performance and energy savings were experimentally found along with documented initial cost. Future PV performance, savings, and operating and maintenance costs were estimated over 25-year assumed life. Under the given assumptions and discount rates, the life-cycle savings were found to be negative. Neither system was found to have payback periods less than the assumed system life. The lifetime average incremental costs of energy generated by the stationary and dual-axis tracking systems were estimated to be 0.31 and 0.37 per kWh generated, respectively. Economic analyses of different scenarios, each having a unique set of assumptions for costs and metering, showed a potential for economic feasibility under certain conditions when compared to alternative investments with assumed yields.

Solar Market Research and Analysis Publications | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

lifespan, and saving costs. The report is an expanded edition of an interim report published in 2015. Cost achieving the SETO 2030 residential PV cost target of $0.05 /kWh by identifying and quantifying cost reduction opportunities. Distribution Grid Integration Unit Cost Database: This database contains unit cost

Performance and economics of the PV hybrid power system at Dangling Rope Marina, Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenthal, Andrew L.

1999-03-01

The National Park Service has operated a large photovoltaic (PV) hybrid power system at the Dangling Rope Marina since August 1996. Performance and economic analyses for this system based on its first year of operation have been published elsewhere [1,2]. Now, as the system enters its third year of operation, recent changes to the site electrical load and impending additions to the PV array raise new interest in this site as the subject of analysis and evaluation. In 1998, energy conservation measures reduced the site electrical load by 10-12%. At the same time, funding has been allocated to expand the PV array by 40% in 1999. This paper analyzes the effects that these changes will have on the site's fuel use and 20-year life cycle cost.

Optimized design and control of an off grid solar PV/hydrogen fuel cell power system for green buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghenai, C.; Bettayeb, M.

2017-11-01

Modelling, simulation, optimization and control strategies are used in this study to design a stand-alone solar PV/Fuel Cell/Battery/Generator hybrid power system to serve the electrical load of a commercial building. The main objective is to design an off grid energy system to meet the desired electric load of the commercial building with high renewable fraction, low emissions and low cost of energy. The goal is to manage the energy consumption of the building, reduce the associate cost and to switch from grid-tied fossil fuel power system to an off grid renewable and cleaner power system. Energy audit was performed in this study to determine the energy consumption of the building. Hourly simulations, modelling and optimization were performed to determine the performance and cost of the hybrid power configurations using different control strategies. The results show that the hybrid off grid solar PV/Fuel Cell/Generator/Battery/Inverter power system offers the best performance for the tested system architectures. From the total energy generated from the off grid hybrid power system, 73% is produced from the solar PV, 24% from the fuel cell and 3% from the backup Diesel generator. The produced power is used to meet all the AC load of the building without power shortage (<0.1%). The hybrid power system produces 18.2% excess power that can be used to serve the thermal load of the building. The proposed hybrid power system is sustainable, economically viable and environmentally friendly: High renewable fraction (66.1%), low levelized cost of energy (92 /MWh), and low carbon dioxide emissions (24 kg CO2/MWh) are achieved.

DGIC Interconnection Insights | Distributed Generation Interconnection

Science.gov Websites

Collaborative | NREL disseminate analysis findings to inform decision making and planning. Cost (SEPA) What is the need for cost certainty? As the distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) industry has , equitably and at a reasonable cost. This dynamic is now playing out in the cost certainty proposals being

Time matters: A stock-pollution approach to authorisation decision-making for PBT/vPvB chemicals under REACH.

PubMed

Gabbert, Silke; Hilber, Isabel

2016-12-01

A core aim of the European chemicals legislation REACH is to ensure that the risks caused by substances of very high concern (SVHC) are adequately controlled. Authorisation - i.e. the formal approval of certain uses of SVHC for a limited time - is a key regulatory instrument in order to achieve this goal. For SVHC which are, in addition to their toxicity, (very) persistent and/or (very) bioaccumulative (PBT/vPvB chemicals), decision-making on the authorisation is conditional on a socio-economic analysis (SEA). In a SEA companies must demonstrate that the gains from keeping a chemical in use outweigh expected damage costs for society. The current setup of the REACH authorisation process, including existing guidance on performing a SEA, ignores that PBT/vPvB chemicals are stock pollutants. This paper explores the implications of incorporating stock pollution effects of these chemicals into a SEA on authorisation decision-making. We develop a cost-benefit approach which includes stock dynamics of PBT/vPvB chemicals. This allows identifying the decision rules for granting or refusing an authorisation. Furthermore, we generalize the model to an entire set of damage functions. We show that ignoring stock pollution effects in a SEA may lead to erroneous decisions on the use of PBT/vPvB chemicals because long-term impacts are not adequately captured. Using a historic case of DDT soil contamination as an illustrative example we discuss information requirements and challenges for authorisation decisions on the use of PBT/vPvB chemicals under REACH. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Space Environment Testing of Photovoltaic Array Systems at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, Brandon S.; Schneider, Todd A.; Vaughn, Jason A.; Wright, Kenneth H., Jr.

2015-01-01

To successfully operate a photovoltaic (PV) array system in space requires planning and testing to account for the effects of the space environment. It is critical to understand space environment interactions not only on the PV components, but also the array substrate materials, wiring harnesses, connectors, and protection circuitry (e.g. blocking diodes). Key elements of the space environment which must be accounted for in a PV system design include: Solar Photon Radiation, Charged Particle Radiation, Plasma, and Thermal Cycling. While solar photon radiation is central to generating power in PV systems, the complete spectrum includes short wavelength ultraviolet components, which photo-ionize materials, as well as long wavelength infrared which heat materials. High energy electron radiation has been demonstrated to significantly reduce the output power of III-V type PV cells; and proton radiation damages material surfaces - often impacting coverglasses and antireflective coatings. Plasma environments influence electrostatic charging of PV array materials, and must be understood to ensure that long duration arcs do not form and potentially destroy PV cells. Thermal cycling impacts all components on a PV array by inducing stresses due to thermal expansion and contraction. Given such demanding environments, and the complexity of structures and materials that form a PV array system, mission success can only be ensured through realistic testing in the laboratory. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center has developed a broad space environment test capability to allow PV array designers and manufacturers to verify their system's integrity and avoid costly on-orbit failures. The Marshall Space Flight Center test capabilities are available to government, commercial, and university customers. Test solutions are tailored to meet the customer's needs, and can include performance assessments, such as flash testing in the case of PV cells.

Experimental grid connected PV system power analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semaoui, Smail; Abdeladim, Kamel; Arab, Amar Hadj; Boulahchich, Saliha; Amrouche, Said Ould; Yassaa, Noureddine

2018-05-01

Almost 80 % of Algerian territory is appropriate for the exploitation of solar energy. The Algerian energetic strategy provides a substantial injection of PV electricity to the national grid. Currently, about 344 MWp of PV arrays which corresponds approximately to 2,34 km2 of module surfaces, are connected on electricity grid over the national territory. The Algerian Northern regions are characterized by strong pollution and high humidity. These phenomena affect the energetic productivity of PV generator. The objective of our study is to analyze experimental grid connected PV system power in coastal locations. Hence, experiments have been conducted on three identical PV systems to determine the electrical performances. Transformer-less inverters are the most attractive for the ground-based photovoltaic (PV) system due to their efficiencies, reduced cost and weight. Besides, the absence of the galvanic isolation generates problems of capacitive leakage current on the AC side and the degradation of the insulation resistance on the DC side of the inverter. In this work, experimental study of the behavior of single-phase inverters without transformers is presented. The main objective of this work is to study the degradation of the insulation resistance at the input of the inverter, and the capacitive leakage current at the output of the inverter. This study was achieved at the CDER on a rainy day of 15/03/2017, on the first PV plant connected to the low voltage network in Algeria. This investigation can help forecasting the PV array energetic production by taking into account natural conditions.

Thin Film CIGS and CdTe Photovoltaic Technologies: Commercialization, Critical Issues, and Applications; Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ullal, H. S.; von Roedern, B.

2007-09-01

We report here on the major commercialization aspects of thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technologies based on CIGS and CdTe (a-Si and thin-Si are also reported for completeness on the status of thin-film PV). Worldwide silicon (Si) based PV technologies continues to dominate at more than 94% of the market share, with the share of thin-film PV at less than 6%. However, the market share for thin-film PV in the United States continues to grow rapidly over the past several years and in CY 2006, they had a substantial contribution of about 44%, compared to less than 10% in CY 2003. Inmore » CY 2007, thin-film PV market share is expected to surpass that of Si technology in the United States. Worldwide estimated projections for CY 2010 are that thin-film PV production capacity will be more than 3700 MW. A 40-MW thin-film CdTe solar field is currently being installed in Saxony, Germany, and will be completed in early CY 2009. The total project cost is Euro 130 million, which equates to an installed PV system price of Euro 3.25/-watt averaged over the entire solar project. This is the lowest price for any installed PV system in the world today. Critical research, development, and technology issues for thin-film CIGS and CdTe are also elucidated in this paper.« less

Solar San Diego: The Impact of Binomial Rate Structures on Real PV-Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Geet, O.; Brown, E.; Blair, T.

2008-01-01

There is confusion in the marketplace regarding the impact of solar photovoltaics (PV) on the user's actual electricity bill under California Net Energy Metering, particularly with binomial tariffs (those that include both demand and energy charges) and time-of-use (TOU) rate structures. The City of San Diego has extensive real-time electrical metering on most of its buildings and PV systems, with interval data for overall consumption and PV electrical production available for multiple years. This paper uses 2007 PV-system data from two city facilities to illustrate the impacts of binomial rate designs. The analysis will determine the energy and demand savingsmore » that the PV systems are achieving relative to the absence of systems. A financial analysis of PV-system performance under various rates structures is presented. The data revealed that actual demand and energy use benefits of bionomial tariffs increase in summer months, when solar resources allow for maximized electricity production. In a binomial tariff system, varying on- and semi-peak times can result in approximately $1,100 change in demand charges per month over not having a PV system in place, an approximate 30% cost savings. The PV systems are also shown to have a 30%-50% reduction in facility energy charges in 2007. Future work will include combining demand and electricity charges and increasing the breadth of rate structures tested, including the impacts of non-coincident demand charges.« less

Effects of dust accumulation and module cleaning on performance ratio of solar rooftop system and solar power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakarapunthip, Nattakarn; Chenvidhya, Dhirayut; Chuangchote, Surawut; Kirtikara, Krissanapong; Chenvidhya, Tanokkorn; Onreabroy, Wandee

2017-08-01

Thailand is an agricultural country, with rice, sugar, and cassava as the major export products. Production of rice, sugar cane, and cassava entails agricultural activities that give rise to significant airborne dusts. In this work, five photovoltaic (PV) units (one solar rooftop and four power plants) are selected for the study. From the study of dust accumulation on glass surface located near rice farms, it was found that opaque areas due to the deposition of dust are 11-14% after 1-2-week exposure. As a consequence, PV system performance is affected. Performance ratio was calculated to determine these effects. Overall results reveal that during the dry and hot seasons, dust deposition significantly affects the performance ratio. The performance ratio reduces by 1.6-3% for 1-month dust accumulation and reduces by 6-8% for 2-month dust accumulation. After cleaning the dust accumulated, the performance ratio greatly increases, resulting in the increase in the energy output by 10%. This increase provides economic and cost benefits of PV cleaning. The performance ratio is not significantly changed during the rainy season, which PV modules are relatively clean as the dust is washed away by rain. It was also found that most of the solar power plants in Thailand still rely on manual cleaning of PV modules with washing water followed by wiping. However, only one power plant, employs a machine for cleaning, resulting in lower cleaning costs.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horowitz, Kelsey A; Ding, Fei; Mather, Barry A

This presentation was given at the 2017 NREL Workshop 'Benchmarking Distribution Grid Integration Costs Under High Distributed PV Penetrations.' It provides a brief overview of recent and ongoing NREL work on distribution system grid integration costs, as well as challenges and needs from the community.

Pharmacovigilance in Crisis: Drug Safety at a Crossroads.

PubMed

Price, John

2018-05-01

Pharmacovigilance (PV) is under unprecedented stress from fundamental changes in a booming pharmaceutical industry, from the challenges of creating and maintaining an increasingly complex PV system in a globally diverse regulatory environment, and from unpredicted consequences of historical PV cost-reduction strategies. At the same time, talent availability lags demand, and many PV professionals may no longer be finding personal fulfillment in their careers. The situation creates risks for companies. Advantages and disadvantages of potential strategies to address this increasing problem at a corporate and industry level and in collaboration with regulatory agencies are discussed, as well as opportunities to adopt new technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine-learning to automate pharmacovigilance operations. These approaches would address burdensome and wasteful effort assuring regulatory compliance and free up resources to support the original mission of PV as an important public health activity and to reinvest in the development of new drugs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sizing and modelling of photovoltaic water pumping system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Badi, A.; Yousef, H.; Al Mahmoudi, T.; Al-Shammaki, M.; Al-Abri, A.; Al-Hinai, A.

2018-05-01

With the decline in price of the photovoltaics (PVs) their use as a power source for water pumping is the most attractive solution instead of using diesel generators or electric motors driven by a grid system. In this paper, a method to design a PV pumping system is presented and discussed, which is then used to calculate the required size of the PV for an existing farm. Furthermore, the amount of carbon dioxide emissions saved by the use of PV water pumping system instead of using diesel-fuelled generators or electrical motor connected to the grid network is calculated. In addition, an experimental set-up is developed for the PV water pumping system using both DC and AC motors with batteries. The experimental tests are used to validate the developed MATLAB model. This research work demonstrates that using the PV water pumping system is not only improving the living conditions in rural areas but it is also protecting the environment and can be a cost-effective application in remote locations.

Performance optimization of a hybrid micro-grid based on double-loop MPPT and SVC-MERS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Yewen; Hou, Xilun; Zhang, Xiang; Xiong, Shengnan; Peng, Fei

2018-02-01

With ever-increasing concerns on environmental pollution and energy shortage, the development of renewable resource has attracted a lot of attention. This paper first reviews both the wind and photovoltaic (PV) generation techniques and approaches of micro-grid voltage control. Then, a novel islanded micro-grid, which consists of wind & PV generation and hybrid-energy storage device, is built for application to remote and isolated areas. For the PV power generation branch, a double- maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique is developed to trace the sunlight and regulate the tilt angle of PV panels. For wind-power generation branch, squirrel cage induction generator (SCIG) is used as its simple structure, robustness and less cost. In order to stabilize the output voltage of SCIGs, a new Static Var Compensator named magnetic energy recovery switch (SVC-MERS) is applied. Finally, experimental results confirm that both of the proposed methods can improve the efficiency of PV power generation and voltage stability of the micro-grid, respectively.

Progress of the Photovoltaic Technology Incubator Project Towards an Enhanced U.S. Manufacturing Base: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ullal, H.; Mitchell, R.; Keyes, B.

In this paper, we report on the major accomplishments of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP) Photovoltaic (PV) Technology Incubator project. The Incubator project facilitates a company's transition from developing a solar cell or PV module prototype to pilot- and large-scale U.S. manufacturing. The project targets small businesses that have demonstrated proof-of-concept devices or processes in the laboratory. Their success supports U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu's SunShot Initiative, which seeks to achieve PV technologies that are cost-competitive without subsidies at large scale with fossil-based energy sources by the end of this decade. The Incubatormore » Project has enhanced U.S. PV manufacturing capacity and created more than 1200 clean energy jobs, resulting in an increase in American economic competitiveness. The investment raised to date by these PV Incubator companies as a result of DOE's $ 59 million investment totals nearly $ 1.3 billion.« less

High gain solar photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, B.; Finot, M.; Heiken, B.; Trowbridge, T.; Ackler, H.; Leonard, L.; Johnson, E.; Chang, B.; Keating, T.

2009-08-01

Skyline Solar Inc. has developed a novel silicon-based PV system to simultaneously reduce energy cost and improve scalability of solar energy. The system achieves high gain through a combination of high capacity factor and optical concentration. The design approach drives innovation not only into the details of the system hardware, but also into manufacturing and deployment-related costs and bottlenecks. The result of this philosophy is a modular PV system whose manufacturing strategy relies only on currently existing silicon solar cell, module, reflector and aluminum parts supply chains, as well as turnkey PV module production lines and metal fabrication industries that already exist at enormous scale. Furthermore, with a high gain system design, the generating capacity of all components is multiplied, leading to a rapidly scalable system. The product design and commercialization strategy cooperate synergistically to promise dramatically lower LCOE with substantially lower risk relative to materials-intensive innovations. In this paper, we will present the key design aspects of Skyline's system, including aspects of the optical, mechanical and thermal components, revealing the ease of scalability, low cost and high performance. Additionally, we will present performance and reliability results on modules and the system, using ASTM and UL/IEC methodologies.

Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bloom, Aaron; Townsend, Aaron; Palchak, David

2016-08-01

The Eastern Interconnection (EI) is one of the largest power systems in the world, and its size and complexity have historically made it difficult to study in high levels of detail in a modeling environment. In order to understand how this system might be impacted by high penetrations (30% of total annual generation) of wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) during steady state operations, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) conducted the Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study (ERGIS). This study investigates certain aspects of the reliability and economic efficiency problem faced by power systemmore » operators and planners. Specifically, the study models the ability to meet electricity demand at a 5-minute time interval by scheduling resources for known ramping events, while maintaining adequate reserves to meet random variation in supply and demand, and contingency events. To measure the ability to meet these requirements, a unit commitment and economic dispatch (UC&ED) model is employed to simulate power system operations. The economic costs of managing this system are presented using production costs, a traditional UC&ED metric that does not include any consideration of long-term fixed costs. ERGIS simulated one year of power system operations to understand regional and sub-hourly impacts of wind and PV by developing a comprehensive UC&ED model of the EI. In the analysis, it is shown that, under the study assumptions, generation from approximately 400 GW of combined wind and PV capacity can be balanced on the transmission system at a 5-minute level. In order to address the significant computational burdens associated with a model of this detail we apply novel computing techniques to dramatically reduce simulation solve time while simultaneously increasing the resolution and fidelity of the analysis. Our results also indicate that high penetrations of wind and PV (collectively variable generation (VG)), significantly impact the operation of traditional generating resources and cause these resources to be used less frequently and operate across a broader output range because wind and PV have lower operating costs and variable output levels.« less

Bilayer graphene phonovoltaic-FET: In situ phonon recycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melnick, Corey; Kaviany, Massoud

2017-11-01

A new heat harvester, the phonovoltaic (pV) cell, was recently proposed. The device converts optical phonons into power before they become heat. Due to the low entropy of a typical hot optical phonon population, the phonovoltaic can operate at high fractions of the Carnot limit and harvest heat more efficiently than conventional heat harvesting technologies such as the thermoelectric generator. Previously, the optical phonon source was presumed to produce optical phonons with a single polarization and momentum. Here, we examine a realistic optical phonon source in a potential pV application and the effects this has on pV operation. Supplementing this work is our investigation of bilayer graphene as a new pV material. Our ab initio calculations show that bilayer graphene has a figure of merit exceeding 0.9, well above previously investigated materials. This allows a room-temperature pV to recycle 65% of a highly nonequilibrium, minimum entropy population of phonons. However, full-band Monte Carlo simulations of the electron and phonon dynamics in a bilayer graphene field-effect transistor (FET) show that the optical phonons emitted by field-accelerated electrons can only be recycled in situ with an efficiency of 50%, and this efficiency falls as the field strength grows. Still, an appropriately designed FET-pV can recycle the phonons produced therein in situ with a much higher efficiency than a thermoelectric generator can harvest heat produced by a FET ex situ.

Environmental and Economic Performance of Commercial-scale Solar Photovoltaic Systems: A Field Study of Complex Energy Systems at the Desert Research Institute (DRI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, X.

2014-12-01

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are being aggressively deployed at residential, commercial, and utility scales to complement power generation from conventional sources. This is motivated both by the desire to reduce carbon footprints and by policy-driven financial incentives. Although several life cycle analyses (LCA) have investigated environmental impacts and energy payback times of solar PV systems, most results are based on hypothetical systems rather than actual, deployed systems that can provide measured performance data. Over the past five years, Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Nevada has installed eight solar PV systems of scales from 3 to 1000 kW, the sum of which supply approximately 40% of the total power use at DRI's Reno and Las Vegas campuses. The goal of this work is to explore greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts and examine the economic performance of DRI's PV systems by developing and applying a comprehensive LCA and techno-economic (TEA) model. This model is built using data appropriate for each type of panel used in the DRI systems. Power output is modeled using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) model PVWatts. The performance of PVWatts is verified by the actual measurements from DRI's PV systems. Several environmental and economic metrics are quantified for the DRI systems, including life cycle GHG emissions and energy return. GHG results are compared with Nevada grid-based electricity. Initial results indicate that DRI's solar-derived electricity offers clear GHG benefits compared to conventional grid electricity. DRI's eight systems have GHG intensity values of 29-56 gCO2e/kWh, as compared to the GHG intensity of 212 gCO2e/kWh of national average grid power. The major source of impacts (82-92% of the total) is the upstream life cycle burden of manufacturing PV panels, which are made of either mono-crystalline or multi-crystalline silicon. Given the same type of PV panel, GHG intensity decreases as the scale of the system increases. Energy payback times of DRI's solar PV systems range from 0.5 to 1.5 years. The cost payback time for the DRI PV systems and the cost per ton of CO2 avoided by replacing Nevada-specific electrical power will be determined. The sensitivity of these environmental and economic impacts with respect to specific model parameters is being investigated.

Multi-country willingness to pay study on road-traffic environmental health effects: are people willing and able to provide a number?

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The health impacts from traffic-related pollutants bring costs to society, which are often not reflected in market prices for transportation. We set out to simultaneously assess the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for traffic-related air pollution and noise effect on health, using a single measurement instrument and approach. We investigated the proportion and determinants of “protest vote/PV responses (people who were against valuing their health in terms of money)” and “don’t know”/DK answers, and explored the effect of DK on the WTP distributions. Methods Within the framework of the EU-funded project INTARESE, we asked over 5,200 respondents in five European countries to state their WTP to avoid health effects from road traffic-related air pollution and noise in an open-ended web-based questionnaire. Determinants of PV and DK were studied by logistic regression using variables concerning socio-demographics, income, health and environmental concern, and risk perception. Results About 10% of the respondents indicated a PV response and between 47-56% of respondents gave DK responses. About one-third of PV respondents thought that costs should be included in transportation prices, i.e. the polluter should pay. Logistic regression analyses showed associations of PV and DK with several factors. In addition to social-demographic, economic and health factors known to affect WTP, environmental concern, awareness of health effects, respondent’s ability to relax in polluted places, and their view on the government’s role to reduce pollution and on policy to improve wellbeing, also affected the PV and DK response. An exploratory weighting and imputation exercise did not show substantial effects of DK on the WTP distribution. Conclusions With a proportion of about 50%, DK answers may be a more relevant issue affecting WTP than PV’s. The likelihood to give PV and DK response were influenced by socio-demographic, economic and health factors, as well as environmental concerns and appreciation of environmental conditions and policies. In contested policy issues where actual policy may be based on WTP studies, PV and DK answers may indeed affect the outcome of the WTP study. PV and DK answers and their determinants therefore deserve further study in CV studies on environmental health effects. PMID:24885941

U.S. Solar Photovoltaic System Cost Benchmark: Q1 2017

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fu, Ran; Feldman, David J.; Margolis, Robert M.

NREL has been modeling U.S. photovoltaic (PV) system costs since 2009. This year, our report benchmarks costs of U.S. solar PV for residential, commercial, and utility-scale systems built in the first quarter of 2017 (Q1 2017). Costs are represented from the perspective of the developer/installer, thus all hardware costs represent the price at which components are purchased by the developer/installer, not accounting for preexisting supply agreements or other contracts. Importantly, the benchmark this year (2017) also represents the sales price paid to the installer; therefore, it includes profit in the cost of the hardware, along with the profit the installer/developermore » receives, as a separate cost category. However, it does not include any additional net profit, such as a developer fee or price gross-up, which are common in the marketplace. We adopt this approach owing to the wide variation in developer profits in all three sectors, where project pricing is highly dependent on region and project specifics such as local retail electricity rate structures, local rebate and incentive structures, competitive environment, and overall project or deal structures.« less

Service lifetime prediction for encapsulated photovoltaic cells/minimodules

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Czanderna, A.W.; Jorgensen, G.J.

The overall purposes of this paper are to elucidate the crucial importance of predicting the service lifetime (SLP) for photovoltaics (PV) modules and to present an outline for developing a SLP methodology for encapsulated PV cells and minimodules. The specific objectives are (a) to illustrate the generic nature of SLP for several types of solar energy conversion or conversion devices, (b) to summarize the major durability issues concerned with these devices, (c) to justify using SLP in the triad of cost, performance, and durability instead of only durability, (d) to define and explain the seven major elements that comprise amore » generic SLP methodology, (e) to provide background about implementing the SLP methodology for PV cells and minimodules including the complexity of the encapsulation problems, (f) to summarize briefly the past focus of our task for improving and/or replacing ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) as a PV pottant, and (g) to provide an outline of our present and future studies using encapsulated PV cells and minimodules for improving the encapsulation of PV cells and predicting a service lifetime for them using the SLP methodology outlined in objective (d). By using this methodology, our major conclusion is that predicting the service lifetime of PV cells and minimodules is possible. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Residential Solar PV Systems in the Carolinas: Opportunities and Outcomes.

PubMed

Alqahtani, Bandar Jubran; Holt, Kyra Moore; Patiño-Echeverri, Dalia; Pratson, Lincoln

2016-02-16

This paper presents a first-order analysis of the feasibility and technical, environmental, and economic effects of large levels of solar photovoltaic (PV) penetration within the services areas of the Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) and Duke Energy Progress (DEP). A PV production model based on household density and a gridded hourly global horizontal irradiance data set simulates hourly PV power output from roof-top installations, while a unit commitment and real-time economic dispatch (UC-ED) model simulates hourly system operations. We find that the large generating capacity of base-load nuclear power plants (NPPs) without ramping capability in the region limits PV integration levels to 5.3% (6510 MW) of 2015 generation. Enabling ramping capability for NPPs would raise the limit of PV penetration to near 9% of electricity generated. If the planned retirement of coal-fired power plants together with new installations and upgrades of natural gas and nuclear plants materialize in 2025, and if NPPs operate flexibly, then the share of coal-fired electricity will be reduced from 37% to 22%. A 9% penetration of electricity from PV would further reduce the share of coal-fired electricity by 4-6% resulting in a system-wide CO2 emissions rate of 0.33 to 0.40 tons/MWh and associated abatement costs of 225-415 (2015$ per ton).

Solar Energy Prospecting in Remote Alaska: An Economic Analysis of Solar Photovoltaics in the Last Frontier State

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwabe, Paul

2016-02-11

This report provides a high-level examination of the potential economics of solar energy in rural Alaska across a geographically diverse sample of remote Alaska Native villages throughout the state. It analyzes at a high level what combination of diesel fuel prices, solar resource quality, and photovoltaic (PV) system costs could lead to an economically competitive moderate-scale PV installation at a remote village. The goal of this analysis is to provide a baseline economic assessment to highlight the possible economic opportunities for solar PV in rural Alaska for both the public and private sectors.

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Santo Domingo Pueblo in Sandoval County, New Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Geiger, J.; Lisell, L.; Mosey, G.

2013-07-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in accordance with the RE-Powering America's Land initiative, selected the Pueblo of Santo Domingo in Sandoval County, New Mexico, for a renewable energy production feasibility study. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) provided technical assistance for this project. The purpose of this report is to assess specific areas on the Pueblo for potential installation of photovoltaic (PV) systems and to estimate the cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options. The report also recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of these PV systems.

Summary of NREL's FY13-FY15 Photovoltaic Subprogram

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2017-03-31

In this report, you will find summaries of the completed FY13-FY15 Photovoltaic projects that were funded within NREL. The summaries describe the initial motivation for the project; significant achievements, including publications, intellectual property, and collaborations; and remaining challenges. Among the NREL projects, you will find research of almost every major PV technology - from the next generation of silicon PV to relatively new organic PVs - as well as projects advancing PV module durability and characterization. Each of these projects was designed to support SunShot's goals, putting the United States one step closer to widespread use of low-cost, clean electricity.

Turbulence convective heat transfer for cooling the photovoltaic cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arianmehr, Iman

Solar PV (photovoltaic) is a rapidly advancing renewable energy technology which converts sunlight directly into electricity. One of the outstanding challenges of the current PV technology is the reduction in its conversion efficiency with increasing PV panel temperature, which is closely associated with the increase in solar intensity and the ambient temperature surrounding the PV panels. To more effectively capture the available energy when the sun is most intense, significant efforts have been invested in active and passive cooling research over the last few years. While integrated cooling systems can lead to the highest total efficiencies, they are usually neither the most feasible nor the most cost effective solutions. This work examines some simple passive means of manipulating the prevailing wind turbulence to enhance convective heat transfer over a heated plate in a wind tunnel.

A new technique based on Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm for optimal sizing of stand-alone photovoltaic system.

PubMed

Mohamed, Ahmed F; Elarini, Mahdi M; Othman, Ahmed M

2014-05-01

One of the most recent optimization techniques applied to the optimal design of photovoltaic system to supply an isolated load demand is the Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm (ABC). The proposed methodology is applied to optimize the cost of the PV system including photovoltaic, a battery bank, a battery charger controller, and inverter. Two objective functions are proposed: the first one is the PV module output power which is to be maximized and the second one is the life cycle cost (LCC) which is to be minimized. The analysis is performed based on measured solar radiation and ambient temperature measured at Helwan city, Egypt. A comparison between ABC algorithm and Genetic Algorithm (GA) optimal results is done. Another location is selected which is Zagazig city to check the validity of ABC algorithm in any location. The ABC is more optimal than GA. The results encouraged the use of the PV systems to electrify the rural sites of Egypt.

A new technique based on Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm for optimal sizing of stand-alone photovoltaic system

PubMed Central

Mohamed, Ahmed F.; Elarini, Mahdi M.; Othman, Ahmed M.

2013-01-01

One of the most recent optimization techniques applied to the optimal design of photovoltaic system to supply an isolated load demand is the Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm (ABC). The proposed methodology is applied to optimize the cost of the PV system including photovoltaic, a battery bank, a battery charger controller, and inverter. Two objective functions are proposed: the first one is the PV module output power which is to be maximized and the second one is the life cycle cost (LCC) which is to be minimized. The analysis is performed based on measured solar radiation and ambient temperature measured at Helwan city, Egypt. A comparison between ABC algorithm and Genetic Algorithm (GA) optimal results is done. Another location is selected which is Zagazig city to check the validity of ABC algorithm in any location. The ABC is more optimal than GA. The results encouraged the use of the PV systems to electrify the rural sites of Egypt. PMID:25685507

Campus Energy Approach, REopt Overview, and Solar for Universities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elgqvist, Emma M; Van Geet, Otto D

2017-10-19

This presentation gives an overview of the climate neutral research campus framework for reducing energy use and meeting net zero electricity on research campuses. It gives an overview of REopt and the REopt Lite web tool, which can be used to evaluate cost optimal sizes of behind the meter PV and storage. It includes solar PV installation trends at universities and case studies for projects implemented on university campuses.

Enhancement of photovoltaic cell performance using periodic triangular gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bordatchev, Evgueni; Tauhiduzzaman, Mohammed; Dey, Rajat

2014-01-01

The solar energy industry strives to produce more efficient and yet cost effective solar panels each consisting of an array of photovoltaic (PV) cells. The goal of this study was to enhance the performance of PV cells through increasing the cells' optical efficiency defined as a percentage of surface incident light that reaches the PV material. This was achieved through the reduction of waveguide decoupling loss and Fresnel reflection losses by integrating specific nonimaging micro-optical structures on the top surface of existing PV cells. Due to this integration, optical efficiency and performance were increased through the enhancement of light trapping, light guiding, and in-coupling functionalities. Periodic triangular gratings (PTGs) were designed, nonsequentially modeled, optimized, and fabricated in polydimethylsiloxane as proposed micro-optical structures. Then the performance of PV cells with and without integrated PTGs was evaluated and compared. Initial optical simulation results show that an original PV cell (without PTG) exhibits an average optical efficiency of 32.7% over a range of incident light angles between 15 and 90 deg. Integration of the PTG allows the capture of incoming sunlight by total internal reflection (TIR), whence it is reflected back onto the PV cell for multiple consecutive chances for absorption and PV conversion. Geometry of the PTG was optimized with respect to an angle of light incidence of {15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90} deg. Optical efficiency of the geometrically optimized PTGs was then analyzed under the same set of incident light angles and a maximum optical efficiency of 54.1% was observed for a PV cell with integrated PTG optimized at 90 deg. This is a 53.3% relative improvement in optical performance when compared to an original PV cell. Functional PTG prototypes were then fabricated with optical surface quality (below 10 nm Ra) and integrated with PV cells demonstrating an increase in maximum power by 1.08 mW/cm (7.6% improvement in PV performance) and in short circuit current by 2.39 mA/cm (6.4% improvement).

The status of lightweight photovoltaic space array technology based on amorphous silicon solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanak, J. J.; Kaschmitter, J. L.

1991-05-01

An ultralight, flexible photovoltaic (PV) array of amorphous silicon (a-Si) has been identified as a potential low-cost power source for small satellites. We have conducted a survey of the status of the a-Si PV array technology with respect to present and future performance, availability, cost and risks. For existing, experimental array 'blankets' made of commercial cell material, utilizing metal foil substrates, the BOL performance at AM0 and 35 C includes total power up to 200 W, power per area of 64 W/sq m and power per weight of 258 W/kg. Doubling of power per weight occurs when polyimide substrates are used. Estimated EOL power output after 10 years in a nominal low-earth orbit would be 80 percent of BOL, the degradation being due to largely light-induced effects (minus 10 to minus 15 percent) and in part (minus 5 percent) to space radiation. Predictions for the year 1995 for flexible PV arrays, made on the basis of published results for rigid a-Si modules, indicate EOL power output per area and per weight of 105 W/sq m and 400 W/kg, respectively, while predictions for the late 1990s based on existing US national PV program goals indicate EOL values of 157 W/sq m and 600 W/kg. cost estimates by vendors for 200 W ultralight arrays in volume of over 1000 units range from $100/watt to $125/watt. Identified risks include the lack of flexible, space compatible encapsulant, the lack of space qualification effort, recent partial or full acquisitions of US manufacturers of a-Si cells by foreign firms, and the absence of a national commitment for a long-range development program toward developing of this important power source for space. One new US developer has emerged as a future potential supplier of a-Si PV devices on thin, polyimide substrates.

New York Solar Smart DG Hub-Resilient Solar Project: Economic and Resiliency Impact of PV and Storage on New York Critical Infrastructure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, Kate; Burman, Kari; Simpkins, Travis

Resilient PV, which is solar paired with storage ('solar-plus-storage'), provides value both during normal grid operation and power outages as opposed to traditional solar PV, which functions only when the electric grid is operating. During normal grid operations, resilient PV systems help host sites generate revenue and/or reduce electricity bill charges. During grid outages, resilient PV provides critical emergency power that can help people in need and ease demand on emergency fuel supplies. The combination of grid interruptions during recent storms, the proliferation of solar PV, and the growing deployment of battery storage technologies has generated significant interest in usingmore » these assets for both economic and resiliency benefits. This report analyzes the technical and economic viability for resilient PV on three critical infrastructure sites in New York City (NYC): a school that is part of a coastal storm shelter system, a fire station, and a NYCHA senior center that serves as a cooling center during heat emergencies. This analysis differs from previous solar-plus-storage studies by placing a monetary value on resiliency and thus, in essence, modeling a new revenue stream for the avoided cost of a power outage. Analysis results show that resilient PV is economically viable for NYC's critical infrastructure and that it may be similarly beneficial to other commercial buildings across the city. This report will help city building owners, managers, and policymakers better understand the economic and resiliency benefits of resilient PV. As NYC fortifies its building stock against future storms of increasing severity, resilient PV can play an important role in disaster response and recovery while also supporting city greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and relieving stress to the electric grid from growing power demands.« less

Electrochemical wastewater treatment directly powered by photovoltaic panels: electrooxidation of a dye-containing wastewater.

PubMed

Valero, David; Ortiz, Juan M; Expósito, Eduardo; Montiel, Vicente; Aldaz, Antonio

2010-07-01

Electrochemical technologies have proved to be useful for the treatment of wastewater, but to enhance their green characteristics it seems interesting to use a green electric energy such as that provided by photovoltaic (PV) cells, which are actually under active research to decrease the economic cost of solar kW. The aim of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility and utility of using an electrooxidation system directly powered by a photovoltaic array for the treatment of a wastewater. The experimental system used was an industrial electrochemical filter press reactor and a 40-module PV array. The influence on the degradation of a dye-containing solution (Remazol RB 133) of different experimental parameters such as the PV array and electrochemical reactor configurations has been studied. It has been demonstrated that the electrical configuration of the PV array has a strong influence on the optimal use of the electric energy generated. The optimum PV array configuration changes with the intensity of the solar irradiation, the conductivity of the solution, and the concentration of pollutant in the wastewater. A useful and effective methodology to adjust the EO-PV system operation conditions to the wastewater treatment is proposed.

Application of carbon nanotubes in perovskite solar cells: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oo, Thet Tin; Debnath, Sujan

2017-11-01

Solar power, as alternative renewable energy source, has gained momentum in global energy generation in recent time. Solar photovoltaics (PV) systems now fulfill a significant portion of electricity demand and the capacity of solar PV capacity is growing every year. PV cells efficiency has improved significantly following decades of research, evolving into third generations of PV cells. These third generation PV cells are set out to provide low-cost and efficient PV systems, further improving the commercial competitiveness of solar energy generation. Among these latest generations of PV cells, perovskite solar cells have gained attraction due to the simple manufacturing process and the immense growth in PV efficiency in a short period of research and development. Despite these advantages, perovskite solar cells are known for the weak stability and decomposition in exposure to humidity and high temperature, hindering the possibility of commercialization. This paper will discuss the role of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in improving the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells, in various components such as perovskite layer and hole transport layer, as well as the application of CNTs in unique aspects. These includes the use of CNTs fiber in making the perovskite solar cells flexible, as well as simplification of perovskite PV production by using CNT flash evaporation printing process. Despite these advances, challenges remain in incorporation CNTs into perovskite such as lower conversion efficiency compared to rare earth metals and improvements need to be made. Thus, the paper will be also highlighting the CNTs materials suggested for further research and improvement of perovskite solar cells.

Increasing Resiliency Through Renewable Energy Microgrids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, Katherine H; DiOrio, Nicholas A; Cutler, Dylan S

This paper describes a methodology to quantify the economic and resiliency benefit provided by renewable energy (RE) in a hybrid RE-storage-diesel microgrid. We present a case study to show how this methodology is applied to a multi-use/ multi-function telecommunications facility in southern California. In the case study, we first identify photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage system (BESS) technologies that minimize the lifecycle cost of energy at the site under normal, grid-connected operation. We then evaluate how those technologies could be incorporated alongside existing diesel generators in a microgrid to increase resiliency at the site, where resiliency is quantified inmore » terms of the amount of time that the microgrid can sustain the critical load during a grid outage. We find that adding PV and BESS to the existing backup diesel generators with a fixed fuel supply extends the amount of time the site could survive an outage by 1.8 days, from 1.7 days for the existing diesel-only backup system to 3.5 days for the PV/diesel/BESS hybrid system. Furthermore, even after diesel fuel supplies are exhausted, the site can continue to operate critical loads during daytime hours using just the PV/BESS when there is sufficient solar resource. We find that the site can save approximately $100,000 in energy costs over the 25-year lifecycle while doubling the amount of time they can survive an outage. The methodology presented here provides a template for increasing resiliency at telecomm sites by implementing renewable energy solutions, which provide additional benefits of carbon emission reduction and energy cost savings.« less

Considering the total cost of electricity from sunlight and the alternatives

DOE PAGES

none,

2015-04-15

Photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation has grown to about 17 GW in the United States, corresponding to one tenth of the global capacity. Most deployment in the country has happened during the last 6 years. Reflecting back, in early 2008 this author and his collaborators James Mason and Ken Zweibel, published in Scientific American and in Energy Policy a Solar Grand Plan demonstrating the feasibility of renewable energy in providing 69% of the United States electricity demand by 2050, while reducing CO2 emissions by 60% from 2005 levels; the PV contribution to this plan was assessed to be 250 GW bymore » 2030 and 2900 GW by 2050 [1]. The DOE's more detailed SunShot vision study, released in 2012, showed the possibility of having 300 GW of PV installed in the United States by 2030, and 630 GW by 2050. Assessing the sustainability of such rapid growth of photovoltaics necessitates undertaking a careful analysis because PV markets largely are enabled by its promise to produce reliable electricity with minimum environmental burdens. Measurable aspects of sustainability include cost, resource availability, and environmental impact. The question of cost concerns the affordability of solar energy compared to other energy sources throughout the world. Environmental impacts include local-, regional-, and global-effects, as well as the usage of land and water, which must be considered in a comparable context over a long time, multigenerational horizon. As a result, the availability of material resources matters to current and future-generations under the constraint of affordability.« less

Intra-Minute Cloud Passing Forecasting Based on a Low Cost IoT Sensor-A Solution for Smoothing the Output Power of PV Power Plants.

PubMed

Sukič, Primož; Štumberger, Gorazd

2017-05-13

Clouds moving at a high speed in front of the Sun can cause step changes in the output power of photovoltaic (PV) power plants, which can lead to voltage fluctuations and stability problems in the connected electricity networks. These effects can be reduced effectively by proper short-term cloud passing forecasting and suitable PV power plant output power control. This paper proposes a low-cost Internet of Things (IoT)-based solution for intra-minute cloud passing forecasting. The hardware consists of a Raspberry PI Model B 3 with a WiFi connection and an OmniVision OV5647 sensor with a mounted wide-angle lens, a circular polarizing (CPL) filter and a natural density (ND) filter. The completely new algorithm for cloud passing forecasting uses the green and blue colors in the photo to determine the position of the Sun, to recognize the clouds, and to predict their movement. The image processing is performed in several stages, considering selectively only a small part of the photo relevant to the movement of the clouds in the vicinity of the Sun in the next minute. The proposed algorithm is compact, fast and suitable for implementation on low cost processors with low computation power. The speed of the cloud parts closest to the Sun is used to predict when the clouds will cover the Sun. WiFi communication is used to transmit this data to the PV power plant control system in order to decrease the output power slowly and smoothly.

Intra-Minute Cloud Passing Forecasting Based on a Low Cost IoT Sensor—A Solution for Smoothing the Output Power of PV Power Plants

PubMed Central

Sukič, Primož; Štumberger, Gorazd

2017-01-01

Clouds moving at a high speed in front of the Sun can cause step changes in the output power of photovoltaic (PV) power plants, which can lead to voltage fluctuations and stability problems in the connected electricity networks. These effects can be reduced effectively by proper short-term cloud passing forecasting and suitable PV power plant output power control. This paper proposes a low-cost Internet of Things (IoT)-based solution for intra-minute cloud passing forecasting. The hardware consists of a Raspberry PI Model B 3 with a WiFi connection and an OmniVision OV5647 sensor with a mounted wide-angle lens, a circular polarizing (CPL) filter and a natural density (ND) filter. The completely new algorithm for cloud passing forecasting uses the green and blue colors in the photo to determine the position of the Sun, to recognize the clouds, and to predict their movement. The image processing is performed in several stages, considering selectively only a small part of the photo relevant to the movement of the clouds in the vicinity of the Sun in the next minute. The proposed algorithm is compact, fast and suitable for implementation on low cost processors with low computation power. The speed of the cloud parts closest to the Sun is used to predict when the clouds will cover the Sun. WiFi communication is used to transmit this data to the PV power plant control system in order to decrease the output power slowly and smoothly. PMID:28505078

CuInSe2-Based Thin-Film Photovoltaic Technology in the Gigawatt Production Era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kushiya, Katsumi

2012-10-01

The objective of this paper is to review current status and future prospect on CuInSe2 (CIS)-based thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technology. In CIS-based thin-film PV technology, total-area cell efficiency in a small-area (i.e., smaller than 1 cm2) solar cell with top grids has been over 20%, while aperture-area efficiency in a large-area (i.e., larger than 800 cm2 as definition) monolithic module is approaching to an 18% milestone. However, most of the companies with CIS-based thin-film PV technology still stay at a production research stage, except Solar Frontier K.K. In July, 2011, Solar Frontier has joined the gigawatt (GW) group by starting up their third facility with a 0.9-GW/year production capacity. They are keeping the closest position to pass a 16% module-efficiency border by transferring the developed technologies in the R&D and accelerating the preparation for the future based on the concept of a product life-cycle management.

Oxidative stability of high-oleic sunflower oil in a porous starch carrier.

PubMed

Belingheri, Claudia; Giussani, Barbara; Rodriguez-Estrada, Maria Teresa; Ferrillo, Antonio; Vittadini, Elena

2015-01-01

This study evaluates the oxidation level of high-oleic sunflower oil (HOSO) plated onto porous starch as an alternative to spray drying. Encapsulated oils were subjected to accelerated oxidation by heat and light exposure, and peroxide value (PV) and conjugated dienes (CD) were measured. Bulk oil was the control. PV increased in all samples with increased light exposure, with similar values being reached by oil carried on porous starch and spray dried oil. The encapsulation processes determined a reduced effect of light on the increase of CD in the oil, as compared to bulk oil. Spray dried oil presented the highest CD in the experimental domain considered. Since similar levels of PV and lower levels of CD were shown in the HOSO carried on porous starch compared to the spray dried HOSO, plating flavour oils on porous starch could be a suitable technological alternative to spray drying, for flavour encapsulation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Property Tax Assessments as a Finance Vehicle for Residential PV Installations: Opportunities and Potential Limitations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bolinger, Mark A; Bolinger, Mark

2008-02-01

Readily accessible credit has often been cited as a necessary ingredient to open up the market for residential photovoltaic (PV) systems. Though financing does not reduce the high up-front cost of PV, by spreading that cost over some portion of the system's life, financing can certainly make PV systems more affordable. As a result, a number of states have, in the past, set up special residential loan programs targeting the installation of renewable energy systems and/or energy efficiency improvements, and often featuring low interest rates, longer terms, and no-hassle application requirements. Historically, these loan programs have met with mixed successmore » (particularly for PV), for a variety of reasons, including: (1) historical lack of homeowner interest in PV, (2) lack of program awareness, (3) reduced appeal in a low-interest-rate environment, and (4) a tendency for early PV adopters to be wealthy, and not in need of financing. Although some of these barriers have begun to fade--most notably, homeowner interest in PV has grown in some states, particularly those that offer solar rebates--the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) introduced one additional roadblock to the success of low-interest PV loan programs: a residential solar investment tax credit (ITC), subject to the Federal government's 'anti-double-dipping' rules. Specifically, the residential solar ITC--equal to 30% of the system's tax basis, capped at $2000--will be reduced or offset if the system also benefits from what is known as 'subsidized energy financing', which is likely to include most government-sponsored low-interest loan programs. Within this context, it has been interesting to note the recent flurry of announcements from several U.S cities concerning a new type of PV financing program. Led by the City of Berkeley, California, these cities propose to offer their residents the ability to finance the installation of a PV system using increased property tax assessments, rather than a more-traditional credit vehicle, to recover both system and administrative costs. As discussed in more detail later, this seemingly innovative approach has a number of features that should appeal to PV owners, including: long-term, fixed-cost, attractive financing; loans that are tied to the tax capacity of the property rather than to the owner's credit standing; a repayment obligation that transfers along with the sale of the property; and a potential ability to deduct the repayment obligation from Federal taxable income, as part of the local property tax deduction. For these reasons, Berkeley's program--which was first announced on October 23, 2007--has received considerable nationwide attention in both the trade and general press. Since the announcement, cities from throughout California and the broader U.S. have expressed keen interest in the possibility of replicating this type of program. In California alone, the cities of Santa Cruz, Santa Monica, and Palm Desert are all reportedly considering similar programs, while the city of San Francisco has recently announced its own program, portions of which closely parallel Berkeley's approach. Berkeley's Proposed PV Program In addition, a bill (AB 811) that would authorize all cities (not just 'charter cities' like Berkeley) in California to create this type of program was approved by the California General Assembly on January 29, 2008 and passed on to the State Senate for consideration. That local governments from across California and the broader US are so genuinely excited about the prospect of supporting the installation of residential PV in their communities through this type of program is no doubt an interesting development. Given, however, the potential for such programs to negatively interact with the residential solar ITC, it is important to evaluate the financial attractiveness of this specific type of loan program, particularly in advance of any broader state- or nation-wide 'rollout'. This case study presents such an evaluation. Because Berkeley appears to have the most-well-developed proposal at the moment, this case study begins by describing Berkeley's program, as currently planned, in more detail. It then discusses subsidized energy financing and the potential negative tax implications of this type of program. Next, taking Berkeley's proposed program as a case study, it uses a simple pro forma financial model to first assess the potential financial benefit of the program relative to other commercially available financing options, and then to assess how much of that relative benefit might be eroded by the possible loss of the Federal ITC. Finally, it concludes by discussing potential actions that cities contemplating this sort of program might take to clarify the issues and optimize the value provided to participating residents.« less

NREL to Lead New Consortium to Improve Reliability and Performance of Solar

Science.gov Websites

for photovoltaics (PV) and lower the cost of electricity generated by solar power. The Durable Module the cost of electricity from photovoltaics." The Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency , DuraMat will address the substantial opportunities that exist for durable, high-performance, low-cost

Revolution Now 2016

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paul Donohoo-Vallett

Revolution Now is an annually updated report produced by the Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy that documents the accelerated deployment of five clean energy technologies thriving in the U.S. market – wind turbines, solar technologies for both utility-scale and distributed photovoltaic (PV), electric vehicles (EVs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fu, Ran; Feldman, David; Margolis, Robert

NREL has been modeling U.S. photovoltaic (PV) system costs since 2009. This year, our report benchmarks costs of U.S. solar PV for residential, commercial, and utility-scale systems built in the first quarter of 2017 (Q1 2017). Costs are represented from the perspective of the developer/installer, thus all hardware costs represent the price at which components are purchased by the developer/installer, not accounting for preexisting supply agreements or other contracts. Importantly, the benchmark this year (2017) also represents the sales price paid to the installer; therefore, it includes profit in the cost of the hardware, along with the profit the installer/developermore » receives, as a separate cost category. However, it does not include any additional net profit, such as a developer fee or price gross-up, which are common in the marketplace. We adopt this approach owing to the wide variation in developer profits in all three sectors, where project pricing is highly dependent on region and project specifics such as local retail electricity rate structures, local rebate and incentive structures, competitive environment, and overall project or deal structures.« less

Relative Economic Merits of Storage and Combustion Turbines for Meeting Peak Capacity Requirements under Increased Penetration of Solar Photovoltaics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denholm, Paul; Diakov, Victor; Margolis, Robert

Batteries with several hours of capacity provide an alternative to combustion turbines for meeting peak capacity requirements. Even when compared to state-of-the-art highly flexible combustion turbines, batteries can provide a greater operational value, which is reflected in a lower system-wide production cost. By shifting load and providing operating reserves, batteries can reduce the cost of operating the power system to a traditional electric utility. This added value means that, depending on battery life, batteries can have a higher cost than a combustion turbine of equal capacity and still produce a system with equal or lower overall life-cycle cost. For amore » utility considering investing in new capacity, the cost premium for batteries is highly sensitive to a variety of factors, including lifetime, natural gas costs, PV penetration, and grid generation mix. In addition, as PV penetration increases, the net electricity demand profile changes, which may reduce the amount of battery energy capacity needed to reliably meet peak demand.« less

The Influence of PV Module Materials and Design on Solder Joint Thermal Fatigue Durability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bosco, Nick; Silverman, Timothy J.; Kurtz, Sarah

Finite element model (FEM) simulations have been performed to elucidate the effect of flat plate photovoltaic (PV) module materials and design on PbSn eutectic solder joint thermal fatigue durability. The statistical method of Latin Hypercube sampling was employed to investigate the sensitivity of simulated damage to each input variable. Variables of laminate material properties and their thicknesses were investigated. Using analysis of variance, we determined that the rate of solder fatigue was most sensitive to solder layer thickness, with copper ribbon and silicon thickness being the next two most sensitive variables. By simulating both accelerated thermal cycles (ATCs) and PVmore » cell temperature histories through two characteristic days of service, we determined that the acceleration factor between the ATC and outdoor service was independent of the variables sampled in this study. This result implies that an ATC test will represent a similar time of outdoor exposure for a wide range of module designs. This is an encouraging result for the standard ATC that must be universally applied across all modules.« less

State - Level Regulation's Effectiveness in Addressing Global Climate Change and Promoting Solar Energy Deployment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterman, Carla Joy

Paper 1, Local Solutions to Global Problems: Climate Change Policies and Regulatory Jurisdiction, considers the efficacy of various types of environmental regulations when they are applied locally to pollutants whose damages extend beyond the jurisdiction of the local regulators. Local regulations of a global pollutant may be ineffective if producers and consumers can avoid them by transacting outside the reach of the local regulator. In many cases, this may involve the physical relocation of the economic activity, a problem often referred to as "leakage." This paper highlights another way in which local policies can be circumvented: through the shuffling of who buys from whom. The paper maintains that the problems of reshuffling are exacerbated when the options for compliance with the regulations are more flexible. Numerical analyses is presented demonstrating that several proposed policies to limit greenhouse gas emissions from the California electricity sector may have very little effect on carbon emissions if they are applied only within that state. Paper 1 concludes that although local subsidies for energy efficiency, renewable electricity, and transportation biofuels constitute attempts to pick technology winners, they may be the only mechanisms that local jurisdictions, acting alone, have at their disposal to address climate change. Paper 2, Pass-Through of Solar PV Incentives to Consumers: The Early Years of California's Solar PV Incentives, examines the pass through of incentives to California solar PV system owners. The full post-subsidy price consumers pay for solar power is a key metric of the success of solar PV incentive programs and of overall PV market performance. This study examines the early years of California's most recent wave of distributed solar PV incentives (2000-2008) to determine the pass-through of incentives. Examination of this period is both intellectually and pragmatically important due to the high level of incentives provided and subsequent high cost to ratepayers; policymakers' expectations that price declines accrue to consumers; and market structure characteristics that might contribute to incomplete pass-through. This analysis shows that incentive passthrough in the California residential solar PV programs was incomplete. Consumer prices declined 54 cents for every additional dollar of incentive received. A large share of the incentive is captured by the solar PV contractor or other actors in the solar PV supply chain. The finding of incomplete pass-through is persistent across specifications. The analysis also identifies a lower degree of incentive pass-through for consumers in the highest income zip codes. Whether expectations of incentives' pass-through align with reality is critically important in the beginning years of emerging clean energy technology programs since this can affect the likelihood of future government investments and public support. Given the often-held policy assumption that consumer prices are declining in response to incentives, it is useful for policymakers to understand the circumstances under which such an assumption may not hold. Paper 3, Testing the Boundaries of the Solar Photovoltaic Learning System, tests how the choice of experience curves' geographic and technology assumptions affect solar PV experience curve results. Historically, solar PV experience curves have assumed one experience curve represents both module and non-module learning and that this learning happens at a global scale. These assumptions may be inaccurate for solar PV since the learning system, and technology and geographic boundaries, are likely different between PV modules and non-module components. Using 2004 to 2008 PV system price data from 13 states, and a longer time series of PV price data for California, some evidence is found that cumulative capacity at the state level is a better predictor of non-module costs than U.S. or global capacity. This paper explores, but is unable to significantly determine, how knowledge spillovers from neighboring states can influence a state's non-module costs. Given data limitations, and limitations to the two-factor experience model methodology itself, it is not possible to conclusively determine the correct geographic boundary for the non-module learning system. Throughout the paper ways in which the experience curve model and data can be augmented to achieve a better estimation are discussed. 2.

Characterization of a low concentrator photovoltaics module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, B. A.; van Dyk, E. E.; Vorster, F. J.; Okullo, W.; Munji, M. K.; Booysen, P.

2012-05-01

Low concentration photovoltaic (LCPV) systems have the potential to reduce the cost per kWh of electricity compared to conventional flat-plate photovoltaics (PV) by up to 50%. The cost-savings are realised by replacing expensive PV cells with relatively cheaper optical components to concentrate incident solar irradiance onto a receiver and by tracking the sun along either 1 axis or 2 axes. A LCPV module consists of three interrelated subsystems, viz., the optical, electrical and the thermal subsystems, which must be considered for optimal module design and performance. Successful integration of these subsystems requires the balancing of cost, performance and reliability. In this study LCPV experimental prototype modules were designed, built and evaluated with respect to optimisation of the three subsystems and overall performance. This paper reports on the optical and electrical evaluation of a prototype LCPV module.

Design, testing, and economics of a 430 W sub p photovoltaic concentrator array for non grid-connected applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maish, A. B.; Rios, M., Jr.; Togami, H.

A stand-alone 430 W/sub p/ photovoltaic (PV) concentrating system for low power, non grid-connected applications has been designed, fabricated, and tested at Sandia National Laboratories. The array consists of four passively cooled Fresnel lens concentrating modules on a newly developed polar axis tracking structure. Two axis tracking is provided using a self powered clock drive unit mounted on a single post foundation. Test results of tracking accuracy, array output power, parasitic power, performance in winds and array reliability are discussed. using a range of estimated production costs for small production volumes, the life-cycle energy costs have been calculated and compared to the equivalent energy costs of a 3 kW diesel electric generator set and of an equivalent flat panel PV system.

On the Path to SunShot - Emerging Opportunities and Challenges in Financing Solar

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feldham, David; Bolinger, Mark

Financial innovations—independent of technology-cost improvements—could cut the cost of solar energy to customers and businesses by 30%–60% (see Feldman and Bolinger 2016). Financing is critical to solar deployment, because the costs of solar technologies are paid up front, while their benefits are realized over decades. Solar financing has been shaped by the government incentives designed to accelerate solar deployment. This is particularly true for federal tax incentives, which have spawned complex tax-equity structures that monetize tax benefits for project sponsors who otherwise could not use them efficiently. Although these structures have helped expand solar deployment, they are relatively costly andmore » inefficient. This has spurred solar stakeholders to develop lower-cost financing solutions such as securitization of solar project portfolios, solar-specific loan products, and methods for incorporating residential PV’s value into home values. To move solar further toward an unsubsidized SunShot future, additional financial innovation must occur. Development of a larger, more mature U.S. solar industry will likely increase financial transparency and investor confidence, which in turn will enable simpler, lower-cost financing methods. Utility-scale solar might be financed more like conventional generation assets are today, non-residential solar might be financed more like a new roof, and residential solar might be financed more like an expensive appliance. Assuming a constant, SunShot-level installed PV system price, such financing innovations could reduce PV’s LCOE by an estimated 30%–60% (depending on the sector) compared with historical financing approaches.« less

Impact of Flexibility Options on Grid Economic Carrying Capacity of Solar and Wind: Three Case Studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denholm, Paul; Novacheck, Joshua; Jorgenson, Jennie

In this study, we attempt to quantify the benefits of various options of grid flexibility by measuring their impact on two measures: economic carrying capacity and system costs. Flexibility can increase ECC and reduce overall system costs. In some cases, options that provide a limited increase in ECC can provide significant operational savings, thus demonstrating the need to evaluate flexibility options using multiple metrics. The value of flexibility options varies regionally due to different generation mixes and types of renewables. The more rapid decline in PV value compared to wind makes PV more dependent on adding flexibility options, including transmissionmore » and energy storage.« less

Design and economics of a photovoltaic concentrator array for off-grid applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maish, A. B.; Rios, M., Jr.

1982-09-01

The array design and expected operation of a photovoltaic concentrator are discussed. A second generation stand alone 680 W/sub p/ photovoltaic (PV) concentrating array for low power, nongrid connected applications was designed. The array consists of six passive cooled point focus Fresnel lens concentrating modules on a two axis polar mount tracking structure. The new array design incorporates several major improvements to the first generation design. These include 50% more array area and a control system which allows unattended, fully automatic operation. The life cycle energy costs are calculated and compared to the equivalent energy costs of a 3 kW diesel electric generator set and an equivalent flat panel PV system.

Power Hardware-in-the-Loop Evaluation of PV Inverter Grid Support on Hawaiian Electric Feeders: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nelson, Austin; Prabakar, Kumaraguru; Nagarajan, Adarsh

As more grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) inverters become compliant with evolving interconnections requirements, there is increased interest from utilities in understanding how to best deploy advanced grid-support functions (GSF) in the field. One efficient and cost-effective method to examine such deployment options is to leverage power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) testing methods. Two Hawaiian Electric feeder models were converted to real-time models in the OPAL-RT real-time digital testing platform, and integrated with models of GSF capable PV inverters that were modeled from characterization test data. The integrated model was subsequently used in PHIL testing to evaluate the effects of different fixed power factormore » and volt-watt control settings on voltage regulation of the selected feeders. The results of this study were provided as inputs for field deployment and technical interconnection requirements for grid-connected PV inverters on the Hawaiian Islands.« less

Impact of Rate Design Alternatives on Residential Solar Customer Bills. Increased Fixed Charges, Minimum Bills and Demand-based Rates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bird, Lori; Davidson, Carolyn; McLaren, Joyce

With rapid growth in energy efficiency and distributed generation, electric utilities are anticipating stagnant or decreasing electricity sales, particularly in the residential sector. Utilities are increasingly considering alternative rates structures that are designed to recover fixed costs from residential solar photovoltaic (PV) customers with low net electricity consumption. Proposed structures have included fixed charge increases, minimum bills, and increasingly, demand rates - for net metered customers and all customers. This study examines the electricity bill implications of various residential rate alternatives for multiple locations within the United States. For the locations analyzed, the results suggest that residential PV customers offset,more » on average, between 60% and 99% of their annual load. However, roughly 65% of a typical customer's electricity demand is non-coincidental with PV generation, so the typical PV customer is generally highly reliant on the grid for pooling services.« less

Location and Size Planning of Distributed Photovoltaic Generation in Distribution network System Based on K-means Clustering Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Siqi; Wang, Xiaorong; Wu, Junyong

2018-01-01

The paper presents a method to generate the planning scenarios, which is based on K-means clustering analysis algorithm driven by data, for the location and size planning of distributed photovoltaic (PV) units in the network. Taken the power losses of the network, the installation and maintenance costs of distributed PV, the profit of distributed PV and the voltage offset as objectives and the locations and sizes of distributed PV as decision variables, Pareto optimal front is obtained through the self-adaptive genetic algorithm (GA) and solutions are ranked by a method called technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS). Finally, select the planning schemes at the top of the ranking list based on different planning emphasis after the analysis in detail. The proposed method is applied to a 10-kV distribution network in Gansu Province, China and the results are discussed.

A circuit-based photovoltaic module simulator with shadow and fault settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Kuei-Hsiang; Chao, Yuan-Wei; Chen, Jyun-Ping

2016-03-01

The main purpose of this study was to develop a photovoltaic (PV) module simulator. The proposed simulator, using electrical parameters from solar cells, could simulate output characteristics not only during normal operational conditions, but also during conditions of partial shadow and fault conditions. Such a simulator should possess the advantages of low cost, small size and being easily realizable. Experiments have shown that results from a proposed PV simulator of this kind are very close to that from simulation software during partial shadow conditions, and with negligible differences during fault occurrence. Meanwhile, the PV module simulator, as developed, could be used on various types of series-parallel connections to form PV arrays, to conduct experiments on partial shadow and fault events occurring in some of the modules. Such experiments are designed to explore the impact of shadow and fault conditions on the output characteristics of the system as a whole.

Status and Needs of Power Electronics for Photovoltaic Inverters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Y. C.; Mohan, N.; West, R.; Bonn, R.

2002-06-01

Photovoltaics is the utility connected distributed energy resource (DER) that is in widespread use today. It has one element, the inverter, which is common with all DER sources except rotating generators. The inverter is required to transfer dc energy to ac energy. With all the DER technologies, (solar, wind, fuel cells, and microturbines) the inverter is still an immature product that will result in reliability problems in fielded systems. Today, the PV inverter is a costly and complex component of PV systems that produce ac power. Inverter MTFF (mean time to first failure) is currently unacceptable. Low inverter reliability contributes to unreliable fielded systems and a loss of confidence in renewable technology. The low volume of PV inverters produced restricts the manufacturing to small suppliers without sophisticated research and reliability programs or manufacturing methods. Thus, the present approach to PV inverter supply has low probability of meeting DOE reliability goals.

Uniform sunlight concentration reflectors for photovoltaic cells.

PubMed

Rabady, Rabi Ibrahim

2014-03-20

Sunlight concentration is essential to reach high temperatures of a working fluid in solar-thermal applications and to reduce the cost of photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation systems. Commonly, sunlight concentration is realized by parabolic or cylindrical reflectors, which do not provide uniform concentration on the receiver finite surface. Uniform concentration of sunlight is favored especially for the PV conversion applications since it not only enhances the conversion efficiency of sunlight but also reduces the thermal variations along the receiving PV cell, which can be a performance and life-span limiting factor. In this paper a reflector profile that uniformly infiltrates the concentrated sunlight into the receiving unit is attempted. The new design accounts for all factors that contribute to the nonuniform concentration, like the reflector curvature, which spatially reflects the sunlight nonuniformly, and the angular dependency of both the reflector reflectivity and the sunlight transmission through the PV cell.

A photovoltaic power system in the remote African village of Tangaye, Upper Volta

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bifano, W. J.; Ratajczak, A. F.; Martz, J. E.

1979-01-01

A photovoltaic (PV) system powering a grain mill and a water pump was installed in the remote West African village of Tangaye, Upper Volta. Village characteristics as well as system design, hardware, installation and operation to date are described. The PV system cost is discussed. A baseline socio-economic study performed and a follow-up study is planned to determine the impact of the system on the villagers.

Impact of Alternative Rate Structures on Distributed Solar Customer Electricity Bills

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McLaren, Joyce A

Electric utilities are increasingly proposing changes to residential rate structures, in order to address concerns about their inability to recover fixed system costs from customers with grid connected distributed generation. The most common proposals have been to increase fixed charges, set minimum bills or instigate residential demand charges. This presentation provides results of an analysis to explore how these rate design alternatives impact electricity bills for PV and non-PV customers.

Economic dispatch optimization for system integrating renewable energy sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jihane, Kartite; Mohamed, Cherkaoui

2018-05-01

Nowadays, the use of energy is growing especially in transportation and electricity industries. However this energy is based on conventional sources which pollute the environment. Multi-source system is seen as the best solution to sustainable development. This paper proposes the Economic Dispatch (ED) of hybrid renewable power system. The hybrid system is composed of ten thermal generators, photovoltaic (PV) generator and wind turbine generator. To show the importance of renewable energy sources (RES) in the energy mix we have ran the simulation for system integrated PV only and PV plus wind. The result shows that the system with renewable energy sources (RES) is more compromising than the system without RES in terms of fuel cost.

Regional PV power estimation and forecast to mitigate the impact of high photovoltaic penetration on electric grid.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierro, Marco; De Felice, Matteo; Maggioni, Enrico; Moser, David; Perotto, Alessandro; Spada, Francesco; Cornaro, Cristina

2017-04-01

The growing photovoltaic generation results in a stochastic variability of the electric demand that could compromise the stability of the grid and increase the amount of energy reserve and the energy imbalance cost. On regional scale, solar power estimation and forecast is becoming essential for Distribution System Operators, Transmission System Operator, energy traders, and aggregators of generation. Indeed the estimation of regional PV power can be used for PV power supervision and real time control of residual load. Mid-term PV power forecast can be employed for transmission scheduling to reduce energy imbalance and related cost of penalties, residual load tracking, trading optimization, secondary energy reserve assessment. In this context, a new upscaling method was developed and used for estimation and mid-term forecast of the photovoltaic distributed generation in a small area in the north of Italy under the control of a local DSO. The method was based on spatial clustering of the PV fleet and neural networks models that input satellite or numerical weather prediction data (centered on cluster centroids) to estimate or predict the regional solar generation. It requires a low computational effort and very few input information should be provided by users. The power estimation model achieved a RMSE of 3% of installed capacity. Intra-day forecast (from 1 to 4 hours) obtained a RMSE of 5% - 7% while the one and two days forecast achieve to a RMSE of 7% and 7.5%. A model to estimate the forecast error and the prediction intervals was also developed. The photovoltaic production in the considered region provided the 6.9% of the electric consumption in 2015. Since the PV penetration is very similar to the one observed at national level (7.9%), this is a good case study to analyse the impact of PV generation on the electric grid and the effects of PV power forecast on transmission scheduling and on secondary reserve estimation. It appears that, already with 7% of PV penetration, the distributed PV generation could have a great impact both on the DSO energy need and on the transmission scheduling capability. Indeed, for some hours of the days in summer time, the photovoltaic generation can provide from 50% to 75% of the energy that the local DSO should buy from Italian TSO to cover the electrical demand. Moreover, mid-term forecast can reduce the annual energy imbalance between the scheduled transmission and the actual one from 10% of the TSO energy supply (without considering the PV forecast) to 2%. Furthermore, it was shown that prediction intervals could be used not only to estimate the probability of a specific PV generation bid on the energy market, but also to reduce the energy reserve predicted for the next day. Two different methods for energy reserve estimation were developed and tested. The first is based on a clear sky model while the second makes use of the PV prediction intervals with the 95% of confidence level. The latter reduces the amount of the day-ahead energy reserve of 36% with respect the clear sky method.

Implementing Solar Photovoltaic Projects on Historic Buildings and in Historic Districts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kandt, A.; Hotchkiss, E.; Walker, A.

2011-01-01

Despite a global recession, the number of photovoltaic (PV) installations in the United States grew 30% from 2008 to 2009. A number of trends point toward continued growth of new PV installations. The efficiency of solar panels is increasing, while installation costs are going down. At the same time, federal, state, and local regulations are requiring that greater amounts of energy must come from renewable sources. Incentives for solar power technology implementation are being created and regulatory barriers removed. Corporations and governments are focusing on solar power to demonstrate leadership in environmental sustainability and resource conservation. Architects and builders aremore » including PV arrays as a way to meet green building standards and property owners are seeking PV as a way to reduce their utility bills, as well as their carbon footprints. This publication focuses on the implementation of PV systems on historic properties. Many private property owners, as well as local, state, and national government entities, are seeking guidance on how best to integrate solar PV installations on historic buildings. Historic preservationists maintain that preserving, reusing, and maintaining historic structures is a key sustainable design strategy while also recognizing the importance of accommodating renewable energy technologies where they are appropriate. In some cases, however, conflicts have arisen over the installation of PV panels on historic properties. Addressing these conflicts and providing guidance regarding solutions and best practices is an important step toward resolving or eliminating barriers. Historic properties and districts in the United States provide tangible connections to the nation's past. Thousands of buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects have been recognized for their historic and architectural significance. Local, state, and national designations of historic properties provide recognition, protection, and incentives that help to preserve those properties for future generations. At the national level, the National Register of Historic Places includes more than 86,000 listings, which encompass a total of more than 1.6 million historic resources. State registers of historic places also provide recognition and protection for historic sites and districts. Locally, more than 2,400 communities have established historic preservation ordinances. Typically implemented through zoning overlays, these local land use regulations manage changes to hundreds of thousands of historic properties. Over a period of 2 years (2007 and 2008) the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) designated 25 major U.S. cities as Solar America Cities. DOE provided financial and technical assistance to help the cities develop comprehensive approaches to accelerate the adoption of solar energy technologies. The Solar America Cities partnerships represent the foundation of DOE's larger Solar America Communities program. As a part of this program, DOE identified the implementation of solar projects on historic properties and in historic districts as one area to address. A workshop titled 'Implementing Solar Projects on Historic Buildings and in Historic Districts' was held in Denver, Colorado, in June of 2010. Participants included representatives from the solar industry as well as historic preservationists from nonprofit organizations and government agencies at the local, state, and national levels. The workshop provided an opportunity to gain a common understanding of solar technologies and historic preservation procedures and priorities. The workshop participants also discussed some of the challenges involved in locating PV systems on historic properties and identified potential solutions. This publication is based on the discussions that occurred at this workshop and the recommendations that were developed by participants. Ideas expressed by participants in the workshop, and included in this document, do not necessarily reflect the opinion of any government council, agency, or entity.« less

Efficient production of acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) from cassava by a fermentation-pervaporation coupled process.

PubMed

Li, Jing; Chen, Xiangrong; Qi, Benkun; Luo, Jianquan; Zhang, Yuming; Su, Yi; Wan, Yinhua

2014-10-01

Production of acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) from cassava was investigated with a fermentation-pervaporation (PV) coupled process. ABE products were in situ removed from fermentation broth to alleviate the toxicity of solvent to the Clostridium acetobutylicum DP217. Compared to the batch fermentation without PV, glucose consumption rate and solvent productivity increased by 15% and 21%, respectively, in batch fermentation-PV coupled process, while in continuous fermentation-PV coupled process running for 304 h, the substrate consumption rate, solvent productivity and yield increased by 58%, 81% and 15%, reaching 2.02 g/Lh, 0.76 g/Lh and 0.38 g/g, respectively. Silicalite-1 filled polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membrane modules ensured media recycle without significant fouling, steadily generating a highly concentrated ABE solution containing 201.8 g/L ABE with 122.4 g/L butanol. After phase separation, a final product containing 574.3g/L ABE with 501.1g/L butanol was obtained. Therefore, the fermentation-PV coupled process has the potential to decrease the cost in ABE production. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability of hybrid photovoltaic DC micro-grid systems for emergency shelters and other applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhere, Neelkanth G.; Schleith, Susan

2014-10-01

Improvement of energy efficiency in the SunSmart Schools Emergency Shelters requires new methods for optimizing the energy consumption within the shelters. One major limitation in current systems is the requirement of converting direct current (DC) power generated from the PV array into alternating current (AC) power which is distributed throughout the shelters. Oftentimes, this AC power is then converted back to DC to run certain appliances throughout the shelters resulting in a significant waste of energy due to DC to AC and then again AC to DC conversion. This paper seeks to extract the maximum value out of PV systems by directly powering essential load components within the shelters that already run on DC power without the use of an inverter and above all to make the system reliable and durable. Furthermore, additional DC applications such as LED lighting, televisions, computers and fans operated with DC brushless motors will be installed as replacements to traditional devices in order to improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption. Cost of energy storage technologies continue to decline as new technologies scale up and new incentives are put in place. This will provide a cost effective way to stabilize the energy generation of a PV system as well as to provide continuous energy during night hours. It is planned to develop a pilot program of an integrated system that can provide uninterrupted DC power to essential base load appliances (heating, cooling, lighting, etc.) at the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) command center for disaster management. PV arrays are proposed to be installed on energy efficient test houses at FSEC as well as at private homes having PV arrays where the owners volunteer to participate in the program. It is also planned to monitor the performance of the PV arrays and functioning of the appliances with the aim to improve their reliability and durability. After a successful demonstration of the hybrid DC microgrid based emergency shelter together with the monitoring system, it is planned to replicate it at other schools in Florida and elsewhere to provide continuous power for essential applications, maximizing the value of PV generation systems.

Crystal Solar and NREL Team Up to Cut Costs | News | NREL

Science.gov Websites

throughput and half the cost could be a game-changer, creating American jobs and stemming the flow of solar , as a way of making it cost competitive with fossil-fuel-based electricity. Incubator Program at NREL cost of the final PV product." Solar Wafers at 13 Cents per Watt Photo of three men. Enlarge image

Boosting CSP Production with Thermal Energy Storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denholm, P.; Mehos, M.

2012-06-01

Combining concentrating solar power (CSP) with thermal energy storage shows promise for increasing grid flexibility by providing firm system capacity with a high ramp rate and acceptable part-load operation. When backed by energy storage capability, CSP can supplement photovoltaics by adding generation from solar resources during periods of low solar insolation. The falling cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) - generated electricity has led to a rapid increase in the deployment of PV and projections that PV could play a significant role in the future U.S. electric sector. The solar resource itself is virtually unlimited; however, the actual contribution of PVmore » electricity is limited by several factors related to the current grid. The first is the limited coincidence between the solar resource and normal electricity demand patterns. The second is the limited flexibility of conventional generators to accommodate this highly variable generation resource. At high penetration of solar generation, increased grid flexibility will be needed to fully utilize the variable and uncertain output from PV generation and to shift energy production to periods of high demand or reduced solar output. Energy storage is one way to increase grid flexibility, and many storage options are available or under development. In this article, however, we consider a technology already beginning to be used at scale - thermal energy storage (TES) deployed with concentrating solar power (CSP). PV and CSP are both deployable in areas of high direct normal irradiance such as the U.S. Southwest. The role of these two technologies is dependent on their costs and relative value, including how their value to the grid changes as a function of what percentage of total generation they contribute to the grid, and how they may actually work together to increase overall usefulness of the solar resource. Both PV and CSP use solar energy to generate electricity. A key difference is the ability of CSP to utilize high-efficiency TES, which turns CSP into a partially dispatchable resource. The addition of TES produces additional value by shifting the delivery of solar energy to periods of peak demand, providing firm capacity and ancillary services, and reducing integration challenges. Given the dispatchability of CSP enabled by TES, it is possible that PV and CSP are at least partially complementary. The dispatchability of CSP with TES can enable higher overall penetration of the grid by solar energy by providing solar-generated electricity during periods of cloudy weather or at night, when PV-generated power is unavailable. Such systems also have the potential to improve grid flexibility, thereby enabling greater penetration of PV energy (and other variable generation sources such as wind) than if PV were deployed without CSP.« less

Effects of different excitation waveforms on detection and characterisation of delamination in PV modules by active infrared thermography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Archana; Gupta, Rajesh

2017-10-01

Delamination significantly affects the performance and reliability of photovoltaic (PV) modules. Recently, an active infrared thermography approach using step heating has been exploited for the detection and characterisation of delamination in PV modules. However, step heating takes longer observation time and causes overheating problems. This paper presents the effects of different thermal excitation waveforms namely rectangular, half-sine and short pulse, on the detection and characterisation of delamination in PV module by experiments and simulations. For simulation, a 3-dimensional electro-thermal model of heat conduction, based on resistance-capacitance network approach, has been exploited to study the variation in maximum thermal contrast and peak contrast time with the delamination thickness and heating parameters. Results show that the rectangular waveform provides better detection of delamination due to higher absolute contrast, while the half-sine waveform allows better characterisation of delamination in the PV modules with low-cost and low-power heat source. The high-energy short pulse enabled quick visualisation of delamination, but has limited practical implementation. The advantages and limitations of each waveform have been highlighted to assess the specific requirement for appropriate choice in the non-destructive thermographic inspection of delamination in PV modules at the manufacturing units or outdoor fields.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seal, Brian; Huque, Aminul; Rogers, Lindsey

In 2011, EPRI began a four-year effort under the Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Initiative Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems - Advanced Concepts (SEGIS-AC) to demonstrate smart grid ready inverters with utility communication. The objective of the project was to successfully implement and demonstrate effective utilization of inverters with grid support functionality to capture the full value of distributed photovoltaic (PV). The project leveraged ongoing investments and expanded PV inverter capabilities, to enable grid operators to better utilize these grid assets. Developing and implementing key elements of PV inverter grid support capabilities will increase the distribution system’s capacity for highermore » penetration levels of PV, while reducing the cost. The project team included EPRI, Yaskawa-Solectria Solar, Spirae, BPL Global, DTE Energy, National Grid, Pepco, EDD, NPPT and NREL. The project was divided into three phases: development, deployment, and demonstration. Within each phase, the key areas included: head-end communications for Distributed Energy Resources (DER) at the utility operations center; methods for coordinating DER with existing distribution equipment; back-end PV plant master controller; and inverters with smart-grid functionality. Four demonstration sites were chosen in three regions of the United States with different types of utility operating systems and implementations of utility-scale PV inverters. This report summarizes the project and findings from field demonstration at three utility sites.« less

The status of lightweight photovoltaic space array technology based on amorphous silicon solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanak, Joseph J.; Kaschmitter, Jim

1991-01-01

Ultralight, flexible photovoltaic (PV) array of amorphous silicon (a-Si) was identified as a potential low cost power source for small satellites. A survey was conducted of the status of the a-Si PV array technology with respect to present and future performance, availability, cost, and risks. For existing, experimental array blankets made of commercial cell material, utilizing metal foil substrates, the Beginning of Life (BOL) performance at Air Mass Zero (AM0) and 35 C includes total power up to 200 W, power per area of 64 W/sq m and power per weight of 258 W/kg. Doubling of power per weight occurs when polyimide substrates are used. Estimated End of Life (EOL) power output after 10 years in a nominal low earth orbit would be 80 pct. of BOL, the degradation being due to largely light induced effects (-10 to -15 pct.) and in part (-5 pct.) to space radiation. Predictions for the year 1995 for flexible PV arrays, made on the basis of published results for rigid a-Si modules, indicate EOL power output per area and per weight of 105 W/sq m and 400 W/kg, respectively, while predictions for the late 1990s based on existing U.S. national PV program goals indicate EOL values of 157 W/sq m and 600 W/kg. Cost estimates by vendors for 200 W ultralight arrays in volume of over 1000 units range from $100/watt to $125/watt. Identified risks include the lack of flexible, space compatible encapsulant, the lack of space qualification effort, recent partial or full acquisitions of US manufacturers of a-Si cells by foreign firms, and the absence of a national commitment for a long range development program toward developing of this important power source for space.

Comparing supply and demand models for future photovoltaic power generation in the USA

DOE PAGES

Basore, Paul A.; Cole, Wesley J.

2018-02-22

We explore the plausible range of future deployment of photovoltaic generation capacity in the USA using a supply-focused model based on supply-chain growth constraints and a demand-focused model based on minimizing the overall cost of the electricity system. Both approaches require assumptions based on previous experience and anticipated trends. For each of the models, we assign plausible ranges for the key assumptions and then compare the resulting PV deployment over time. Each model was applied to 2 different future scenarios: one in which PV market penetration is ultimately constrained by the uncontrolled variability of solar power and one in whichmore » low-cost energy storage or some equivalent measure largely alleviates this constraint. The supply-focused and demand-focused models are in substantial agreement, not just in the long term, where deployment is largely determined by the assumed market penetration constraints, but also in the interim years. For the future scenario without low-cost energy storage or equivalent measures, the 2 models give an average plausible range of PV generation capacity in the USA of 150 to 530 GWdc in 2030 and 260 to 810 GWdc in 2040. With low-cost energy storage or equivalent measures, the corresponding ranges are 160 to 630 GWdc in 2030 and 280 to 1200 GWdc in 2040. The latter range is enough to supply 10% to 40% of US electricity demand in 2040, based on current demand growth.« less

Comparing supply and demand models for future photovoltaic power generation in the USA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Basore, Paul A.; Cole, Wesley J.

We explore the plausible range of future deployment of photovoltaic generation capacity in the USA using a supply-focused model based on supply-chain growth constraints and a demand-focused model based on minimizing the overall cost of the electricity system. Both approaches require assumptions based on previous experience and anticipated trends. For each of the models, we assign plausible ranges for the key assumptions and then compare the resulting PV deployment over time. Each model was applied to 2 different future scenarios: one in which PV market penetration is ultimately constrained by the uncontrolled variability of solar power and one in whichmore » low-cost energy storage or some equivalent measure largely alleviates this constraint. The supply-focused and demand-focused models are in substantial agreement, not just in the long term, where deployment is largely determined by the assumed market penetration constraints, but also in the interim years. For the future scenario without low-cost energy storage or equivalent measures, the 2 models give an average plausible range of PV generation capacity in the USA of 150 to 530 GWdc in 2030 and 260 to 810 GWdc in 2040. With low-cost energy storage or equivalent measures, the corresponding ranges are 160 to 630 GWdc in 2030 and 280 to 1200 GWdc in 2040. The latter range is enough to supply 10% to 40% of US electricity demand in 2040, based on current demand growth.« less

When Two Balls Are Just One

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kulp, Christopher W.; Biermann, Mark L.; Howard, Timothy; Klingenberg, Kurtis; Ramsey, Paul

2008-01-01

A camcorder can be a powerful tool in pedagogical settings, such as in an introductory physics course or in introducing undergraduates to data collection. In this paper, we discuss our experience using a Panasonic PV-GS150 digital camcorder to analyze the motion of a falling steel ball, with the goal of determining the acceleration due to gravity,…

Grid tied PV/battery system architecture and power management for fast electric vehicle charging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badawy, Mohamed O.

The prospective spread of Electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) arises the need for fast charging rates. Higher charging rates requirements lead to high power demands, which cant be always supported by the grid. Thus, the use of on-site sources alongside the electrical grid for EVs charging is a rising area of interest. In this dissertation, a photovoltaic (PV) source is used to support the high power EVs charging. However, the PV output power has an intermittent nature that is dependable on the weather conditions. Thus, battery storage are combined with the PV in a grid tied system, providing a steady source for on-site EVs use in a renewable energy based fast charging station. Verily, renewable energy based fast charging stations should be cost effective, efficient, and reliable to increase the penetration of EVs in the automotive market. Thus, this Dissertation proposes a novel power flow management topology that aims on decreasing the running cost along with innovative hardware solutions and control structures for the developed architecture. The developed power flow management topology operates the hybrid system at the minimum operating cost while extending the battery lifetime. An optimization problem is formulated and two stages of optimization, i.e online and offline stages, are adopted to optimize the batteries state of charge (SOC) scheduling and continuously compensate for the forecasting errors. The proposed power flow management topology is validated and tested with two metering systems, i.e unified and dual metering systems. The results suggested that minimal power flow is anticipated from the battery storage to the grid in the dual metering system. Thus, the power electronic interfacing system is designed accordingly. Interconnecting bi-directional DC/DC converters are analyzed, and a cascaded buck boost (CBB) converter is chosen and tested under 80 kW power flow rates. The need to perform power factor correction (PFC) on the grid power while supplying the battery storage and the DC loads inspired a novel dual switch control structure for the CBB AC/DC converter used in this dissertation. Thus, The CBB operates at a discontinuous capacitor voltage mode (DCVM) and the control structure enables for a non-distorted input current at overlapping output voltage levels. The PFC concept is validated and tested for a single phase rectifier and a 3 phase extension of the proposed concept is presented. Lastly, the PV source used in this study is required to supply power to both, the grid system, and to the DC loads, i.e the battery storage and the EVs. Thus, the PV panels used are connected in series to reach a desirable high voltage on the DC bus output of the PV system. Consequently, a novel differential power processing architecture is proposed in this dissertation. The proposed architecture enables each PV element to operate at its local maximum power point (MPP) while processing only a small portion of its total generated power through the distributed integrated converters. This leads to higher energy capture at an increased conversion efficiency while overcoming the difficulties associated with unmatched MPPs of the PV elements.

Photovoltaic system costs using local labor and materials in developing countries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, E.; Fletcher, G.; Hein, G.

1980-01-01

The use of photovoltaic (PV) technology in countries that do not presently have high technology industrial capacity was investigated. The relative cost of integrating indigenous labor (and manufacturing where available) into the balance of the system industry of seven countries (Egypt, Haiti, the Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, and the Phillipines) was determined. The results were then generalized to other countries, at most levels of development. The results of the study imply several conclusions: (1) the cost of installing and maintaining comparable photovoltaic systems in developing countries is less than in the United States; (2) skills and some materials are available in the seven subject countries that may be applied to constructing and maintaining PV systems; (3) there is an interest in foreign countries in photovoltaics; and (4) conversations with foreign nationals suggest that photovoltaics must be introduced in foreign markets as an appropriate technology with high technology components rather than as a high technology system.

Photovoltaic system costs using local labor and materials in developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobson, E.; Fletcher, G.; Hein, G.

1980-05-01

The use of photovoltaic (PV) technology in countries that do not presently have high technology industrial capacity was investigated. The relative cost of integrating indigenous labor (and manufacturing where available) into the balance of the system industry of seven countries (Egypt, Haiti, the Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, and the Phillipines) was determined. The results were then generalized to other countries, at most levels of development. The results of the study imply several conclusions: (1) the cost of installing and maintaining comparable photovoltaic systems in developing countries is less than in the United States; (2) skills and some materials are available in the seven subject countries that may be applied to constructing and maintaining PV systems; (3) there is an interest in foreign countries in photovoltaics; and (4) conversations with foreign nationals suggest that photovoltaics must be introduced in foreign markets as an appropriate technology with high technology components rather than as a high technology system.

Progress and challenges for cost effective kerfless Silicon crystal growth for PV application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serra, J. M.; Alves, J. Maia; Vallera, A. M.

2017-06-01

The major barrier for PV penetration is cost. And the single most important cost factor in silicon technology is the wafer (≈35% of the module cost). Although tremendous progress on cell processing has been reported in recent years, a much smaller evolution is seen on what should be the key point to address - the wafer. The ingot-slicing process is reaching its limits as the wafer thickness is reduced in an effort to lower material costs. Kerf losses of ≈50% and an increase in breakage of a high value added material are putting a lower bound to this approach. New ideas are therefore needed for producing wafers in a way to overcome these limitations. In this paper we present three new concepts being developed in our laboratory that have one thing in common: they all are zero kerf loss processes, aiming at significant reductions in material loss. One explores the concept of exfoliation, the other two aim at the growth of silicon directly into ribbons. These were conceived as continuous processes, based on a floating molten zone concept, to avoid impurity contamination during crystallization.

Solar electricity supply isolines of generation capacity and storage.

PubMed

Grossmann, Wolf; Grossmann, Iris; Steininger, Karl W

2015-03-24

The recent sharp drop in the cost of photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation accompanied by globally rapidly increasing investment in PV plants calls for new planning and management tools for large-scale distributed solar networks. Of major importance are methods to overcome intermittency of solar electricity, i.e., to provide dispatchable electricity at minimal costs. We find that pairs of electricity generation capacity G and storage S that give dispatchable electricity and are minimal with respect to S for a given G exhibit a smooth relationship of mutual substitutability between G and S. These isolines between G and S support the solving of several tasks, including the optimal sizing of generation capacity and storage, optimal siting of solar parks, optimal connections of solar parks across time zones for minimizing intermittency, and management of storage in situations of far below average insolation to provide dispatchable electricity. G-S isolines allow determining the cost-optimal pair (G,S) as a function of the cost ratio of G and S. G-S isolines provide a method for evaluating the effect of geographic spread and time zone coverage on costs of solar electricity.

Solar electricity supply isolines of generation capacity and storage

PubMed Central

Grossmann, Wolf; Grossmann, Iris; Steininger, Karl W.

2015-01-01

The recent sharp drop in the cost of photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation accompanied by globally rapidly increasing investment in PV plants calls for new planning and management tools for large-scale distributed solar networks. Of major importance are methods to overcome intermittency of solar electricity, i.e., to provide dispatchable electricity at minimal costs. We find that pairs of electricity generation capacity G and storage S that give dispatchable electricity and are minimal with respect to S for a given G exhibit a smooth relationship of mutual substitutability between G and S. These isolines between G and S support the solving of several tasks, including the optimal sizing of generation capacity and storage, optimal siting of solar parks, optimal connections of solar parks across time zones for minimizing intermittency, and management of storage in situations of far below average insolation to provide dispatchable electricity. G−S isolines allow determining the cost-optimal pair (G,S) as a function of the cost ratio of G and S. G−S isolines provide a method for evaluating the effect of geographic spread and time zone coverage on costs of solar electricity. PMID:25755261

Highlights of NASA/DOE photovoltaic market assessment visit to Morocco

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

A broad range of agricultural, rural development, and other power applications in various regions of Morocco were examined to determine the potential market for photovoltaic products in Moroccan development. The primary focus of the study was the agriculture sector which accounts for approximately 17% of the country's GNP. The country has a clear need for reliable remote power systems, but does not have the financial resources to invest in the relatively high capital cost PV equipment. A modest potential for PV use was identified in nonagricultural rural services, such as refrigerators for rural clinics and rural radio-telephones. The main potential for PV in Morocco in the next five years lies mainly in the telecommunications sector. Applications include rural TV sets, TV repeater stations, microwave relay stations, and railroad, marine, and airline signalling. Market size estimates were derived from development and expansion plans. At an average customer cost for complete installed systems from $18/Wp to $30/Wp the total potential market value is estimated in the range of $6.6 to $11 million over the 1981-1986 period.

Techno-economical assessment of grid connected PV/T using nanoparticles and water as base-fluid systems in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Waeli, Ali H. A.; Kazem, Hussein A.; Sopian, K.; Chaichan, Miqdam T.

2018-07-01

In this study, the techno-economic assessment of GCPVT with nanofluid has been investigated based on theoretical and experimental work in Malaysia. The productivity and utilisation of the PV have been investigated using yield and capacity factors (CFs), respectively. Also, the cost of energy and payback period has been calculated. The system installed, tested, and data have been collected. Evaluation of the system in terms of current, voltage, power and efficiency are presented. The average daily ambient temperature and total global solar energy in Kuala Lumpur are 38.89°C and 4062 Wh/m2, respectively. MATLAB software is used to analyse the measured data. The assessment results show that the GCPVT system has annual yield factor, CF, the cost of energy; payback period, and efficiency are (128.34-183.75) kWh/kWp, (17.82-25.52)%, 0.196 USD/kWh, 7-8 years and 9.1%, respectively. This study indicates that the GCPVT system with nanofluid improved the PV technical and economic performance.

Progressing Deployment of Solar Photovoltaic Installations in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwan, Calvin Lee

2011-07-01

This dissertation evaluates the likelihood of solar PV playing a larger role in national and state level renewable energy portfolios. I examine the feasibility of large-scale solar PV arrays on college campuses, the financials associated with large-scale solar PV arrays and finally, the influence of environmental, economic, social and political variables on the distribution of residential solar PV arrays in the United States. Chapter two investigates the challenges and feasibility of college campuses adopting a net-zero energy policy. Using energy consumption data, local solar insolation data and projected campus growth, I present a method to identify the minimum sized solar PV array that is required for the City College campus of the Los Angeles Community College District to achieve net-zero energy status. I document how current energy demand can be reduced using strategic demand side management, with remaining energy demand being met using a solar PV array. Chapter three focuses on the financial feasibility of large-scale solar PV arrays, using the proposed City College campus array as an example. I document that even after demand side energy management initiatives and financial incentives, large-scale solar PV arrays continue to have ROIs greater than 25 years. I find that traditional financial evaluation methods are not suitable for environmental projects such as solar PV installations as externalities are not taken into account and therefore calls for development of alternative financial valuation methods. Chapter four investigates the influence of environmental, social, economic and political variables on the distribution of residential solar PV arrays across the United States using ZIP code level data from the 2000 US Census. Using data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Open PV project, I document where residential solar PVs are currently located. A zero-inflated negative binomial model was run to evaluate the influence of selected variables. Using the same model, predicted residential solar PV shares were generated and illustrated using GIS software. The results of this model indicate that solar insolation, state energy deregulation and cost of electricity are statistically significant factors positively correlated with the adoption of residential solar PV arrays. With this information, policymakers at the towns and cities level can establish effective solar PV promoting policies and regulations for their respective locations.

Distributed Generation Renewable Energy Estimate of Costs | Energy Analysis

Science.gov Websites

viability. Table 1 Costs for Electric Generating Technologies Technology Type Mean installed cost ($/kW ) Installed cost Std. Dev. (+/- $/kW) Fixed O&M ($/kW-yr) Fixed O&M Std. Dev. (+/- $/kW-yr) Variable O cost ($/kWh) Fuel and/or water Std. Dev. ($/kWh) PV <10 kW $3,897 $889 $21 $20 n/a n/a 33 11 n/a n/a

Distributed Generation Renewable Energy Estimate of Costs | Energy Analysis

Science.gov Websites

viability. Table 1 Costs for Electric Generating Technologies Technology Type Mean installed cost ($/kW ) Installed cost Std. Dev. (+/- $/kW) Fixed O&M ($/kW-yr) Fixed O&M Std. Dev. (+/- $/kW-yr) Variable O cost ($/kWh) Fuel and/or water Std. Dev. ($/kWh) PV <10 kW $3,910 $921 $21 $20 n/a n/a 33 11 n/a n/a

Impact of Flexibility Options on Grid Economic Carrying Capacity of Solar and Wind: Three Case Studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denholm, Paul; Novacheck, Joshua; Jorgenson, Jennie

In this study, we attempt to quantify the benefits of various options of grid flexibility by measuring their impact on two measures: economic carrying capacity and system costs. Flexibility can increase economic carrying capacity and reduce overall system costs. In some cases, options that provide a limited increase in economic carrying capacity can provide significant operational savings, thus demonstrating the need to evaluate flexibility options using multiple metrics. The value of flexibility options varies regionally due to different generation mixes and types of renewables. The more rapid decline in PV value compared to wind makes PV more dependent on addingmore » flexibility options, including transmission and energy storage.« less

Innovations in Wind and Solar PV Financing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cory, K.; Coughlin, J.; Jenkin, T.

2008-02-01

There is growing national interest in renewable energy development based on the economic, environmental, and security benefits that these resources provide. Historically, greater development of our domestic renewable energy resources has faced a number of hurdles, primarily related to cost, regulation, and financing. With the recent sustained increase in the costs and associated volatility of fossil fuels, the economics of renewable energy technologies have become increasingly attractive to investors, both large and small. As a result, new entrants are investing in renewable energy and new business models are emerging. This study surveys some of the current issues related to windmore » and solar photovoltaic (PV) energy project financing in the electric power industry, and identifies both barriers to and opportunities for increased investment.« less

Advanced, Cost-Based Indices for Forecasting the Generation of Photovoltaic Power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bracale, Antonio; Carpinelli, Guido; Di Fazio, Annarita; Khormali, Shahab

2014-01-01

Distribution systems are undergoing significant changes as they evolve toward the grids of the future, which are known as smart grids (SGs). The perspective of SGs is to facilitate large-scale penetration of distributed generation using renewable energy sources (RESs), encourage the efficient use of energy, reduce systems' losses, and improve the quality of power. Photovoltaic (PV) systems have become one of the most promising RESs due to the expected cost reduction and the increased efficiency of PV panels and interfacing converters. The ability to forecast power-production information accurately and reliably is of primary importance for the appropriate management of an SG and for making decisions relative to the energy market. Several forecasting methods have been proposed, and many indices have been used to quantify the accuracy of the forecasts of PV power production. Unfortunately, the indices that have been used have deficiencies and usually do not directly account for the economic consequences of forecasting errors in the framework of liberalized electricity markets. In this paper, advanced, more accurate indices are proposed that account directly for the economic consequences of forecasting errors. The proposed indices also were compared to the most frequently used indices in order to demonstrate their different, improved capability. The comparisons were based on the results obtained using a forecasting method based on an artificial neural network. This method was chosen because it was deemed to be one of the most promising methods available due to its capability for forecasting PV power. Numerical applications also are presented that considered an actual PV plant to provide evidence of the forecasting performances of all of the indices that were considered.

Study of CdTe/CdS solar cell at low power density for low-illumination applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devi, Nisha; Aziz, Anver; Datta, Shouvik

2016-05-01

In this paper, we numerically investigate CdTe/CdS PV cell properties using a simulation program Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator in 1D (SCAPS-1D). A simple structure of CdTe PV cell has been optimized to study the effect of temperature, absorber thickness and work function at very low incident power. Objective of this research paper is to build an efficient and cost effective solar cell for portable electronic devices such as portable computers and cell phones that work at low incident power because most of such devices work at diffused and reflected sunlight. In this report, we simulated a simple CdTe PV cell at very low incident power, which gives good efficiency.

Parallel-Connected Photovoltaic Inverters: Zero Frequency Sequence Harmonic Analysis and Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carmeli, Maria Stefania; Mauri, Marco; Frosio, Luisa; Bezzolato, Alberto; Marchegiani, Gabriele

2013-05-01

High-power photovoltaic (PV) plants are usually constituted of the connection of different PV subfields, each of them with its interface transformer. Different solutions have been studied to improve the efficiency of the whole generation system. In particular, transformerless configurations are the more attractive one from efficiency and costs point of view. This paper focuses on transformerless PV configurations characterised by the parallel connection of interface inverters. The problem of zero sequence current due to both the parallel connection and the presence of undesirable parasitic earth capacitances is considered and a solution, which consists of the synchronisation of pulse-width modulation triangular carrier, is proposed and theoretically analysed. The theoretical analysis has been validated through simulation and experimental results.

India Solar Resource Data: Enhanced Data for Accelerated Deployment (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

Identifying potential locations for solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) projects requires an understanding of the underlying solar resource. Under a bilateral partnership between the United States and India - the U.S.-India Energy Dialogue - the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has updated Indian solar data and maps using data provided by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the National Institute for Solar Energy (NISE). This fact sheet overviews the updated maps and data, which help identify high-quality solar energy projects. This can help accelerate the deployment of solar energy in India.

India Solar Resource Data: Enhanced Data for Accelerated Deployment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

Identifying potential locations for solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) projects requires an understanding of the underlying solar resource. Under a bilateral partnership between the United States and India - the U.S.-India Energy Dialogue - the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has updated Indian solar data and maps using data provided by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the National Institute for Solar Energy (NISE). This fact sheet overviews the updated maps and data, which help identify high-quality solar energy projects. This can help accelerate the deployment of solar energy in India.

A comparative technoeconomic analysis of renewable hydrogen production using solar energy

DOE PAGES

Shaner, Matthew R.; Atwater, Harry A.; Lewis, Nathan S.; ...

2016-05-26

A technoeconomic analysis of photoelectrochemical (PEC) and photovoltaic-electrolytic (PV-E) solar-hydrogen production of 10 000 kg H 2 day -1 (3.65 kilotons per year) was performed to assess the economics of each technology, and to provide a basis for comparison between these technologies as well as within the broader energy landscape. Two PEC systems, differentiated primarily by the extent of solar concentration (unconcentrated and 10× concentrated) and two PV-E systems, differentiated by the degree of grid connectivity (unconnected and grid supplemented), were analyzed. In each case, a base-case system that used established designs and materials was compared to prospective systems thatmore » might be envisioned and developed in the future with the goal of achieving substantially lower overall system costs. With identical overall plant efficiencies of 9.8%, the unconcentrated PEC and non-grid connected PV-E system base-case capital expenses for the rated capacity of 3.65 kilotons H 2 per year were 205 dollars MM (293 dollars per m 2 of solar collection area (m S -2 ), 14.7 W H2,P -1) and 260 dollars MM ($371 m S -2, 18.8 dollars W H2,P -1 ), respectively. The untaxed, plant-gate levelized costs for the hydrogen product (LCH) were $11.4 kg -1 and 12.1 dollars kg -1 for the base-case PEC and PV-E systems, respectively. The 10× concentrated PEC base-case system capital cost was 160 dollars MM (428 dollars m S -2, 11.5 dollars W H2,P -1) and for an efficiency of 20% the LCH was 9.2 kg -1 . Likewise, the grid supplemented base-case PV-E system capital cost was 66 dollars MM (441 dollars m S -2, 11.5 dollars W H2,P -1 ), and with solar-to-hydrogen and grid electrolysis system efficiencies of 9.8% and 61%, respectively, the LCH was 6.1 dollars kg -1 . As a benchmark, a proton-exchange membrane (PEM) based grid-connected electrolysis system was analyzed. Assuming a system efficiency of 61% and a grid electricity cost of $0.07 kWh -1 , the LCH was $5.5 kg -1 . A sensitivity analysis indicated that, relative to the base-case, increases in the system efficiency could effect the greatest cost reductions for all systems, due to the areal dependencies of many of the components. The balance-of-systems (BoS) costs were the largest factor in differentiating the PEC and PV-E systems. No single or combination of technical advancements based on currently demonstrated technology can provide sufficient cost reductions to allow solar hydrogen to directly compete on a levelized cost basis with hydrogen produced from fossil energy. Specifically, a cost of CO 2 greater than ~$800 dollars (ton CO 2 ) -1 was estimated to be necessary for base-case PEC hydrogen to reach price parity with hydrogen derived from steam reforming of methane priced at $12 GJ -1 ($1.39 (kg H 2 ) -1). A comparison with low CO 2 and CO 2 -neutral energy sources indicated that base-case PEC hydrogen is not currently cost-competitive with electrolysis using electricity supplied by nuclear power or from fossil-fuels in conjunction with carbon capture and storage. Solar electricity production and storage using either batteries or PEC hydrogen technologies are currently an order of magnitude greater in cost than electricity prices with no clear advantage to either battery or hydrogen storage as of yet. Significant advances in PEC technology performance and system cost reductions are necessary to enable cost-effective PEC-derived solar hydrogen for use in scalable grid-storage applications as well as for use as a chemical feedstock precursor to CO 2 -neutral high energy-density transportation fuels. Hence such applications are an opportunity for foundational research to contribute to the development of disruptive approaches to solar fuels generation systems that can offer higher performance at much lower cost than is provided by current embodiments of solar fuels generators. Efforts to directly reduce CO 2 photoelectrochemically or electrochemically could potentially produce products with higher value than hydrogen, but many, as yet unmet, challenges include catalytic efficiency and selectivity, and CO 2 mass transport rates and feedstock cost. Major breakthroughs are required to obtain viable economic costs for solar hydrogen production, but the barriers to achieve cost-competitiveness with existing large-scale thermochemical processes for CO 2 reduction are even greater.« less

A comparative technoeconomic analysis of renewable hydrogen production using solar energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shaner, Matthew R.; Atwater, Harry A.; Lewis, Nathan S.

A technoeconomic analysis of photoelectrochemical (PEC) and photovoltaic-electrolytic (PV-E) solar-hydrogen production of 10 000 kg H 2 day -1 (3.65 kilotons per year) was performed to assess the economics of each technology, and to provide a basis for comparison between these technologies as well as within the broader energy landscape. Two PEC systems, differentiated primarily by the extent of solar concentration (unconcentrated and 10× concentrated) and two PV-E systems, differentiated by the degree of grid connectivity (unconnected and grid supplemented), were analyzed. In each case, a base-case system that used established designs and materials was compared to prospective systems thatmore » might be envisioned and developed in the future with the goal of achieving substantially lower overall system costs. With identical overall plant efficiencies of 9.8%, the unconcentrated PEC and non-grid connected PV-E system base-case capital expenses for the rated capacity of 3.65 kilotons H 2 per year were 205 dollars MM (293 dollars per m 2 of solar collection area (m S -2 ), 14.7 W H2,P -1) and 260 dollars MM ($371 m S -2, 18.8 dollars W H2,P -1 ), respectively. The untaxed, plant-gate levelized costs for the hydrogen product (LCH) were $11.4 kg -1 and 12.1 dollars kg -1 for the base-case PEC and PV-E systems, respectively. The 10× concentrated PEC base-case system capital cost was 160 dollars MM (428 dollars m S -2, 11.5 dollars W H2,P -1) and for an efficiency of 20% the LCH was 9.2 kg -1 . Likewise, the grid supplemented base-case PV-E system capital cost was 66 dollars MM (441 dollars m S -2, 11.5 dollars W H2,P -1 ), and with solar-to-hydrogen and grid electrolysis system efficiencies of 9.8% and 61%, respectively, the LCH was 6.1 dollars kg -1 . As a benchmark, a proton-exchange membrane (PEM) based grid-connected electrolysis system was analyzed. Assuming a system efficiency of 61% and a grid electricity cost of $0.07 kWh -1 , the LCH was $5.5 kg -1 . A sensitivity analysis indicated that, relative to the base-case, increases in the system efficiency could effect the greatest cost reductions for all systems, due to the areal dependencies of many of the components. The balance-of-systems (BoS) costs were the largest factor in differentiating the PEC and PV-E systems. No single or combination of technical advancements based on currently demonstrated technology can provide sufficient cost reductions to allow solar hydrogen to directly compete on a levelized cost basis with hydrogen produced from fossil energy. Specifically, a cost of CO 2 greater than ~$800 dollars (ton CO 2 ) -1 was estimated to be necessary for base-case PEC hydrogen to reach price parity with hydrogen derived from steam reforming of methane priced at $12 GJ -1 ($1.39 (kg H 2 ) -1). A comparison with low CO 2 and CO 2 -neutral energy sources indicated that base-case PEC hydrogen is not currently cost-competitive with electrolysis using electricity supplied by nuclear power or from fossil-fuels in conjunction with carbon capture and storage. Solar electricity production and storage using either batteries or PEC hydrogen technologies are currently an order of magnitude greater in cost than electricity prices with no clear advantage to either battery or hydrogen storage as of yet. Significant advances in PEC technology performance and system cost reductions are necessary to enable cost-effective PEC-derived solar hydrogen for use in scalable grid-storage applications as well as for use as a chemical feedstock precursor to CO 2 -neutral high energy-density transportation fuels. Hence such applications are an opportunity for foundational research to contribute to the development of disruptive approaches to solar fuels generation systems that can offer higher performance at much lower cost than is provided by current embodiments of solar fuels generators. Efforts to directly reduce CO 2 photoelectrochemically or electrochemically could potentially produce products with higher value than hydrogen, but many, as yet unmet, challenges include catalytic efficiency and selectivity, and CO 2 mass transport rates and feedstock cost. Major breakthroughs are required to obtain viable economic costs for solar hydrogen production, but the barriers to achieve cost-competitiveness with existing large-scale thermochemical processes for CO 2 reduction are even greater.« less

Solar Electric System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

Heat Pipe Technology, Inc. undertook the development of a PV system that could bring solar electricity to the individual home at reasonable cost. His system employs high efficiency PV modules plus a set of polished reflectors that concentrate the solar energy and enhance the output of the modules. Dinh incorporated a sun tracking system derived from space tracking technology. It automatically follows the sun throughout the day and turns the modules so that they get maximum exposure to the solar radiation, further enhancing the system efficiency.

Residential photovoltaic power conditioning technology for grid connected applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Key, T. S.; Klein, J. W.

1982-01-01

Major advances in photovoltaic (PV) Power Conditioning (PC) with respect to performance and low-cost potential have been made. Solutions have been obtained to interface and control problems related to adapting available inverter designs to the grid-connected, residential photovoltaic experiments. A description is presented to contributing research and development activities. Attention is given to aspects of residential systems experience, conceptual design studies, questions of optimum topology development, and promising advanced designs for residential PV provided by development efforts of the private sector.

Kristen Ardani | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Market Research Kristen.Ardani@nrel.gov | 303-384-6461 Kristen is a Solar Program Lead focusing on efforts to reduce soft costs and transfer emerging technologies to market. Her areas of expertise include solar market analysis, PV system price-tracking, and non-hardware cost-reduction strategies. Research

Lightweight, Flexible Solar Cells on Stainless Steel Foil and Polymer for Space and Stratospheric Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beernink, Kevin; Guha, Subhendu; Yang, Jeff; Banerjee, Arindam; Lord, Ken; DeMaggio, Greg; Liu, Frank; Pietka, Ginger; Johnson, Todd; Reinhout, Melanie;

Qualification Testing Versus Quantitative Reliability Testing of PV - Gaining Confidence in a Rapidly Changing Technology: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurtz, Sarah; Repins, Ingrid L; Hacke, Peter L

Continued growth of PV system deployment would be enhanced by quantitative, low-uncertainty predictions of the degradation and failure rates of PV modules and systems. The intended product lifetime (decades) far exceeds the product development cycle (months), limiting our ability to reduce the uncertainty of the predictions for this rapidly changing technology. Yet, business decisions (setting insurance rates, analyzing return on investment, etc.) require quantitative risk assessment. Moving toward more quantitative assessments requires consideration of many factors, including the intended application, consequence of a possible failure, variability in the manufacturing, installation, and operation, as well as uncertainty in the measured accelerationmore » factors, which provide the basis for predictions based on accelerated tests. As the industry matures, it is useful to periodically assess the overall strategy for standards development and prioritization of research to provide a technical basis both for the standards and the analysis related to the application of those. To this end, this paper suggests a tiered approach to creating risk assessments. Recent and planned potential improvements in international standards are also summarized.« less

Long-term photothermal/humidity testing of photovoltaic module polymer insulations and cover films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mon, G.; Gonzales, C.; Willis, P.; Jetter, E.; Sugimura, R.

1990-01-01

The life expectancies of Tedlar and other polymer films considered for use as cover materials in terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules were investigated by exposing them for more than 13,000 h on an outdoor test stand and for up to 10,000 h in several accelerated multistress environments. Visual observations and diagnostic analyses of weight and mechanical strength losses were periodically conducted to assess the nature and rate of degradation of mechanical properties and to assess the effects of film thickness and UV stabilizer content. Spectroscopic analyses of pristine and degraded materials linked weight and mechanical property losses to the underlying photothermal/photooxidation chemistry. It is shown that heavy doses of UV stabilizers prolong, while elevated temperatures shorten, the useful life of these materials; humidity plays only a minor role. The most heavily UV-stabilized films are expected to operate usefully in a PV module front-cover application for only five to ten years. The performance of none of the tested films appears consistent with the 20-30 year life goals of the PV industry.

Degradation in PV Encapsulant Strength of Attachment: An Interlaboratory Study Towards a Climate-Specific Test

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, David C.; Annigoni, Eleonora; Ballion, Amal

Reduced strength of attachment of the encapsulant resulting from the outdoor environment, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation, may decrease photovoltaic (PV) module lifetime by enabling widespread corrosion of internal components. To date, few studies exist showing how the adhesion of PV components varies with environmental stress. We have conducted an interlaboratory experiment to provide an understanding that will be used to develop climatic specific module tests. Factors examined in the study included the UV light source (lamp type), temperature, and humidity to be proposed for use in accelerated aging tests. A poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) formulation often used in veteran PVmore » installations was studied using a compressive shear test - to quantify the strength of attachment at the EVA/glass interface. Replicate laminated glass/polymer/glass coupon specimens were weathered at 12 institutions using a variety of indoor chambers or field aging. Shear strength, shear strain, and toughness were measured using a mechanical load-frame for the compressive shear test, with subsequent optical imaging and electron microscopy of the separated surfaces.« less

Degradation in PV Encapsulation Strength of Attachment: An Interlaboratory Study Towards a Climate-Specific Test

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, David; Annigoni, Eleonora; Ballion, Amal

Reduced strength of attachment of the encapsulant resulting from the outdoor environment, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation, may decrease photovoltaic (PV) module lifetime by enabling widespread corrosion of internal components. To date, few studies exist showing how the adhesion of PV components varies with environmental stress. We have conducted an interlaboratory experiment to provide an understanding that will be used to develop climatic specific module tests. Factors examined in the study included the UV light source (lamp type), temperature, and humidity to be proposed for use in accelerated aging tests. A poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) formulation often used in veteran PVmore » installations was studied using a compressive shear test - to quantify the strength of attachment at the EVA/glass interface. Replicate laminated glass/polymer/glass coupon specimens were weathered at 12 institutions using a variety of indoor chambers or field aging. Shear strength, shear strain, and toughness were measured using a mechanical load-frame for the compressive shear test, with subsequent optical imaging and electron microscopy of the separated surfaces.« less

Evaluating the effect placement capacitor and distributed photovoltaic generation for power system losses minimization in radial distribution system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Yuli Asmi; Manjang, Salama; Yusran, Ilham, Amil Ahmad

2018-03-01

Power loss minimization have many advantagess to the distribution system radial among others reduction of power flow in feeder lines, freeing stress on feeder loading, deterrence of power procurement from the grid and also the cost of loss compensating instruments. This paper, presents capacitor and photovoltaic (PV) placement as alternative means to decrease power system losses. The paper aims to evaluate the best alternative for decreasing power system losses and improving voltage profile in the radial distribution system. To achieve the objectives of paper, they are used three cases tested by Electric Transient and Analysis Program (ETAP) simulation. Firstly, it performs simulation of placement capacitor. Secondly, simulated placement of PV. Lastly, it runs simulation of placement capacitor and PV simultaneously. The simulations were validated using the IEEE 34-bus test system. As a result, they proved that the installation of capacitor and PV integration simultaneously leading to voltage profile correction and power losses minimization significantly.

NREL and SDG&E Collaboration to Support SDG&E Grid and Storage Efforts: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-14-562

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baggu, Murali

2017-01-01

This project will enable effective utilization of high penetration of photovoltaics (PV) in islanded microgrids, increasing overall system efficiency, decreased fuel costs and resiliency of the overall system to help meet the SunShot goals of enhancing system integration methods to increase penetration of PV. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will collaborate with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) to provide research and testing support to address their needs in energy storage sizing and placement, Integrated Test Facility (ITF) development, Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) Modeling and simulation support at ITF, Visualization and Virtual connection to Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF),more » and microgrid simulation and testing areas. Specifically in this project a real microgrid scenario with high penetration of PV (existing in SDG&E territory) is tested in the ESIF laboratory. Multiple control cases for firming PV using storage in a microgrid scenario will be investigated and tested in the laboratory setup.« less

Facilitated extracellular electron transfer of Shewanella loihica PV-4 by antimony-doped tin oxide nanoparticles as active microelectrodes.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaojian; Liu, Huan; Wang, Jinrong; Ren, Guangyuan; Xie, Beizhen; Liu, Hong; Zhu, Ying; Jiang, Lei

2015-11-28

Dissimilatory metal reducing bacteria are capable of extracellular electron transfer (EET) to insoluble metal oxides as external electron acceptors for their anaerobic respiration, which is recognized as an important energy-conversion process in natural and engineered environments, such as in mineral cycling, bioremediation, and microbial fuel/electrolysis cells. However, the low EET efficiency remains one of the major bottlenecks for its practical application. We report firstly that the microbial current generated by Shewanella loihica PV-4 (S. loihica PV-4) could be greatly improved that is up to ca. 115 fold, by adding antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticles in the electrochemical reactor. The results demonstrate that the biocompatible, electrically conductive ATO nanoparticles acted as active microelectrodes could facilitate the formation of a cells/ATO composite biofilm and the reduction of the outer membrane c-type cytochromes (OM c-Cyts) that are beneficial for the electron transfer from cells to electrode. Meanwhile, a synergistic effect between the participation of OM c-Cyts and the accelerated EET mediated by cell-secreted flavins may play an important role for the enhanced current generation in the presence of ATO nanoparticles. Moreover, it is worth noting that the TCA cycle in S. loihica PV-4 cells is activated by adding ATO nanoparticles, even if the potential is poised at +0.2 V, thereby also improving the EET process. The results presented here may provide a simple and effective strategy to boost the EET of S. loihica PV-4 cells, which is conducive to providing potential applications in bioelectrochemical systems.

Enhanced wet air oxidation : synergistic rate acceleration upon effluent recirculation

Treesearch

Matthew J. Birchmeier; Charles G. Hill; Carl J. Houtman; Rajai H. Atalla; Ira A. Weinstock

2000-01-01

Wet air oxidation (WAO) reactions of cellobiose, phenol, and syringic acid were carried out under mild conditions (155°C; 0.93MPa 02; soluble catalyst, Na5[PV2Mo10O40]). Initial oxidation rates were rapid but decreased to small values as less reactive oxidation products accumulated. Recalcitrant oxidation products were consumed more rapidly, however, if additional...

Energy by the Numbers: An Energy Revolution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today released a new report that highlights the accelerated deployment of five clean energy technologies: wind turbines, solar technologies for both utility-scale and distributed photovoltaic (PV), electric vehicles (EVs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The report, Revolution…Now, was announced by Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz during a discussion at The Atlantic’s Washington Ideas Forum.

Plasma volume during stress in man - Osmolality and red cell volume

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenleaf, J. E.; Convertino, V. A.; Mangseth, G. R.

1979-01-01

The purpose was (1) to test the hypothesis that in man there is a range of plasma osmolality within which the red cell volume (RCV) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) remain essentially constant and (2) to determine the upper limit of this range. During a variety of stresses - submaximal and maximal exercise, heat and altitude exposure, +Gz acceleration, and tilting - changes in plasma osmolality between -1 and +13 mosmol/kg resulted in essentially no change in the regression of percent change in plasma volume (PV) calculated from a change in hematocrit (Hct) on that calculated from a change in Hct + hemoglobin (Hb), i.e., the RCV and MCV were constant. Factors that do not influence RCV are the level of metabolism, heat exposure at rest, and short-term orthostasis (heat-to-foot acceleration). Factors that may influence RCV are exposure to high altitude and long-term orthostasis (head-up tilting). Factors that definitely influence RCV are prior dehydration and extended periods of stress. Thus, either the Hct or the Hct + Hb equations can be used to calculate percent changes in PV under short-term periods of stress when the change in plasma osmolality is less than 13 mosmol/kg.

Why do electricity policy and competitive markets fail to use advanced PV systems to improve distribution power quality?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McHenry, Mark P.; Johnson, Jay; Hightower, Mike

The increasing pressure for network operators to meet distribution network power quality standards with increasing peak loads, renewable energy targets, and advances in automated distributed power electronics and communications is forcing policy-makers to understand new means to distribute costs and benefits within electricity markets. Discussions surrounding how distributed generation (DG) exhibits active voltage regulation and power factor/reactive power control and other power quality capabilities are complicated by uncertainties of baseline local distribution network power quality and to whom and how costs and benefits of improved electricity infrastructure will be allocated. DG providing ancillary services that dynamically respond to the networkmore » characteristics could lead to major network improvements. With proper market structures renewable energy systems could greatly improve power quality on distribution systems with nearly no additional cost to the grid operators. Renewable DG does have variability challenges, though this issue can be overcome with energy storage, forecasting, and advanced inverter functionality. This paper presents real data from a large-scale grid-connected PV array with large-scale storage and explores effective mitigation measures for PV system variability. As a result, we discuss useful inverter technical knowledge for policy-makers to mitigate ongoing inflation of electricity network tariff components by new DG interconnection requirements or electricity markets which value power quality and control.« less

Why do electricity policy and competitive markets fail to use advanced PV systems to improve distribution power quality?

DOE PAGES

McHenry, Mark P.; Johnson, Jay; Hightower, Mike

2016-01-01

The increasing pressure for network operators to meet distribution network power quality standards with increasing peak loads, renewable energy targets, and advances in automated distributed power electronics and communications is forcing policy-makers to understand new means to distribute costs and benefits within electricity markets. Discussions surrounding how distributed generation (DG) exhibits active voltage regulation and power factor/reactive power control and other power quality capabilities are complicated by uncertainties of baseline local distribution network power quality and to whom and how costs and benefits of improved electricity infrastructure will be allocated. DG providing ancillary services that dynamically respond to the networkmore » characteristics could lead to major network improvements. With proper market structures renewable energy systems could greatly improve power quality on distribution systems with nearly no additional cost to the grid operators. Renewable DG does have variability challenges, though this issue can be overcome with energy storage, forecasting, and advanced inverter functionality. This paper presents real data from a large-scale grid-connected PV array with large-scale storage and explores effective mitigation measures for PV system variability. As a result, we discuss useful inverter technical knowledge for policy-makers to mitigate ongoing inflation of electricity network tariff components by new DG interconnection requirements or electricity markets which value power quality and control.« less

Low-cost photovoltaics: Luminescent solar concentrators and colloidal quantum dot solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leow, Shin Woei

Solar energy has long been lauded as an inexhaustible fuel source with more energy reaching the earth's surface in one hour than the global consumption for a year. Although capable of satisfying the world's energy requirements, solar energy remains an expensive technology that has yet to attain grid parity. Another drawback is that existing solar farms require large quantities of land in order to generate power at useful rates. In this work, we look to luminescent solar concentrator systems and quantum dot technology as viable solutions to lowering the cost of solar electricity production with the flexibility to integrate such technologies into buildings to achieve dual land use. Luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) windows with front-facing photovoltaic (PV) cells were built and their gain and power efficiency were investigated. Conventional LSCs employ a photovoltaic (PV) cell that is placed on the edge of the LSC, facing inward. This work describes a new design with the PV cells on the front-face allowing them to receive both direct solar irradiation and wave-guided photons emitted from a dye embedded in an acrylic sheet, which is optically coupled to the PV cells. Parameters investigated include the thickness of the waveguide, edge treatment of the window, cell width, and cell placement. The data allowed us to make projections that aided in designing windows for maximized overall efficiency. A gain in power of 2.2x over the PV cells alone was obtained with PV cell coverage of 5%, and a power conversion efficiency as high as 6.8% was obtained with a PV cell coverage of 31%. Balancing the trade-offs between gain and efficiency, the design with the lowest cost per watt attained a power efficiency of 3.8% and a gain of 1.6x. With the viability of the LSC demonstrated, a weighted Monte-Carlo Ray Tracing program was developed to study the transport of photons and loss mechanisms in the LSC to aid in design optimization. The program imports measured absorption/emission spectra of an organic luminescent dye (LR305), the transmission coefficient and refractive index of acrylic as parameters that describe the system. Simulations suggest that for LR305, 8-10cm of luminescent material surrounding the PV cell yields the highest increase in power gain per unit area of LSC added, thereby determining the ideal spacing between PV cells in the panel. The model also predicts that for different PV cell dimensions, there exists an optimum waveguide thickness which efficiently transports photon collected by the waveguide to the PV cell with minimal loss, and maintains an even distribution of photons across the cell surface. For the case of the 12.5 by 1cm rectangular cells used in this work, the calculated waveguide thickness is 3mm. For larger cells, every 1cm increment in PV cell width should be accompanied by a 0.75mm increase in waveguide thickness to preserve peak performance. In line with the goal of pushing for cost competitive photovoltaics, the last part of this work shifts to the study of colloidal quantum dot solar cells. A combination of low temperature, highly scalable fabrication process and reduced material usage for thin films offers us a means to produce flexible and cheap solar cells. Tagging on to existing work already performed on germanium quantum dot solar cells, additional work was carried out to further characterize the material. The effect of film thickness, nano-particle surface conditions and thermal anneal were investigated. There is evidence to suggest that the quantum dot devices contain high levels of parasitic resistances. Short circuit current densities increase by up to two times with two spin-cast layers compared to four, leading to the conjecture that charge carrier life time is low with high levels of recombination. Annealing to improve carrier mobility produces devices with current densities up to 301microA, a fourfold increase, but output voltages saw a sharp decrease from 0.12V to 0.015V. In tandem with the work on germanium, experiments on silicon quantum dots were also carried out to investigate their viability for use as photovoltaic devices. The stronger bonds formed by silicon hindered the ligand exchange process. Schottky diodes were made via drop casting and displayed a clear photovoltaic effect albeit with very low current densities. Interestingly, an open circuit voltage was observed even when not under illumination and further investigations are ongoing.

The Present, Mid-Term, and Long-Term Supply Curves for Tellurium; and Updates in the Results from NREL's CdTe PV Module Manufacturing Cost Model (Presentation)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Woodhouse, M.; Goodrich, A.; Redlinger, M.

2013-09-01

For those PV technologies that rely upon Te, In, and Ga, first-order observations and calculations hint that there may be resource constraints that could inhibit their successful deployment at a SunShot level. These are only first-order approximations, however, and the possibility for an expansion in global Te, In, and Ga supplies needs to be considered in the event that there are upward revisions in their demand and prices.In this study, we examine the current, mid-term, and long-term prospects of Tellurium (Te) for use in PV. We find that the current global supply base of Te would support <10 GW ofmore » annual traditional CdTe PV manufacturing production. But as for the possibility that the supply base for Te might be expanded, after compiling several preliminary cumulative availability curves we find that there may be significant upside potential in the supply base for this element - principally vis a vis increasing demand and higher prices. Primarily by reducing the Tellurium intensity in manufacturing and by increasing the recovery efficiency of Te in Cu refining processes, we calculate that it may prove affordable to PV manufacturers to expand the supply base for Te such that 100 GW, or greater, of annual CdTe PV production is possible in the 2030 - 2050 timeframe.« less

Market assessment of photovoltaic power systems for agricultural applications worldwide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabraal, A.; Delasanta, D.; Rosen, J.; Nolfi, J.; Ulmer, R.

1981-11-01

Agricultural sector PV market assessments conducted in the Phillippines, Nigeria, Mexico, Morocco, and Colombia are extrapolated worldwide. The types of applications evaluated are those requiring less than 15 kW of power and operate in a stand alone mode. The major conclusions were as follows: PV will be competitive in applications requiring 2 to 3 kW of power prior to 1983; by 1986 PV system competitiveness will extend to applications requiring 4 to 6 kW of power, due to capital constraints, the private sector market may be restricted to applications requiring less than about 2 kW of power; the ultimate purchase of larger systems will be governments, either through direct purchase or loans from development banks. Though fragmented, a significant agriculture sector market for PV exists; however, the market for PV in telecommunications, signalling, rural services, and TV will be larger. Major market related factors influencing the potential for U.S. PV Sales are: lack of awareness; high first costs; shortage of long term capital; competition from German, French and Japanese companies who have government support; and low fuel prices in capital surplus countries. Strategies that may aid in overcoming some of these problems are: setting up of a trade association aimed at overcoming problems due to lack of awareness, innovative financing schemes such as lease arrangements, and designing products to match current user needs as opposed to attempting to change consumer behavior.

Market assessment of photovoltaic power systems for agricultural applications worldwide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabraal, A.; Delasanta, D.; Rosen, J.; Nolfi, J.; Ulmer, R.

1981-01-01

Agricultural sector PV market assessments conducted in the Phillippines, Nigeria, Mexico, Morocco, and Colombia are extrapolated worldwide. The types of applications evaluated are those requiring less than 15 kW of power and operate in a stand alone mode. The major conclusions were as follows: PV will be competitive in applications requiring 2 to 3 kW of power prior to 1983; by 1986 PV system competitiveness will extend to applications requiring 4 to 6 kW of power, due to capital constraints, the private sector market may be restricted to applications requiring less than about 2 kW of power; the ultimate purchase of larger systems will be governments, either through direct purchase or loans from development banks. Though fragmented, a significant agriculture sector market for PV exists; however, the market for PV in telecommunications, signalling, rural services, and TV will be larger. Major market related factors influencing the potential for U.S. PV Sales are: lack of awareness; high first costs; shortage of long term capital; competition from German, French and Japanese companies who have government support; and low fuel prices in capital surplus countries. Strategies that may aid in overcoming some of these problems are: setting up of a trade association aimed at overcoming problems due to lack of awareness, innovative financing schemes such as lease arrangements, and designing products to match current user needs as opposed to attempting to change consumer behavior.

Roadmaps for powering the world, U.S., and individual states for all purposes with wind, water, and sunlight (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobson, M. Z.

2013-12-01

Global warming, air pollution, and energy insecurity are three of the most significant problems facing the world today. This talk discusses these problems and technical and economic plans to solve them by powering 100% of the world, individual countries, and states for all purposes, including electricity, transportation, industry, and heating/cooling, with wind, water, and sunlight (WWS) together with efficiency measures, within 20-40 years. Specific plans for New York State and California are discussed. For California, the plan contemplates all new energy powered with WWS by 2020, 80-85% of existing energy replaced by 2030, and 100% replaced by 2050. Electrification plus modest efficiency measures would reduce California's end-use power demand ~44% and stabilize energy prices since WWS fuel costs are zero. Even without additional efficiency improvements, remaining all-purpose 2030 end-use demand could be met with 25% onshore and 10% offshore wind, 15% concentrated solar, 15% utility-scale PV, 10% residential PV, 15% commercial/government PV, 5% geothermal, 0.5% wave, 0.5% tidal, and 4% hydroelectric. These percentages will shift upon implementation. Converting would create ~137,000 net permanent jobs, decrease ~16,000 (4,800-29,600) state air pollution deaths/yr, and avoid 131 (39-296) billion/yr in health costs (6.9% of California's 2010 gross domestic product), repaying the 1 trillion capital cost for 573 GW installed power within ~7.3 yr. California's emission decreases would reduce 2050 U.S. and global climate costs by ~6 and 60 billion/yr, respectively.

Can Integrated Micro-Optical Concentrator Technology Revolutionize Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Solar Energy Harvesting?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haney, Michael W.

2015-12-01

The economies-of-scale and enhanced performance of integrated micro-technologies have repeatedly delivered disruptive market impact. Examples range from microelectronics to displays to lighting. However, integrated micro-scale technologies have yet to be applied in a transformational way to solar photovoltaic panels. The recently announced Micro-scale Optimized Solar-cell Arrays with Integrated Concentration (MOSAIC) program aims to create a new paradigm in solar photovoltaic panel technology based on the incorporation of micro-concentrating photo-voltaic (μ-CPV) cells. As depicted in Figure 1, MOSAIC will integrate arrays of micro-optical concentrating elements and micro-scale PV elements to achieve the same aggregated collection area and high conversion efficiency of a conventional (i.e., macro-scale) CPV approach, but with the low profile and mass, and hopefully cost, of a conventional non-concentrated PV panel. The reduced size and weight, and enhanced wiring complexity, of the MOSAIC approach provide the opportunity to access the high-performance/low-cost region between the conventional CPV and flat-plate (1-sun) PV domains shown in Figure 2. Accessing this portion of the graph in Figure 2 will expand the geographic and market reach of flat-plate PV. This talk reviews the motivation and goals for the MOSAIC program. The diversity of the technical approaches to micro-concentration, embedded solar tracking, and hybrid direct/diffuse solar resource collection found in the MOSAIC portfolio of projects will also be highlighted.

Solar Schools Assessment and Implementation Project: Financing Options for Solar Installations on K-12 Schools

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Coughlin, J.; Kandt, A.

This report focuses on financial options developed specifically for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in three California public school districts. Solar energy systems installed on public schools have a number of benefits that include utility bill savings, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and other toxic air contaminants, job creation, demonstrating environmental leadership, and creating learning opportunities for students. In the 2011 economic environment, the ability to generate general-fund savings as a result of reducing utility bills has become a primary motivator for school districts trying to cut costs. To achieve meaningful savings, the size of the photovoltaic (PV)more » systems installed (both individually on any one school and collectively across a district) becomes much more important; larger systems are required to have a material impact on savings. Larger PV systems require a significant financial commitment and financing therefore becomes a critical element in the transaction. In simple terms, school districts can use two primary types of ownership models to obtain solar installations and cost savings across a school district. The PV installations can be financed and owned directly by the districts themselves. Alternatively, there are financing structures whereby another entity, such as a solar developer or its investors, actually own and operate the PV systems on behalf of the school district. This is commonly referred to as the 'third-party ownership model.' Both methods have advantages and disadvantages that should be weighed carefully.« less

Antioxidant effcacy of unripe banana (Musa acuminata Colla) peel extracts in sunflower oil during accelerated storage.

PubMed

Ling, Stella Sye Chee; Chang, Sui Kiat; Sia, Winne Chiaw Mei; Yim, Hip Seng

2015-01-01

Sunflower oil is prone to oxidation during storage time, leading to production of toxic compounds that might affect human health. Synthetic antioxidants are used to prevent lipid oxidation. Spreading interest in the replacement of synthetic food antioxidants by natural ones has fostered research on fruit and vegetables for new antioxidants. In this study, the efficacy of unripe banana peel extracts (100, 200 and 300 ppm)  in stabilizing sunflower oil was tested under accelerated storage (65°C) for a period of 24 days. BHA and α-tocopherol served as comparative standards besides the control. Established parameters such as peroxide value (PV), iodine value (IV), p-anisidine value (p-AnV), total oxidation value (TOTOX), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and free fatty acid (FFA) content were used to assess the extent of oil deterioration. After 24 days storage at 65°C, sunflower oil containing 200 and 300 ppm extract of unripe banana peel showed significantly lower PV and TOTOX compared to BHA and α-tocopherol. TBARS, p-AnV and FFA values of sunflower oil containing 200 and 300 ppm of unripe banana peel extract exhibited comparable inhibitory effects with BHA. Unripe banana peel extract at 200 and 300 ppm demonstrated inhibitory effect against both primary and secondary oxidation up to 24 days under accelerated storage conditions. Unripe banana peel extract may be used as a potential source of natural antioxidants in the application of food industry to suppress lipid oxidation.

Module Embedded Micro-inverter Smart Grid Ready Residential Solar Electric System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Agamy, Mohammed

The “Module Embedded Micro-inverter Smart Grid Ready Residential Solar Electric System” program is focused on developing innovative concepts for residential photovoltaic (PV) systems with the following objectives: to create an Innovative micro-inverter topology that reduces the cost from the best in class micro-inverter and provides high efficiency (>96% CEC - California Energy Commission), and 25+ year warranty, as well as reactive power support; integrate micro-inverter and PV module to reduce system price by at least $0.25/W through a) accentuating dual use of the module metal frame as a large area heat spreader reducing operating temperature, and b) eliminating redundant wiringmore » and connectors; and create micro-inverter controller handles smart grid and safety functions to simplify implementation and reduce cost.« less

Photovoltaic materials and devices 2016

DOE PAGES

Sopori, Bhushan; Basnyat, Prakash; Mehta, Vishal

2016-01-01

Photovoltaic energy continues to grow with about 59 GW of solar PV installed in 2015. While most of the PV production (about 93%) was Si wafer based, both CdTe and CI(G)S are growing in their shares. There is also continued progress at the laboratory scale in OPV and dye sensitized solar cells. As the market grows, emphasis on reducing the cost of modules and systems continues to grow. This is the fourth special issue of this journal that is dedicated to gathering selected papers on recent advances in materials, devices, and modules/PV systems. This issue contains sixteen papers on variousmore » aspects of photovoltaics. As a result, these fall in four broad categories of novel materials, device design and fabrication, modules, and systems.« less

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Tronox Facility in Savannah, Georgia. A Study Prepared in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kiatreungwattana, K.; Geiger, J.; Healey, V.

2013-03-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in accordance with the RE-Powering America's Land initiative, selected the Tronox Facility site in Savannah, Georgia, for a feasibility study of renewable energy production. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) provided technical assistance for this project. The purpose of this report is to assess the site for a possible photovoltaic (PV) system installation and estimate the cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options. In addition, the report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of a PV system at the site.

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Brisbane Baylands Brownfield Site in Brisbane, California. A Study Prepared in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salasovich, J.; Geiger, J.; Healey, V.

2013-04-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in accordance with the RE-Powering America's Land initiative, selected the Brisbane Baylands site in Brisbane, California, for a feasibility study of renewable energy production. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) provided technical assistance for this project. The purpose of this report is to assess the site for a possible photovoltaic (PV) system installation and estimate the cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options. In addition, the report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of a PV system at the site.

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Snohomish County Cathcart Landfill Site in Snohomish County, Washington. A Study Prepared in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olis, D.; Salasovich, J.; Mosey, G.

2013-04-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in accordance with the RE-Powering America's Land initiative, selected the Snohomish County Cathcart Landfill Site in Snohomish County, Washington, for a feasibility study of renewable energy production. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) provided technical assistance for this project. The purpose of this report is to assess the site for a photovoltaic (PV) system installation and estimate the cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options. In addition, the report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of a PV system at the site.

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Sky Park Landfill Site in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. A Study Prepared in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simon, J.; Mosey, G.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in accordance with the RE-Powering America's Land initiative, selected the Sky Park Landfill site in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, for a feasibility study of renewable energy production. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) provided technical assistance for this project. The purpose of this report is to assess the site for a possible photovoltaic (PV) system installation and estimate the cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options. In addition, the report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of a PV system at the site.

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Kolthoff Landfill in Cleveland, Ohio. A Study Prepared in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salasovich, J.; Geiger, J.; Mosey, G.

2013-06-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 5, in accordance with the RE-Powering America's Land initiative, selected the Kolthoff Landfill site in Cleveland, Ohio, for a feasibility study of renewable energy production. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) provided technical assistance for this project. The purpose of this report is to assess the site for a possible photovoltaic (PV) system installation and estimate the cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options. In addition, the report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of a PV system at the site.

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Kerr McGee Site in Columbus, Mississippi. A Study Prepared in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simon, J.; Mosey, G.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in accordance with the RE-Powering America's Land initiative, selected the Kerr McGee site in Columbus, Mississippi, for a feasibility study of renewable energy production. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) provided technical assistance for this project. The purpose of this report is to assess the site for a possible photovoltaic (PV) system installation and estimate the cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options. In addition, the report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of a PV system at the site.

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Chino Mine in Silver City, New Mexico. A Study Prepared in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kiatreungwattana, K.; Geiger, J.; Healey, V.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in accordance with the RE-Powering America's Land initiative, selected the Chino Mine site in Silver City, New Mexico, for a feasibility study of renewable energy production. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) provided technical assistance for this project. The purpose of this report is to assess the site for a possible photovoltaic (PV) system installation and estimate the cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options. In addition, the report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of a PV system at the site.

Study of CdTe/CdS solar cell at low power density for low-illumination applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Devi, Nisha, E-mail: nishatanwer1989@gmail.com; Aziz, Anver, E-mail: aaziz@jmi.ac.in; Datta, Shouvik

In this paper, we numerically investigate CdTe/CdS PV cell properties using a simulation program Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator in 1D (SCAPS-1D). A simple structure of CdTe PV cell has been optimized to study the effect of temperature, absorber thickness and work function at very low incident power. Objective of this research paper is to build an efficient and cost effective solar cell for portable electronic devices such as portable computers and cell phones that work at low incident power because most of such devices work at diffused and reflected sunlight. In this report, we simulated a simple CdTe PV cellmore » at very low incident power, which gives good efficiency.« less

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Solar Photovoltaics at the Ft. Hood Military Base Outside Killeen, Texas. A Study Prepared in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Geiger, J.; Lisell, L.; Mosey, G.

2013-10-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in accordance with the RE-Powering America's Land initiative through the Region 6 contract, selected Ft. Hood Army Base in Killeen, Texas, for a feasibility study of renewable energy production. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) provided technical assistance for this project. The purpose of this study is to assess the site for possible photovoltaic (PV) system installations and estimate the cost, performance, and site impacts of different PV options. In addition, the report recommends financing options that could assist in the implementation of a PV system at the site.

A feasibility study of stationary and dual-axis tracking grid-connected photovoltaic systems in the Upper Midwest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warren, Ryan Duwain

Three primary objectives were defined for this work. The first objective was to determine, assess, and compare the performance, heat transfer characteristics, economics, and feasibility of real-world stationary and dual-axis tracking grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems in the Upper Midwest. This objective was achieved by installing two grid-connected PV systems with different mounting schemes in central Iowa, implementing extensive data acquisition systems, monitoring operation of the PV systems for one full year, and performing detailed experimental performance and economic studies. The two PV systems that were installed, monitored, and analyzed included a 4.59 kWp roof-mounted stationary system oriented for maximum annual energy production, and a 1.02 kWp pole-mounted actively controlled dual-axis tracking system. The second objective was to demonstrate the actual use and performance of real-world stationary and dual-axis tracking grid-connected PV systems used for building energy generation applications. This objective was achieved by offering the installed PV systems to the public for demonstration purposes and through the development of three computer-based tools: a software interface that has the ability to display real-time and historical performance and meteorological data of both systems side-by-side, a software interface that shows real-time and historical video and photographs of each system, and a calculator that can predict performance and economics of stationary and dual-axis tracking grid-connected PV systems at various locations in the United States. The final objective was to disseminate this work to social, professional, scientific, and academic communities in a way that is applicable, objective, accurate, accessible, and comprehensible. This final objective will be addressed by publishing the results of this work and making the computer-based tools available on a public website (www.energy.iastate.edu/Renewable/solar). Detailed experimental performance analyses were performed for both systems; results were quantified and compared between systems, focusing on measures of solar resource, energy generation, power production, and efficiency. This work also presents heat transfer characteristics of both arrays and quantifies the affects of operating temperature on PV system performance in terms of overall heat transfer coefficients and temperature coefficients for power. To assess potential performance of PV in the Upper Midwest, models were built to predict performance of the PV systems operating at lower temperatures. Economic analyses were performed for both systems focusing on measures of life-cycle cost, payback period, internal rate of return, and average incremental cost of solar energy. The potential economic feasibility of grid-connected stationary PV systems used for building energy generation in the Upper Midwest was assessed under assumptions of higher utility energy costs, lower initial installed costs, and different metering agreements. The annual average daily solar insolation seen by the stationary and dual-axis tracking systems was found to be 4.37 and 5.95 kWh/m2, respectively. In terms of energy generation, the tracking system outperformed the stationary system on annual, monthly, and often daily bases; normalized annual energy generation for the tracking and stationary systems were found to be 1,779 and 1,264 kWh/kWp, respectively. The annual average conversion efficiencies of the tracking and stationary systems were found to be approximately 11 and 10.7 percent, respectively. Annual performance ratio values of the tracking and stationary system were found to be 0.819 and 0.792, respectively. The net present values of both systems under all assumed discount rates were determined to be negative. Further, neither system was found to have a payback period less than the assumed system life of 25 years. The rate-of-return of the stationary and tracking systems were found to be -3.3 and -4.9 percent, respectively. Furthermore, the average incremental cost of energy provided by the stationary and dual-axis tracking systems over their assumed useful life is projected to be 0.31 and 0.37 dollars per kWh, respectively. Results of this study suggest that grid-connected PV systems used for building energy generation in the Upper Midwest are not yet economically feasible when compared to a range of alternative investments; however, PV systems could show feasibility under more favorable economic scenarios. Throughout the year of monitoring, array operating temperatures ranged from -24.7°C (-12.4°F) to 61.7°C (143.1°F) for the stationary system and -23.9 °C (-11°F) to 52.7°C (126.9°F) for the dual-axis tracking system during periods of system operation. The hourly average overall heat transfer coefficients for solar irradiance levels greater than 200 W/m 2 for the stationary and dual-axis tracking systems were found to be 20.8 and 29.4 W/m2°C, respectively. The experimental temperature coefficients for power for the stationary and dual-axis tracking systems at a solar irradiance level of 1,000 W/m2 were -0.30 and -0.38 %/°C, respectively. Simulations of the stationary and dual-axis tracking systems operating at lower temperatures suggest that annual conversion efficiencies could potentially be increased by to up 4.3 and 4.6 percent, respectively.

Photovoltaic Manufacturing R&D Project | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Photovoltaic (PV) Manufacturing Research and Development (R&D) Project was a cost-shared partnership between NREL and a number of private-sector solar companies. The primary project goals were to reduce costs for consumers and solar companies by improving products and manufacturing processes and ensure the

BLAST for Behind-the-Meter Applications Lite Tool | Transportation Research

Science.gov Websites

provided by NREL's PV Watts calculator. A generic utility rate structure framework makes it possible to the BLAST documentation for proper CSV formatting. Rate structure values Define demand charges and energy costs to best represent your utility rate structure of interest. Demand charges and energy costs

Lactate - Arterial and Venous Agreement in Sepsis: a prospective observational study.

PubMed

Datta, Deepankar; Grahamslaw, Julia; Gray, Alasdair J; Graham, Catriona; Walker, Craig A

2018-04-01

Sepsis is a common condition in the emergency department (ED). Lactate measurement is an important part of management: arterial lactate (A-LACT) measurement is the gold standard. There is increasing use of peripheral venous lactate (PV-LACT); however, there is little research supporting the interchangeability of the two measures.If PV-LACT has good agreement with A-LACT, it would significantly reduce patient discomfort and the risks of arterial sampling for a large group of acutely unwell patients, while allowing faster and wider screening, with potential reduced costs to the healthcare system. The aim of this study is to determine the agreement between PV-LACT and A-LACT in septic patients attending the ED. We carried out a prospective observational cohort study of 304 consented patients presenting with sepsis to a single UK NHS ED (110 000 adult attendances annually) taking paired PV-LACT and A-LACT. Bland-Altman analysis was carried out to determine agreement. Receiver operating characteristic curves and 2×2 tables were constructed to explore the predictive value of PV-LACT for A-LACT. The mean difference (PV-LACT-A-LACT) is 0.4 mmol/l [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.37-0.45], with 95% limits of agreement from -0.4 (95% CI: -0.45 to -0.32) to 1.2 (95% CI: 1.14-1.27). A PV-LACT of at least 2 mmol/l predicts an A-LACT of at least 2 with 100% sensitivity (95% CI: 89-100%) and 83% specificity (95% CI: 77-87%). This study is the largest comparing the two measurements, and shows good clinical agreement. We recommend using PV-LACT in the routine screening of septic patients. A PV-LACT less than 2 mmol/l is predictive of an A-LACT less than 2 mmol/l.

Comparison and Validation of Operational Cost in Smart Houses with the Introduction of a Heat Pump or a Gas Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimoji, Tsubasa; Tahara, Hayato; Matayoshi, Hidehito; Yona, Atsushi; Senjyu, Tomonobu

2015-02-01

Due to the concerns of global warming and the depletion of energy resources, renewable energies such as wind generation (WG) and photovoltaic generation (PV) are gaining attention in distribution systems. Efficient electric equipment such as heat pumps (HP) not only contribute low levels of carbon to society, but are also beneficial for consumers. In addition, gas instruments such as the gas engine (GE) and fuel cells (FC) are expected to reduce electricity cost by exhaust heat. Thus, it is important to clarify which systems (HP or GE) are more beneficial for consumers throughout the year. This paper compares the operational cost for the smart house between using the HP and the GE. Current electricity and gas prices are used to calculate the cost of the smart house. The system considered in this research comprises a PV, battery, solar collector (SC), uncontrolled load and either an HP or a GE. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed system, MATLAB is used for simulations.

Measured and estimated performance of a fleet of shaded photovoltaic systems with string and module-level inverters

DOE PAGES

MacAlpine, Sara; Deline, Chris; Dobos, Aron

2017-03-16

Shade obstructions can significantly impact the performance of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Although there are many models for partially shaded PV arrays, there is a lack of information available regarding their accuracy and uncertainty when compared with actual field performance. This work assesses the recorded performance of 46 residential PV systems, equipped with either string-level or module-level inverters, under a variety of shading conditions. We compare their energy production data to annual PV performance predictions, with a focus on the practical models developed here for National Renewable Energy Laboratory's system advisor model software. This includes assessment of shade extent on eachmore » PV system by using traditional onsite surveys and newer 3D obstruction modelling. The electrical impact of shade is modelled by either a nonlinear performance model or assumption of linear impact with shade extent, depending on the inverter type. When applied to the fleet of residential PV systems, performance is predicted with median annual bias errors of 2.5% or less, for systems with up to 20% estimated shading loss. The partial shade models are not found to add appreciable uncertainty to annual predictions of energy production for this fleet of systems but do introduce a monthly root-mean-square error of approximately 4%-9% due to seasonal effects. Here the use of a detailed 3D model results in similar or improved accuracy over site survey methods, indicating that, with proper description of shade obstructions, modelling of partially shaded PV arrays can be done completely remotely, potentially saving time and cost.« less

Southeast Regional Experiment Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1994-08-01

This is the final report of the Southeast Regional Experiment Station project. The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), a research institute of the University of Central Florida (UCF), has operated the Southeast Regional Experiment Station (SE RES) for the US Department of Energy (DOE) since September 1982. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque (SNLA) provides technical program direction for both the SE RES and the Southwest Regional Experiment Station (SW RES) located at the Southwest Technology Development Institute at Las Cruces, New Mexico. This cooperative effort serves a critical role in the national photovoltaic program by conducting system evaluations, design assistance and technology transfer to enhance the cost-effective utilization and development of photovoltaic technology. Initially, the research focus of the SE RES program centered on utility-connected PV systems and associated issues. In 1987, the SE RES began evaluating amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film PV modules for application in utility-interactive systems. Stand-alone PV systems began receiving increased emphasis at the SE RES in 1986. Research projects were initiated that involved evaluation of vaccine refrigeration, water pumping and other stand-alone power systems. The results of this work have led to design optimization techniques and procedures for the sizing and modeling of PV water pumping systems. Later recent research at the SE RES included test and evaluation of batteries and charge controllers for stand-alone PV system applications. The SE RES project provided the foundation on which FSEC achieved national recognition for its expertise in PV systems research and related technology transfer programs. These synergistic products of the SE RES illustrate the high visibility and contributions the FSEC PV program offers to the DOE.

Investigation of test methods, material properties, and processes for solar cell encapsulants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

Photovoltaic (PV) modules consist of a string of electrically interconnected silicon solar cells capable of producing practical quantities of electrical power when exposed to sunlight. To insure high reliability and long term performance, the functional components of the solar cell module must be adequately protected from the environment by some encapsulation technique. The encapsulation system must provide mechanical support for the cells and corrosion protection for the electrical components. The goal of the program is to identify and develop encapsulation systems consistent with the PV module operating requirements of 30 year life and a target cost of $0.70 per peak watt ($70 per square meter) (1980 dollars). Assuming a module efficiency of ten percent, which is equivalent to a power output of 100 watts per square meter in midday sunlight, the capital cost of the modules may be calculated to be $70.00 per square meter. Out of this cost goal, only 20 percent is available for encapsulation due to the high cost of the cells, interconnects, and other related components. The encapsulation cost allocation may then be stated as $14.00 per square meter, included all coatings, pottant and mechanical supports for the cells.

Trimode Power Converter optimizes PV, diesel and battery energy sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osullivan, George; Bonn, Russell; Bower, Ward

1994-12-01

Conservatively, there are 100,000 localities in the world waiting for the benefits that electricity can provide, and many of these are in climates where sunshine is plentiful. With these locations in mind a prototype 30 kW hybrid system has been assembled at Sandia to prove the reliability and economics of photovoltaic, diesel and battery energy sources managed by an autonomous power converter. In the Trimode Power Converter the same power parts, four IGBT's with an isolation transformer and filter components, serve as rectifier and charger to charge the battery from the diesel; as a stand-alone inverter to convert PV and battery energy to AC; and, as a parallel inverter with the diesel-generator to accommodate loads larger than the rating of the diesel. Whenever the diesel is supplying the load, an algorithm assures that the diesel is running at maximum efficiency by regulating the battery charger operating point. Given the profile of anticipated solar energy, the cost of transporting diesel fuel to a remote location and a five year projection of load demand, a method to size the PV array, battery and diesel for least cost is developed.

Advanced Photonic Processes for Photovoltaic and Energy Storage Systems.

PubMed

Sygletou, Maria; Petridis, Constantinos; Kymakis, Emmanuel; Stratakis, Emmanuel

2017-10-01

Solar-energy harvesting through photovoltaic (PV) conversion is the most promising technology for long-term renewable energy production. At the same time, significant progress has been made in the development of energy-storage (ES) systems, which are essential components within the cycle of energy generation, transmission, and usage. Toward commercial applications, the enhancement of the performance and competitiveness of PV and ES systems requires the adoption of precise, but simple and low-cost manufacturing solutions, compatible with large-scale and high-throughput production lines. Photonic processes enable cost-efficient, noncontact, highly precise, and selective engineering of materials via photothermal, photochemical, or photophysical routes. Laser-based processes, in particular, provide access to a plethora of processing parameters that can be tuned with a remarkably high degree of precision to enable innovative processing routes that cannot be attained by conventional approaches. The focus here is on the application of advanced light-driven approaches for the fabrication, as well as the synthesis, of materials and components relevant to PV and ES systems. Besides presenting recent advances on recent achievements, the existing limitations are outlined and future possibilities and emerging prospects discussed. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Lessons learned from hybrid wind/PV village power system installations in Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bergey, M.

1995-09-01

In the last three years eight decentralized village power systems utilizing small wind turbines as the primary energy source have been installed in rural Mexico. Hybrid wind/PV systems have been installed in five States and by three vendors. Seven out of the eight systems, which range i size from 9.3--71.2kW in combined wind and PV capacity, utilize one or more 10 kW wind turbines. All of these installations have battery banks and use static inverters to provide AC power for distribution to homes, businesses, and community facilities. On all but one of the systems a diesel generator is used tomore » provide back-up power. This paper attempts to summarize the range of costs and economics, performance, and operational experiences for all eight installations. Several of the systems are monitored for performance, including one that is extensively monitored under a cooperative program between the Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas and Sandia National Laboratory. Lessons learned from these systems provide insights that may allow future village power systems of this architecture to be installed at lower costs, to be operated more effectively and efficiently, and to be better able to satisfy customer requirements.« less

PV solar electricity: status and future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, Winfried

2006-04-01

Within the four main market segments of PV solar electricity there are already three areas competitive today. These are off-grid industrial and rural as well as consumer applications. The overall growth within the past 8 years was almost 40 % p.a. with a "normal" growth of about 18 % p.a. for the first three market segments whereas the grid connected market increased with an astonishing 63 % p.a. The different growth rates catapulted the contribution of grid connected systems in relation to the total market from about one quarter 6 years ago towards more than three quarters today. The reason for this development is basically due to industry-politically induced market support programs in the aforementioned countries. It is quite important to outline under which boundary conditions grid connected systems will be competitive without support programs like the feed in tariff system in Germany, Spain and some more to come in Europe as well as investment subsidies in Japan, US and some other countries. It will be shown that in a more and more liberalized utility market worldwide electricity produced by PV solar electricity systems will be able to compete with their generating cost against peak power prices from utilities. The point of time for this competitiveness is mainly determined by the following facts: 1. Price decrease for PV solar electricity systems leading to an equivalent decrease in the generated cost for PV produced kWh. 2. Development of a truly liberalized electricity market. 3. Degree of irradiation between times of peak power demand and delivery of PV electricity. The first topic is discussed using price experience curves. Some explanations will be given to correlate the qualitative number of 20 % price decrease for doubling cumulative worldwide sales derived from the historic price experience curve with a more quantitative analysis based on our EPIA-Roadmap (productivity increase and ongoing improvements for existing technologies as well as development of new concepts to broaden the product portfolio in coming years). The second topic outlines the most likely development of liberalized electricity markets in various regions worldwide. It will be emphasized that in such markets the future prices for electricity will more and more reflect the different cost for bulk and peak power production. This will not only happen for industrial electricity customers - as already today in many countries - but also for private households. The third topic summarizes the existing data and facts by correlating peak power demand and prices traded in various stock exchange markets with delivered PV kWh. It will be shown that a high degree of correlation is existent. Combining the three topics and postulating reverse net metering the competitiveness of PV solar electricity as described is most likely to occur. The described price decrease of modules will also have a very positive impact on off-grid rural applications, mainly in 3rd world countries. It will be shown that this is strongly advanced due to the development of mini-grids starting from solar home systems - with mini grids looking very similar to on-grid applications in weak grid areas of nowadays electricity network.

Was it worthwhile? Where have the benefits of rooftop solar photovoltaic generation exceeded the cost?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaishnav, Parth; Horner, Nathaniel; Azevedo, Inês L.

2017-09-01

We estimate the lifetime magnitude and distribution of the private and public benefits and costs of currently installed distributed solar PV systems in the United States. Using data for recently-installed systems, we estimate the balance of benefits and costs associated with installing a non-utility solar PV system today. We also study the geographical distribution of the various subsidies that are made available to owners of rooftop solar PV systems, and compare it to distributions of population and income. We find that, after accounting for federal subsidies and local rebates and assuming a discount rate of 7%, the private benefits of new installations will exceed private costs only in seven of the 19 states for which we have data and only if customers can sell excess power to the electric grid at the retail price. These states are characterized by abundant sunshine (California, Texas and Nevada) or by high electricity prices (New York). Public benefits from reduced air pollution and climate change impact exceed the costs of the various subsidies offered system owners for less than 10% of the systems installed, even assuming a 2% discount rate. Subsidies flowed disproportionately to counties with higher median incomes in 2006. In 2014, the distribution of subsidies was closer to that of population income, but subsidies still flowed disproportionately to the better-off. The total, upfront, subsidy per kilowatt of installed capacity has fallen from 5200 in 2006 to 1400 in 2014, but the absolute magnitude of subsidy has soared as installed capacity has grown explosively. We see considerable differences in the balance of costs and benefits even within states, indicating that local factors such as system price and solar resource are important, and that policies (e.g. net metering) could be made more efficient by taking local conditions into account.

Effects of Solar Photovoltaic Panels on Roof Heat Transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominguez, A.; Klessl, J.; Samady, M.; Luvall, J. C.

2010-01-01

Building Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) is a major contributor to urban energy use. In single story buildings with large surface area such as warehouses most of the heat enters through the roof. A rooftop modification that has not been examined experimentally is solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays. In California alone, several GW in residential and commercial rooftop PV are approved or in the planning stages. With the PV solar conversion efficiency ranging from 5-20% and a typical installed PV solar reflectance of 16-27%, 53-79% of the solar energy heats the panel. Most of this heat is then either transferred to the atmosphere or the building underneath. Consequently solar PV has indirect effects on roof heat transfer. The effect of rooftop PV systems on the building roof and indoor energy balance as well as their economic impacts on building HVAC costs have not been investigated. Roof calculator models currently do not account for rooftop modifications such as PV arrays. In this study, we report extensive measurements of a building containing a flush mount and a tilted solar PV array as well as exposed reference roof. Exterior air and surface temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation were measured and thermal infrared (TIR) images of the interior ceiling were taken. We found that in daytime the ceiling surface temperature under the PV arrays was significantly cooler than under the exposed roof. The maximum difference of 2.5 C was observed at around 1800h, close to typical time of peak energy demand. Conversely at night, the ceiling temperature under the PV arrays was warmer, especially for the array mounted flat onto the roof. A one dimensional conductive heat flux model was used to calculate the temperature profile through the roof. The heat flux into the bottom layer was used as an estimate of the heat flux into the building. The mean daytime heat flux (1200-2000 PST) under the exposed roof in the model was 14.0 Watts per square meter larger than under the tilted PV array. The maximum downward heat flux was 18.7 Watts per square meters for the exposed roof and 7.0 Watts per square meters under the tilted PV array, a 63% reduction due to the PV array. This study is unique as the impact of tilted and flush PV arrays could be compared against a typical exposed roof at the same roof for a commercial uninhabited building with exposed ceiling and consisting only of the building envelope. Our results indicate a more comfortable indoor environment in PV covered buildings without HVAC both in hotter and cooler seasons.

Non-Hardware ("Soft") Cost-Reduction Roadmap for Residential and Small Commercial Solar Photovoltaics, 2013-2020

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ardani, K.; Seif, D.; Margolis, R.

2013-08-01

The objective of this analysis is to roadmap the cost reductions and innovations necessary to achieve the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Initiative's total soft-cost targets by 2020. The roadmap focuses on advances in four soft-cost areas: (1) customer acquisition; (2) permitting, inspection, and interconnection (PII); (3) installation labor; and (4) financing. Financing cost reductions are in terms of the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) for financing PV system installations, with real-percent targets of 3.0% (residential) and 3.4% (commercial).

Silicon PV cell production on the Moon as the basis for a new architecture for space exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duke, Michael B.; Ignatiev, Alex; Freundlich, Alex; Rosenberg, Sanders D.; Makel, Darby

2001-02-01

A method is described by which silicon photovoltaic (PV) devices can be directly deposited onto the lunar regolith using primarily lunar materials. In sequence, a robotic ``crawler'' moving at slow speed sequentially melts the top layer of regolith and deposits a conducting layer, a doped silicon, a top conducting grid, and an antireflective coating by vacuum evaporation techniques. Concentrated solar energy is utilized as the energy source. Development of this capability would significantly lower the cost of electrical energy on the Moon and would enable a range of other activities, including lower cost propellant production, human outposts with complete food-growth capabilities, and advanced materials production. Low cost energy could affect the economics of propellants in space by allowing the extraction of solar wind hydrogen from the lunar regolith. This would allow the economical export of propellants and other materials to space, first to an Earth-Moon Lagrangian Point and potentially to low Earth orbit. .