Building-integrated photovoltaics installed capacity to grow more than tenfold to 2.4 GW by 2016, says Pike Research.
According to a new report from Pike Research, BIPV and building-applied photovoltaics (BAPV) market dynamics will change beginning in 2010, transforming from a market that was too expensive to really take off to a viable PV market force, mostly due to the extreme drop in PV costs. The firm forecasts that installed capacity will grow more than tenfold by 2016, approaching 2.4 gigawatts (GW) worldwide in that year compared to just 215 megawatts (MW) in 2009.
Pike Research forecasts that this growth will generate annual wholesale market revenues of $4 billion by 2016, under a base case scenario.
“Rapidly falling cost per watt will be a major driver of BIPV and BAPV installations in the coming years,” says senior analyst Dave Cavanaugh. “In addition, rooftop installations are becoming much easier with the market entry of new, high-efficiency CIGS-technology panels and shingles. At the same time, the aesthetic appeal of BIPV and BAPV is improving with the introduction of solar crystalline-silicon modules and thin-film tiles and shingles that blend into building facades, atria and rooftops.”
Cavanaugh adds that other key growth drivers include newly-instituted generous BIPV/BAPV feed-in tariffs in countries such as Italy, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, and the Canadian province of Ontario, and he believes it is likely that the United States will institute BIPV/BAPV incentives beginning in 2011
Other drivers will likely include efficiency improvements in c-Si and thin-film modules, better aesthetics for BIPV applications and the increase in the popularity of green building among consumers.
Additional factors that are likely to fuel adoption of BIPV/BAPV are efficiency improvements in both c-Si modules and flexible thin film panels and shingles, an enhanced supply chain for BIPV/BAPV solar products, much easier rooftop installation, and an increasing desire to “go green” by owners of residences and commercial buildings.
Pike Research’s report, “Building-Integrated Photovoltaics,” reviews the global markets for BIPV and BAPV including a comprehensive analysis of demand drivers and economics, technology issues, and key industry players, according to the company. The company also says that the report includes base case and upside scenario forecasts for BIPV/BAPV installed capacity by world region and technology, along with forecasts of wholesale market revenues through 2016.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Chinese Firms Developing Solar Power Plants for Less Than 1 Yuan per kWh?
A recent round of bids for utility-scale solar plants in China broke the 1 Yuan per kWh ($0.15 per kWh) threshold highlighting the government's push for clean energy at all costs.
The late August round of bids for utility-scale solar power projects in China yielded a new milestone in the economics of solar power in China: a sub-Yuan/kWh price for solar power. To achieve this impressive number, the Chinese government has used the state-owned sector (and particularly enterprises under the direct control of the central government) to help subsidize the price of solar power, to the point where the economics appear to be unsustainable.
Beijing also appears to have decided — at least for the time being -- that large-scale development of solar power will occur more rapidly through a coordinated effort led by a rather short list of government-controlled enterprises.
In its own way, this is China weighing in on the recent R&D vs. government funding debate featured on “Dot Earth” between Richard Rosen of the Tellus Institute and Microsoft’s Bill Gates. China is clearly arguing that marshalling the resources of the state in the form of huge government subsidies for solar power should trump market- and innovation-driven solutions to reduce its cost.
Whether there is a price point at which China’s private sector will be able to participate in utility-scale solar power development remains a question. Also in question is whether the much anticipated innovation culture that the Chinese have said that they are intent on building will contribute in a significant way to the development of solar power in China absent a meaningful incentive for that innovation to occur.
Building Utility-scale Plants Below Cost
The Chinese certainly are displaying their eagerness to scale up domestic use of solar energy, while driving down its cost. Winning bids for the 13 new projects (totaling 280 MW) ranged from US $0.10 per kWh (0.7288 Yuan/kWh, which equals $0.107/kWh@ 6.8 Yuan/$1) at the low end, to US $0.15 per kWh (0.9907 Yuan/kWh equal to $0.146/kWh) on the high end. These bids were approximately one-third lower than the bids that came in last year for the first utility-scale solar power plant, a 10-MW plant to be located in Dunhuang, Qinghai Province.
This year, more than 70% of the winning bids were won by government-controlled enterprises. The China Power Investment Group dominated the most recent round of bidding with a total of seven successful bids. The Upper Yellow River Hydropower Development Co., a subsidiary of the China Power Investment Group, submitted the lowest bid for this round of PPAs (0.7288 Yuan/kWh) and became the winning bidder for the Qinghai Gonghe 30-MW project. At 0.9907 Yuan/kWh, the Xinjiang Energy Co., Ltd., also a subsidiary of the China Power Investment Group, was the winning bidder for the 20-MW Xinjiang Hetian project.
There were a total of 135 bids submitted by 50 firms for the 13 solar power projects, which will be scattered among six provinces: Inner Mongolia (3 x 20 MW); Xinjiang (3 x 20 MW); Gansu (3 x 20 MW); Qinghai (1x 30 MW and 1 x 20 MW); Ningxia (1 x 30 MW) and Shaanxi (1 x 20 MW). The 20-MW Baotou, Inner Mongolia project attracted the most bidders at 16, yet there were at least 10 bidders for most projects. The term of each PPA is 25 years.
These 280 MW of solar power plants to be developed, though much larger than the 10 MW Dunhuang bid process in 2009, do not yet mark the initiation of a real market for scale development of solar in China. Instead this looks like the Chinese government’s attempt to explore the contours of the economics of utility-scale solar power development and to test the ability of firms to produce utility-scale solar power at steadily lower prices.
The 2009 Dunhuang solar PPA price subsequently was adjusted upward to 1.15 Yuan/kWh ($0.169/kWh) from the original successful bid of 1.09 Yuan/kWh. Based on the estimates of component, labor and financing costs for solar power development in China, it would not be surprising if the final prices per kWh for the most recent round of solar PPAs also were adjusted upward.
So, even though these prices may indicate that solar power will be produced in China for less than 1 Yuan/kWh as early as 2012, it is quite possible that the final price will not be as aggressive as the winning bids suggest.
At present the price for utility-grade solar power development in China is said to be as follows: 9-10 Yuan/watt for PV modules; 1 Yuan/watt for inverters; 1 Yuan/watt for structures; 1 Yuan/watt for electric cable; 1 Yuan/watt for labor and an estimated 6% bank interest rate. Based on these current costs, total PV system equipment and labor costs should be in the range of 15 Yuan/watt. If maintenance expenses over 25 years and an internal rate of return of 8% are also factored in, a PV system should be able to have a small profit at 16-17 Yuan/watt [US $2.35-2.50 per watt]. The present average PPA prices, however, are approximately 14 Yuan/watt [US $2.06 per watt].
And even though there are incentives for Chinese companies to bid as low as they did, including the desire to build a brand, realize required emissions reductions, gain recognition for being socially responsible and learn the economics and technology of solar power development, according to Li Junfeng, the Deputy Director of the Energy Research Bureau of the National Development and Reform Commission, projects in this most recent round of PPAs are not be expected to be profitable for 17-18 years. It’s no surprise, then, that the successful bidders primarily are enterprises under the direct control of the government, because other companies would not be able to persevere over such a long period without earning a profit.
As you might expect, this second round of bids resulted in serious grumbling among private enterprises that were among the bidders, including prominent PV firms as Suntech and LDK. They complained that they are unable to compete with their state-owned counterparts. One executive remarked, “Only central government enterprises that do not have funding pressures could operate at these price levels.”
Despite soothing assurances from officials at the China Renewable Energy Institute and elsewhere that as soon as the price of solar power drops enough, there will be room for everyone to enter the market, it is not clear that the private sector will ever be able to get in, especially if they will always be up against government-controlled enterprises.
It remains unclear whether there is room for the private sector in China as it scales up solar power development. In the end, utility-scale solar power development may well remain the province of the public sector a recognition by Beijing that subsidies, not innovation, are the key to large-scale solar development in China.
Source: Renewable Energy World
Author: Lou Schwartz: a lawyer and China specialist who focuses his work on the energy and metals sectors in the People's Republic of China, is a frequent contributor to Renewable Energy World. Through China Strategies, LLC, Lou provides clients research and analysis, due diligence, merger and acquisition, private equity investment and other support for trade and investment in China's burgeoning energy and metals industries. Lou earned degrees in East Asian Studies from Michigan and Harvard and a J.D. from George Washington University. He can be reached at lou@chinastrategiesllc.com.
The late August round of bids for utility-scale solar power projects in China yielded a new milestone in the economics of solar power in China: a sub-Yuan/kWh price for solar power. To achieve this impressive number, the Chinese government has used the state-owned sector (and particularly enterprises under the direct control of the central government) to help subsidize the price of solar power, to the point where the economics appear to be unsustainable.
Beijing also appears to have decided — at least for the time being -- that large-scale development of solar power will occur more rapidly through a coordinated effort led by a rather short list of government-controlled enterprises.
In its own way, this is China weighing in on the recent R&D vs. government funding debate featured on “Dot Earth” between Richard Rosen of the Tellus Institute and Microsoft’s Bill Gates. China is clearly arguing that marshalling the resources of the state in the form of huge government subsidies for solar power should trump market- and innovation-driven solutions to reduce its cost.
Whether there is a price point at which China’s private sector will be able to participate in utility-scale solar power development remains a question. Also in question is whether the much anticipated innovation culture that the Chinese have said that they are intent on building will contribute in a significant way to the development of solar power in China absent a meaningful incentive for that innovation to occur.
Building Utility-scale Plants Below Cost
The Chinese certainly are displaying their eagerness to scale up domestic use of solar energy, while driving down its cost. Winning bids for the 13 new projects (totaling 280 MW) ranged from US $0.10 per kWh (0.7288 Yuan/kWh, which equals $0.107/kWh@ 6.8 Yuan/$1) at the low end, to US $0.15 per kWh (0.9907 Yuan/kWh equal to $0.146/kWh) on the high end. These bids were approximately one-third lower than the bids that came in last year for the first utility-scale solar power plant, a 10-MW plant to be located in Dunhuang, Qinghai Province.
This year, more than 70% of the winning bids were won by government-controlled enterprises. The China Power Investment Group dominated the most recent round of bidding with a total of seven successful bids. The Upper Yellow River Hydropower Development Co., a subsidiary of the China Power Investment Group, submitted the lowest bid for this round of PPAs (0.7288 Yuan/kWh) and became the winning bidder for the Qinghai Gonghe 30-MW project. At 0.9907 Yuan/kWh, the Xinjiang Energy Co., Ltd., also a subsidiary of the China Power Investment Group, was the winning bidder for the 20-MW Xinjiang Hetian project.
There were a total of 135 bids submitted by 50 firms for the 13 solar power projects, which will be scattered among six provinces: Inner Mongolia (3 x 20 MW); Xinjiang (3 x 20 MW); Gansu (3 x 20 MW); Qinghai (1x 30 MW and 1 x 20 MW); Ningxia (1 x 30 MW) and Shaanxi (1 x 20 MW). The 20-MW Baotou, Inner Mongolia project attracted the most bidders at 16, yet there were at least 10 bidders for most projects. The term of each PPA is 25 years.
These 280 MW of solar power plants to be developed, though much larger than the 10 MW Dunhuang bid process in 2009, do not yet mark the initiation of a real market for scale development of solar in China. Instead this looks like the Chinese government’s attempt to explore the contours of the economics of utility-scale solar power development and to test the ability of firms to produce utility-scale solar power at steadily lower prices.
The 2009 Dunhuang solar PPA price subsequently was adjusted upward to 1.15 Yuan/kWh ($0.169/kWh) from the original successful bid of 1.09 Yuan/kWh. Based on the estimates of component, labor and financing costs for solar power development in China, it would not be surprising if the final prices per kWh for the most recent round of solar PPAs also were adjusted upward.
So, even though these prices may indicate that solar power will be produced in China for less than 1 Yuan/kWh as early as 2012, it is quite possible that the final price will not be as aggressive as the winning bids suggest.
At present the price for utility-grade solar power development in China is said to be as follows: 9-10 Yuan/watt for PV modules; 1 Yuan/watt for inverters; 1 Yuan/watt for structures; 1 Yuan/watt for electric cable; 1 Yuan/watt for labor and an estimated 6% bank interest rate. Based on these current costs, total PV system equipment and labor costs should be in the range of 15 Yuan/watt. If maintenance expenses over 25 years and an internal rate of return of 8% are also factored in, a PV system should be able to have a small profit at 16-17 Yuan/watt [US $2.35-2.50 per watt]. The present average PPA prices, however, are approximately 14 Yuan/watt [US $2.06 per watt].
And even though there are incentives for Chinese companies to bid as low as they did, including the desire to build a brand, realize required emissions reductions, gain recognition for being socially responsible and learn the economics and technology of solar power development, according to Li Junfeng, the Deputy Director of the Energy Research Bureau of the National Development and Reform Commission, projects in this most recent round of PPAs are not be expected to be profitable for 17-18 years. It’s no surprise, then, that the successful bidders primarily are enterprises under the direct control of the government, because other companies would not be able to persevere over such a long period without earning a profit.
As you might expect, this second round of bids resulted in serious grumbling among private enterprises that were among the bidders, including prominent PV firms as Suntech and LDK. They complained that they are unable to compete with their state-owned counterparts. One executive remarked, “Only central government enterprises that do not have funding pressures could operate at these price levels.”
Despite soothing assurances from officials at the China Renewable Energy Institute and elsewhere that as soon as the price of solar power drops enough, there will be room for everyone to enter the market, it is not clear that the private sector will ever be able to get in, especially if they will always be up against government-controlled enterprises.
It remains unclear whether there is room for the private sector in China as it scales up solar power development. In the end, utility-scale solar power development may well remain the province of the public sector a recognition by Beijing that subsidies, not innovation, are the key to large-scale solar development in China.
Source: Renewable Energy World
Author: Lou Schwartz: a lawyer and China specialist who focuses his work on the energy and metals sectors in the People's Republic of China, is a frequent contributor to Renewable Energy World. Through China Strategies, LLC, Lou provides clients research and analysis, due diligence, merger and acquisition, private equity investment and other support for trade and investment in China's burgeoning energy and metals industries. Lou earned degrees in East Asian Studies from Michigan and Harvard and a J.D. from George Washington University. He can be reached at lou@chinastrategiesllc.com.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
New Glass Coating Holds Promise for Solar Panels
Research company Tecnalia, with the University of Cantabria in Spain, made a new glass coating for photovoltaic solar cells that can enhance the performance of the device.
Solar cell coatings are currently made of materials not optimized for absorbing high-frequency radiation.
Tecnalia’s Sunglass project is focusing on improving solar cells’ conversion of frequencies, the ability to absorb photons of certain frequencies and emitting these afterwards in another range of frequency.
With this, the researchers hope to increase the performance of solar panels, which on the average have a solar conversion efficiency of around 15 percent.
The Sunglass project aims to develop a new coating, as well as an entire solar module product.
The researchers examined various photoactive substances to determine the substances’ capacity to absorb high-frequency radiation in order to subsequently emit it at ranges more effective for solar cells.
The new glass allow for a 2 percent to 3 percent efficiency increase for PV solar panels, said the researchers.
Though the photoactive substances can also be used in other applications, it is hoped that it will boost the production of clean energy.
Source: EcoSeed
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Mixing mismatched elements can enhance efficiency of solar cells
Researchers from the University of Michigan and Tyndall National Institute in Ireland have discovered new materials that could give birth to a new breed of highly efficient solar cells.
The research team, led by Rachel Goldman of the University of Michigan, is currently developing a unique class of materials called highly mismatched alloys to greatly enhance the efficiency of solar cells. They claimed that these materials can fully capture the sun’s rays, unlike traditional solar cells.
Conventional solar cells convert radiant energy from the sun into electricity by absorbing light. However, the sun gives out light at different wavelengths, each with different intensities of energy, and current solar cells only respond well to some wavelengths.
The cells only harness energy from the visible spectrum, holding 43 percent of the sun’s radiant energy. But the infrared portion of the range, which offers about 52 percent of solar energy, is often overlooked in solar panel production.
The most efficient solar cells are made of multiple materials that can capture a greater portion of the sunlight spectrum, and solar panel developers worldwide are seeking to develop the perfect solar cell that will make use of the sun’s infrared light.
The research team were very interested in using highly mismatched alloys for solar cells because its electrical and optical properties drastically change when exposed to certain elements.
In their experiments, the researchers made samples of gallium arsenide nitride, a highly mismatched alloy with nitrogen, to tap into the infrared radiation.
One of the biggest problems to get mismatched alloys out of the lab is that the materials do not naturally mix together with the elements that imbue them with special properties. However, the researchers used molecular beam epitaxy, which involves vaporizing pure samples of the mismatched elements and combining them in a vacuum, to coax the nitrogen to mix with their other elements.
If researchers can learn to control the formation of these clusters, they could build materials that are more efficient at converting light and heat into electricity, Ms. Goldman said.
A large amount of efficiency is possible if future solar panels could capture energy directly from the sun and indirectly from energy re-radiated all around by the ground and buildings.
"The availability of higher efficiency thermoelectrics would make it more practical to generate electricity from waste heat such as that produced in power plants and car engines," Ms. Goldman added.
The team’s research is funded by the National Science Foundation, the Science Foundation Ireland and the Center for Solar and Thermal Energy Conversion, an Energy Frontier Research Center financed by the United States Department of Energy.
Source: EcoSeed ... article written by Oliver M. Bayani
The research team, led by Rachel Goldman of the University of Michigan, is currently developing a unique class of materials called highly mismatched alloys to greatly enhance the efficiency of solar cells. They claimed that these materials can fully capture the sun’s rays, unlike traditional solar cells.
Conventional solar cells convert radiant energy from the sun into electricity by absorbing light. However, the sun gives out light at different wavelengths, each with different intensities of energy, and current solar cells only respond well to some wavelengths.
The cells only harness energy from the visible spectrum, holding 43 percent of the sun’s radiant energy. But the infrared portion of the range, which offers about 52 percent of solar energy, is often overlooked in solar panel production.
The most efficient solar cells are made of multiple materials that can capture a greater portion of the sunlight spectrum, and solar panel developers worldwide are seeking to develop the perfect solar cell that will make use of the sun’s infrared light.
The research team were very interested in using highly mismatched alloys for solar cells because its electrical and optical properties drastically change when exposed to certain elements.
In their experiments, the researchers made samples of gallium arsenide nitride, a highly mismatched alloy with nitrogen, to tap into the infrared radiation.
One of the biggest problems to get mismatched alloys out of the lab is that the materials do not naturally mix together with the elements that imbue them with special properties. However, the researchers used molecular beam epitaxy, which involves vaporizing pure samples of the mismatched elements and combining them in a vacuum, to coax the nitrogen to mix with their other elements.
If researchers can learn to control the formation of these clusters, they could build materials that are more efficient at converting light and heat into electricity, Ms. Goldman said.
A large amount of efficiency is possible if future solar panels could capture energy directly from the sun and indirectly from energy re-radiated all around by the ground and buildings.
"The availability of higher efficiency thermoelectrics would make it more practical to generate electricity from waste heat such as that produced in power plants and car engines," Ms. Goldman added.
The team’s research is funded by the National Science Foundation, the Science Foundation Ireland and the Center for Solar and Thermal Energy Conversion, an Energy Frontier Research Center financed by the United States Department of Energy.
Source: EcoSeed ... article written by Oliver M. Bayani
Monday, September 13, 2010
In Solar, Thin is no longer capturing the money
Solar cell manufacturer Solaria just announced that it has secured $65 million in financing, more than twice the funding it reportedly sought. What's interesting about Solaria is that unlike the thin-film solar darlings of late, the company makes solar modules based on a technology that requires more silicon. This is bad when silicon prices are high, but Solaria has an advantage when silicon is cheaper, as it is currently. Here's the lowdown from VentureBeat's GreenBeat blog:
Solaria plans to use its new influx of cash to increase availability of their patented modules, which are currently available in North America, Europe and Asia. The new financing includes $10 million set aside for a new growth loan facility.
The company’s appeal lies in its technology, which can cut capital expenditure dramatically for solar module manufacturing. Its solar modules are built for use in tracking systems, which follow the sun’s movement across the sky to maximize absorption and are used in large-scale solar projects by industrial companies and utilities.
This makes us wonder if solar will, so to speak, get a second wind when it comes to cleantech investment. Anything that appeals to the utilities in terms of meeting their renewable-energy objectives is going to stand a reasonable chance of at least being in the alternative energy mix in coming years.
Solaria plans to use its new influx of cash to increase availability of their patented modules, which are currently available in North America, Europe and Asia. The new financing includes $10 million set aside for a new growth loan facility.
The company’s appeal lies in its technology, which can cut capital expenditure dramatically for solar module manufacturing. Its solar modules are built for use in tracking systems, which follow the sun’s movement across the sky to maximize absorption and are used in large-scale solar projects by industrial companies and utilities.
This makes us wonder if solar will, so to speak, get a second wind when it comes to cleantech investment. Anything that appeals to the utilities in terms of meeting their renewable-energy objectives is going to stand a reasonable chance of at least being in the alternative energy mix in coming years.
Nanotubes could change the way we harvest solar energy
MIT chemical engineers have found that by using carbon nanotubes (hollow tubes of carbon atoms) solar energy can be concentrated 100 times more than a regular photovoltaic cell.
Such nanotubes could form antennas that capture and focus light energy, potentially allowing much smaller and more powerful solar arrays.
Michael Strano, the Charles and Hilda Roddey Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and leader of the research team and his students tell that their new carbon nanotube antenna, or “solar funnel” might also be useful for any other application that requires light to be concentrated, such as night-vision goggles or telescopes.
Solar panels generate electricity by converting photons (packets of light energy) into an electric current, reports Nature.
Strano’s nanotube antenna boosts the number of photons that can be captured and transforms the light into energy that can be funneled into a solar cell.
The antenna consists of a fibrous rope about 10 micrometers (millionths of a meter) long and four micrometers thick, containing about 30 million carbon nanotubes. Strano’s team built, for the first time, a fibre made of two layers of nanotubes with different electrical properties - specifically, different bandgaps.
In any material, electrons can exist at different energy levels. When a photon strikes the surface, it excites an electron to a higher energy level, which is specific to the material. The interaction between the energized electron and the hole it leaves behind is called an exciton, and the difference in energy levels between the hole and the electron is known as the bandgap.
The inner layer of the antenna contains nanotubes with a small bandgap, and nanotubes in the outer layer have a higher bandgap. That’s important because excitons like to flow from high to low energy. In this case, that means the excitons in the outer layer flow to the inner layer, where they can exist in a lower (but still excited) energy state.
Therefore, when light energy strikes the material, all of the excitons flow to the centre of the fibre, where they are concentrated. The study has been published in the Sept. 12 online edition of the journal Nature Materials.
Source: The Hindu
Such nanotubes could form antennas that capture and focus light energy, potentially allowing much smaller and more powerful solar arrays.
Michael Strano, the Charles and Hilda Roddey Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and leader of the research team and his students tell that their new carbon nanotube antenna, or “solar funnel” might also be useful for any other application that requires light to be concentrated, such as night-vision goggles or telescopes.
Solar panels generate electricity by converting photons (packets of light energy) into an electric current, reports Nature.
Strano’s nanotube antenna boosts the number of photons that can be captured and transforms the light into energy that can be funneled into a solar cell.
The antenna consists of a fibrous rope about 10 micrometers (millionths of a meter) long and four micrometers thick, containing about 30 million carbon nanotubes. Strano’s team built, for the first time, a fibre made of two layers of nanotubes with different electrical properties - specifically, different bandgaps.
In any material, electrons can exist at different energy levels. When a photon strikes the surface, it excites an electron to a higher energy level, which is specific to the material. The interaction between the energized electron and the hole it leaves behind is called an exciton, and the difference in energy levels between the hole and the electron is known as the bandgap.
The inner layer of the antenna contains nanotubes with a small bandgap, and nanotubes in the outer layer have a higher bandgap. That’s important because excitons like to flow from high to low energy. In this case, that means the excitons in the outer layer flow to the inner layer, where they can exist in a lower (but still excited) energy state.
Therefore, when light energy strikes the material, all of the excitons flow to the centre of the fibre, where they are concentrated. The study has been published in the Sept. 12 online edition of the journal Nature Materials.
Source: The Hindu
The Sahara Could Provide Europe with Electricity
The Sahara gets twice as much sunshine annually as most of Europe. The European Union wants to get 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources within a decade. So why not build solar power plants across North Africa and ship the electricity north via power lines under the Mediterranean?
Over the past year, more than 30 European companies have joined the Desertec Industrial Initiative, a consortium that seeks a $560 billion investment in North African solar and wind installations over the next 40 years. The group is completing a feasibility study and hopes to be building its first power plant by 2013.
A separate group of companies called Transgreen, formed in July, is working on plans for the thousands of miles of high-voltage lines needed. The challenge is immense: Winning agreement from very different countries on two continents to carry out one of the biggest infrastructure projects in history.
Construction contracts
Many backers are eager for a share of rich construction contracts. They include engineering outfits such as Germany's Siemens and Swiss-Swedish group ABB and solar companies Abengoa Solar of Spain and First Solar of Arizona. Giant Italian utility Enel wants to rely less on Russian gas, and German insurer Munich Re sees the project as a hedge against damage from global warming.
"We are creating a large network of allies with complementary interests," said Desertec boss Paul van Son, a former Dutch utility executive.
There's little doubt that Sahara sun can power Europe. Cables already carry electricity under the Mediterranean - though the power flows from Spain to Morocco. And after years of false starts, scores of large-scale solar power plants are being built or in advanced planning stages, from the American Southwest to the Mideast.
"There is now a good track record," said Bernd Utz, head of Siemens' renewable energy division.
With the technology the consortium plans to use, solar-powered electricity costs at least four times as much per kilowatt-hour as power from coal- and gas-fired plants, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, an analysis group. Governments have used subsidies to support alternate energy companies until their costs are more in line with oil and gas. The United States awarded a $1.45 billion loan guarantee in July to reduce financing costs for the planned Solana power plant in Arizona, at 280 megawatts one of the world's largest.
The Sahara project envisions generating capacity equal to almost 400 Solanas. Where would the financing come from? Desertec and Transgreen member companies so far have put up less than $10 million for feasibility studies. They want Europe's governments to require utilities to pay more for Sahara-generated energy, a preferential arrangement that European countries use to spur solar and wind energy development at home.
Trouble is, Germany and Spain are reducing these rates, which the utilities often pass on to customers. The depth of political support in North Africa is another issue. Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt back the project. Algeria wants to develop solar plants on its own. Some European critics, meanwhile, see a case of overreach.
"European countries can develop faster and cheaper than Desertec a renewable energy supply from indigenous sources," said Hermann Scheer, a member of the German Bundestag who heads Eurosolar, a solar research and advocacy group in Bonn.
Even Europe's sunniest regions, though, don't get enough sun to generate power as efficiently as in North Africa, says Abengoa Solar Chief Executive Officer Santiago Seage.
Room for mirrors
The Sahara's ample space is crucial because plans call for fields of mirrors, totaling hundreds of square miles, at more than 20 locations. The mirrors would concentrate the sun's rays to create heat and drive turbines - a technology known as concentrating solar power or CSP, that allows heat to be extracted and stored gradually so electricity is generated continuously. Plans also call for solar photovoltaic and wind turbine generators, whose energy costs less to produce than concentrating solar power but yet don't offer storage capacity.
"For utilities, CSP is a much more robust product," Seage said.
As the consortium feels its way forward, some European countries could strike bilateral deals with North African suppliers. Morocco, for example, has announced plans to build solar plants for its own use. Because Morocco's government can't afford the subsidies that would make solar power feasible inside its own borders, it might team up with Spain or France to help with financing in exchange for a share of output, suggests Logan Goldie-Scot, a London analyst with Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
"The (Desertec) project will happen," he said, but "it's likely to be a series of small projects."
Source: This article appeared on page D - 5 of the San Francisco Chronicle
To Read more click here:
Over the past year, more than 30 European companies have joined the Desertec Industrial Initiative, a consortium that seeks a $560 billion investment in North African solar and wind installations over the next 40 years. The group is completing a feasibility study and hopes to be building its first power plant by 2013.
A separate group of companies called Transgreen, formed in July, is working on plans for the thousands of miles of high-voltage lines needed. The challenge is immense: Winning agreement from very different countries on two continents to carry out one of the biggest infrastructure projects in history.
Construction contracts
Many backers are eager for a share of rich construction contracts. They include engineering outfits such as Germany's Siemens and Swiss-Swedish group ABB and solar companies Abengoa Solar of Spain and First Solar of Arizona. Giant Italian utility Enel wants to rely less on Russian gas, and German insurer Munich Re sees the project as a hedge against damage from global warming.
"We are creating a large network of allies with complementary interests," said Desertec boss Paul van Son, a former Dutch utility executive.
There's little doubt that Sahara sun can power Europe. Cables already carry electricity under the Mediterranean - though the power flows from Spain to Morocco. And after years of false starts, scores of large-scale solar power plants are being built or in advanced planning stages, from the American Southwest to the Mideast.
"There is now a good track record," said Bernd Utz, head of Siemens' renewable energy division.
With the technology the consortium plans to use, solar-powered electricity costs at least four times as much per kilowatt-hour as power from coal- and gas-fired plants, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, an analysis group. Governments have used subsidies to support alternate energy companies until their costs are more in line with oil and gas. The United States awarded a $1.45 billion loan guarantee in July to reduce financing costs for the planned Solana power plant in Arizona, at 280 megawatts one of the world's largest.
The Sahara project envisions generating capacity equal to almost 400 Solanas. Where would the financing come from? Desertec and Transgreen member companies so far have put up less than $10 million for feasibility studies. They want Europe's governments to require utilities to pay more for Sahara-generated energy, a preferential arrangement that European countries use to spur solar and wind energy development at home.
Trouble is, Germany and Spain are reducing these rates, which the utilities often pass on to customers. The depth of political support in North Africa is another issue. Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt back the project. Algeria wants to develop solar plants on its own. Some European critics, meanwhile, see a case of overreach.
"European countries can develop faster and cheaper than Desertec a renewable energy supply from indigenous sources," said Hermann Scheer, a member of the German Bundestag who heads Eurosolar, a solar research and advocacy group in Bonn.
Even Europe's sunniest regions, though, don't get enough sun to generate power as efficiently as in North Africa, says Abengoa Solar Chief Executive Officer Santiago Seage.
Room for mirrors
The Sahara's ample space is crucial because plans call for fields of mirrors, totaling hundreds of square miles, at more than 20 locations. The mirrors would concentrate the sun's rays to create heat and drive turbines - a technology known as concentrating solar power or CSP, that allows heat to be extracted and stored gradually so electricity is generated continuously. Plans also call for solar photovoltaic and wind turbine generators, whose energy costs less to produce than concentrating solar power but yet don't offer storage capacity.
"For utilities, CSP is a much more robust product," Seage said.
As the consortium feels its way forward, some European countries could strike bilateral deals with North African suppliers. Morocco, for example, has announced plans to build solar plants for its own use. Because Morocco's government can't afford the subsidies that would make solar power feasible inside its own borders, it might team up with Spain or France to help with financing in exchange for a share of output, suggests Logan Goldie-Scot, a London analyst with Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
"The (Desertec) project will happen," he said, but "it's likely to be a series of small projects."
Source: This article appeared on page D - 5 of the San Francisco Chronicle
To Read more click here:
Mars-inspired technology makes PV panels self-cleaning
Scientists have discovered a technology that solves the problem of dust accumulation on the surface of solar panels, overcoming a key obstacle in harvesting electricity from the sun – and it came straight from Mars.
The technology, which was originally intended for use in rovers and other machines sent to space missions to the moon and to Mars, allows solar panels to self-clean
Boston University professor Malay K. Mazumder and his colleagues, who worked with the National Aeronautics and Space Association, expressed optimism that the technology will play an important role in boosting the $24 billion solar photovoltaic market. He presented the study at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society held this week.
The technology involves the deposition of a transparent, electrically sensitive material on glass or on a transparent plastic sheet that cover the panels. Sensors monitor dust levels on the surface of the panel and energize the material when dust concentration reaches a critical level.
The electric charge sends a dust-repelling wave cascading over the surface of the material, lifting away the dust and transporting it off of the screen's edges.
Mr. Mazumder said that within two minutes, the process removes about 90 percent of dust on a solar panel. The mechanism reportedly requires only a small amount of the electricity generated by the panel for it to work.
"Mars of course is a dusty and dry environment," explained Mr. Mazumder, "and solar panels powering rovers and future manned and robotic missions must not succumb to dust deposition. But neither should the solar panels here on earth."
"Our technology can be used in both small- and large-scale photovoltaic systems. To our knowledge, this is the only technology for automatic dust cleaning that doesn't require water or mechanical movement," said Mr. Mazumder.
Large-scale solar PV installations, such as those found in the United States, Spain, Germany, the Middle East, Australia and India are almost ideally located in sunny desert areas. But dry weather and winds sweep dust into the air and deposit it on the surfaces of the PV panels. Dust reduces the amount of light that a solar panel can absorb and convert to electricity.
"A dust layer of one-seventh of an ounce per square yard decreases solar conversion by 40 percent," Mr. Mazumder explains. "In Arizona, dust is deposited each month at about 4 times that amount. Deposition rates are even higher in the Middle East, Australia and India."
Currently, only about 4 percent of the world’s deserts are used in solar power harvesting. Conventional methods of cleaning solar panels usually involve large amounts of water which is costly and scarce in such dry areas.
The researchers hope the use of the self-dusting technology will not only improve the performance of existing solar farms in desert areas but will open up more of them for solar power plants.
Source: EcoSeed Author: Katrice R. Jalbuena
The technology, which was originally intended for use in rovers and other machines sent to space missions to the moon and to Mars, allows solar panels to self-clean
Boston University professor Malay K. Mazumder and his colleagues, who worked with the National Aeronautics and Space Association, expressed optimism that the technology will play an important role in boosting the $24 billion solar photovoltaic market. He presented the study at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society held this week.
The technology involves the deposition of a transparent, electrically sensitive material on glass or on a transparent plastic sheet that cover the panels. Sensors monitor dust levels on the surface of the panel and energize the material when dust concentration reaches a critical level.
The electric charge sends a dust-repelling wave cascading over the surface of the material, lifting away the dust and transporting it off of the screen's edges.
Mr. Mazumder said that within two minutes, the process removes about 90 percent of dust on a solar panel. The mechanism reportedly requires only a small amount of the electricity generated by the panel for it to work.
"Mars of course is a dusty and dry environment," explained Mr. Mazumder, "and solar panels powering rovers and future manned and robotic missions must not succumb to dust deposition. But neither should the solar panels here on earth."
"Our technology can be used in both small- and large-scale photovoltaic systems. To our knowledge, this is the only technology for automatic dust cleaning that doesn't require water or mechanical movement," said Mr. Mazumder.
Large-scale solar PV installations, such as those found in the United States, Spain, Germany, the Middle East, Australia and India are almost ideally located in sunny desert areas. But dry weather and winds sweep dust into the air and deposit it on the surfaces of the PV panels. Dust reduces the amount of light that a solar panel can absorb and convert to electricity.
"A dust layer of one-seventh of an ounce per square yard decreases solar conversion by 40 percent," Mr. Mazumder explains. "In Arizona, dust is deposited each month at about 4 times that amount. Deposition rates are even higher in the Middle East, Australia and India."
Currently, only about 4 percent of the world’s deserts are used in solar power harvesting. Conventional methods of cleaning solar panels usually involve large amounts of water which is costly and scarce in such dry areas.
The researchers hope the use of the self-dusting technology will not only improve the performance of existing solar farms in desert areas but will open up more of them for solar power plants.
Source: EcoSeed Author: Katrice R. Jalbuena
Thursday, September 9, 2010
New Efficiency Record for A-Si Panels
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has confirmed results for a record-breaking conversion efficiency in solar cell technology. Oerlikon Solar and Corning Incorporated have combined technologies to produce a tandem solar cell using thin-film silicon. Oerlikon’s proprietary Micromorph® solar cells and Corning’s specialty, advanced light-capturing glass combined to achieve 11.9-percent stabilized conversion efficiency in NREL tests.
That efficiency beats out the previous record of 11.7 percent in 2004. This is the latest advancement in Oerlikon’s ThinFab line of solar panels, which, according to the company, have also achieved a world record in production cost per watt at 50 euro cents per watt-peak (about $0.64 USD).
Micromorph technology is itself an advancement on amorphous silicon solar cells (a-Si cells). Put simply, a-Si cells consist of a thin layer of silicon deposited onto a transparent conductive oxide (TCO). Oerlikon’s Micromorph technology adds another layer in tandem with the first. This added microcrystalline absorber enables the solar cell to absorb a wider spectrum of light, edging into the red and near-infrared spectrum which conventional silicon solar cells cannot do. According to Germany-based Oerlikon this extra absorption increases cell conversion efficiency (the rate at which sunlight is converted into electricity), by 30 percent.
Corning Inc.’s proprietary glass, or glazing, technology ensures that a higher amount of light is available for absorption by the solar cells beneath it. It is in this way that the two companies continue to make advancements in thin-film silicon.
Low production costs have long been a point of pride for thin-film technologies. Last year, American firm First Solar broke the coveted $1.00/watt barrier (now residing at about $0.76/watt) for its cadmium telluride solar cells (CdTe). Yet low conversion efficiency has been the only factor preventing thin-film products from surpassing their crystalline silicon predecessors, which still dominate more than 90 percent of the global solar market.
However, with efficiencies nearing 12 percent and production costs approaching a half dollar, the gap continues to close between first- and second-generation technologies. Most crystalline silicon (c-Si) modules on the market produce at efficiencies between 15 and 20 percent, but cost well over $1.00 per watt to manufacture. a-Si products use much less silicon and are cheaper to produce than conventional panels. It’s for this reason — and based on advancements such as Oerlikon and Corning’s — that thin-film solar cells are expected to take over dominance of the solar market within the next decade, depending on a variety of technological and commercial factors.
Oerlikon Solar is presenting its record-breaking Micromorph technology this week at the 25th Annual European Photovoltaics Solar Energy Conference in Valencia, Spain.
That efficiency beats out the previous record of 11.7 percent in 2004. This is the latest advancement in Oerlikon’s ThinFab line of solar panels, which, according to the company, have also achieved a world record in production cost per watt at 50 euro cents per watt-peak (about $0.64 USD).
Micromorph technology is itself an advancement on amorphous silicon solar cells (a-Si cells). Put simply, a-Si cells consist of a thin layer of silicon deposited onto a transparent conductive oxide (TCO). Oerlikon’s Micromorph technology adds another layer in tandem with the first. This added microcrystalline absorber enables the solar cell to absorb a wider spectrum of light, edging into the red and near-infrared spectrum which conventional silicon solar cells cannot do. According to Germany-based Oerlikon this extra absorption increases cell conversion efficiency (the rate at which sunlight is converted into electricity), by 30 percent.
Corning Inc.’s proprietary glass, or glazing, technology ensures that a higher amount of light is available for absorption by the solar cells beneath it. It is in this way that the two companies continue to make advancements in thin-film silicon.
Low production costs have long been a point of pride for thin-film technologies. Last year, American firm First Solar broke the coveted $1.00/watt barrier (now residing at about $0.76/watt) for its cadmium telluride solar cells (CdTe). Yet low conversion efficiency has been the only factor preventing thin-film products from surpassing their crystalline silicon predecessors, which still dominate more than 90 percent of the global solar market.
However, with efficiencies nearing 12 percent and production costs approaching a half dollar, the gap continues to close between first- and second-generation technologies. Most crystalline silicon (c-Si) modules on the market produce at efficiencies between 15 and 20 percent, but cost well over $1.00 per watt to manufacture. a-Si products use much less silicon and are cheaper to produce than conventional panels. It’s for this reason — and based on advancements such as Oerlikon and Corning’s — that thin-film solar cells are expected to take over dominance of the solar market within the next decade, depending on a variety of technological and commercial factors.
Oerlikon Solar is presenting its record-breaking Micromorph technology this week at the 25th Annual European Photovoltaics Solar Energy Conference in Valencia, Spain.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Sharp to Expand Annual Solar Cell Module Production Capacity in the UK to 500 MW
Sharp Corporation will double its annual production capacity for crystalline solar cell modules to 500 MW at Sharp Manufacturing Company of U.K. (SUKM), its production base in the UK (Wrexham, Wales), starting December 2010.
SUKM began producing solar cell modules in the spring of 2004, becoming Sharp’s second international production base for solar cell modules following a facility in the US. To meet the growing demand for solar cells, SUKM’s production capacity will be gradually increased, starting December 2010, from the current level of 250 MW per year to 500 MW by February 2011.
The solar cell market is expected to see expansion on a global basis, spurred on by environmental government policies in countries around the world. Sharp began research into solar cells in 1959 and since then has built up technologies and know-how as well as earned a reputation for reliability. Based on these achievements, Sharp is currently expanding its solar cell business from two sides—crystalline solar cells and thin-film solar cells. Sharp is also pushing forward with a “local production for local consumption” approach in order to increase cost competitiveness and shorten delivery times.
Sharp is aiming to become a company that provides total solutions in the field of solar power by globally expanding its new business model, which includes solar cell development, solar cell sales, and running a power generation business.
• Target date: Increase gradually from December 2010
• Capital investment: Approx. 4 billion yen
• Annual production capacity: 500 MW (in February 2011)
SUKM began producing solar cell modules in the spring of 2004, becoming Sharp’s second international production base for solar cell modules following a facility in the US. To meet the growing demand for solar cells, SUKM’s production capacity will be gradually increased, starting December 2010, from the current level of 250 MW per year to 500 MW by February 2011.
The solar cell market is expected to see expansion on a global basis, spurred on by environmental government policies in countries around the world. Sharp began research into solar cells in 1959 and since then has built up technologies and know-how as well as earned a reputation for reliability. Based on these achievements, Sharp is currently expanding its solar cell business from two sides—crystalline solar cells and thin-film solar cells. Sharp is also pushing forward with a “local production for local consumption” approach in order to increase cost competitiveness and shorten delivery times.
Sharp is aiming to become a company that provides total solutions in the field of solar power by globally expanding its new business model, which includes solar cell development, solar cell sales, and running a power generation business.
• Target date: Increase gradually from December 2010
• Capital investment: Approx. 4 billion yen
• Annual production capacity: 500 MW (in February 2011)
SoloPower Is First Ever to Receive UL Certification for a Flexible CIGS Module
In a watershed breakthrough for the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, SoloPower, Inc., a California-based manufacturer of flexible, thin-film solar PV cells and modules, today announced UL certification for its flexible, CIGS modules, a first-ever achievement for the PV solar industry.
"As governor, I have made it a point to make California an environmental leader with a global footprint. SoloPower's advancement demonstrates that California is leading the way in technology innovation for the green economy," said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. "We welcome this type of innovation that creates jobs, strengthens the economy, and helps protect the environment."
This is the first UL-certified product in a line of high-power flexible modules being introduced initially to European and North American markets. The flexibility and high-power rating of these products will allow SoloPower's customers to reduce balance-of-system and installation costs, while their low weight and application features will facilitate solar installations where they are otherwise impossible.
"The certification of SoloPower's flexible CIGS module is an important step toward the realization of lightweight, high-power, flexible solar modules with potential to expand the roof-top solar market and reduce balance of system costs. It is an important milestone for the industry. I feel very gratified to see, after a 30-year career in Thin Film CIGS PV at NREL, the technology become mature," says Dr. Rommel Noufi, Principal Scientist of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
UL certification was granted following rigorous testing at an independent laboratory. SoloPower's thin-film modules were tested to UL 1703, the standard for safety for PV module manufacturing. In addition to this confirmation, SoloPower itself has conducted extensive internal testing that well exceeds the safety, quality, and reliability standards established by these tests. SoloPower was also the first manufacturer to receive UL certification for rigid modules based on flexible CIGS PV cells in June of 2009.
SoloPower's line of high-power, lightweight, flexible photovoltaic module products include multiple form factors: the SFX1 module (80Wp, 0.3m x 2.9m, 2.3kg / 5lbs.), the SFX2 module (170Wp, 0.3m x 5.8m, 3.6kg / 8 lbs.), and the SFX3 module (260Wp, 0.9m x 2.9m, 6kg / 13lbs.).
Plans for Scale-up to Address Demand
"With low-cost and low-capital expenditure requirements, SoloPower's core manufacturing process will enable rapid scale-up during our next phase of expansion," said Tim Harris, CEO, SoloPower. "The Company is in the process of adding a second manufacturing line that will significantly increase capacity to meet expected demand."
Simultaneously, SoloPower is in discussions with the Department of Energy to potentially obtain a loan guarantee under EPACT 2005 Section 1703 to support the construction of an additional multiple-line production facility.
SoloPower at European PV Conference in Valencia
SoloPower modules will be on display at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, September 6 - 9, 2010 in Valencia, Spain at the jura-plast GmbH booth (Level 2 / Hall 4 / A-29). Also at the conference, SoloPower's CTO, Dr. Mustafa Pinarbasi, will speak on Wednesday, September 8 about "Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Flexible CIGS Cells and Panels."
About SoloPower
SoloPower, Inc. produces low-cost, high-power, flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules that offer a viable alternative to electricity produced using traditional fossil fuels. SoloPower's modules employ its solar cell devices fabricated with copper indium gallium di-selenide (CIGS) materials using a proprietary roll-to-roll electrodeposition process. The company is headquartered in Silicon Valley at 5981 Optical Court, San Jose, California 95138. For more information on SoloPower, please visit the company on the Internet at www.solopower.com.
SOURCE SoloPower, Inc.
"As governor, I have made it a point to make California an environmental leader with a global footprint. SoloPower's advancement demonstrates that California is leading the way in technology innovation for the green economy," said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. "We welcome this type of innovation that creates jobs, strengthens the economy, and helps protect the environment."
This is the first UL-certified product in a line of high-power flexible modules being introduced initially to European and North American markets. The flexibility and high-power rating of these products will allow SoloPower's customers to reduce balance-of-system and installation costs, while their low weight and application features will facilitate solar installations where they are otherwise impossible.
"The certification of SoloPower's flexible CIGS module is an important step toward the realization of lightweight, high-power, flexible solar modules with potential to expand the roof-top solar market and reduce balance of system costs. It is an important milestone for the industry. I feel very gratified to see, after a 30-year career in Thin Film CIGS PV at NREL, the technology become mature," says Dr. Rommel Noufi, Principal Scientist of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
UL certification was granted following rigorous testing at an independent laboratory. SoloPower's thin-film modules were tested to UL 1703, the standard for safety for PV module manufacturing. In addition to this confirmation, SoloPower itself has conducted extensive internal testing that well exceeds the safety, quality, and reliability standards established by these tests. SoloPower was also the first manufacturer to receive UL certification for rigid modules based on flexible CIGS PV cells in June of 2009.
SoloPower's line of high-power, lightweight, flexible photovoltaic module products include multiple form factors: the SFX1 module (80Wp, 0.3m x 2.9m, 2.3kg / 5lbs.), the SFX2 module (170Wp, 0.3m x 5.8m, 3.6kg / 8 lbs.), and the SFX3 module (260Wp, 0.9m x 2.9m, 6kg / 13lbs.).
Plans for Scale-up to Address Demand
"With low-cost and low-capital expenditure requirements, SoloPower's core manufacturing process will enable rapid scale-up during our next phase of expansion," said Tim Harris, CEO, SoloPower. "The Company is in the process of adding a second manufacturing line that will significantly increase capacity to meet expected demand."
Simultaneously, SoloPower is in discussions with the Department of Energy to potentially obtain a loan guarantee under EPACT 2005 Section 1703 to support the construction of an additional multiple-line production facility.
SoloPower at European PV Conference in Valencia
SoloPower modules will be on display at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, September 6 - 9, 2010 in Valencia, Spain at the jura-plast GmbH booth (Level 2 / Hall 4 / A-29). Also at the conference, SoloPower's CTO, Dr. Mustafa Pinarbasi, will speak on Wednesday, September 8 about "Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Flexible CIGS Cells and Panels."
About SoloPower
SoloPower, Inc. produces low-cost, high-power, flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules that offer a viable alternative to electricity produced using traditional fossil fuels. SoloPower's modules employ its solar cell devices fabricated with copper indium gallium di-selenide (CIGS) materials using a proprietary roll-to-roll electrodeposition process. The company is headquartered in Silicon Valley at 5981 Optical Court, San Jose, California 95138. For more information on SoloPower, please visit the company on the Internet at www.solopower.com.
SOURCE SoloPower, Inc.
3 GW of PV Installed in Germany in First Half of 2010
Photovoltaic system installations in Germany in the first half of this year are estimated at 3 GW, reaffirming Germany's leadership position in the solar market, according to Germany Trade and Invest, a foreign trade and inward investment agency of the Federal Republic of Germany.
In 2009, Germany accounted for approximately one of every two newly installed modules worldwide, with total installations totaling 3.8 GW for the year.
Amendments to the PV feed-in tariffs (FITs) in Germany's Renewable Energies Act (EEG) were passed in early July and a further adjustment to the FITs will take effect Oct. 1. The changes mark a further shift toward the rooftop segment by abandoning field installations on cropland and increasing the attractiveness of the self-consumption bonus for small- and medium-scale rooftop installations.
The FIT rates were reduced by 13% for rooftop installations and eliminated for cropland field installations beginning July 1. At the same time, conversion areas saw a reduction of 8%, and all other areas were decreased by 12%. Beginning Oct. 1, these rates will be reduced by a further 3%. Still, the new tariffs remain highly attractive, with rates ranging from 25.02 eurocents/kWh to 34.05 eurocents/kWh for installations connected before Oct. 1 and 24.26 eurocents/kWh to 33.03 eurocents/kWh for those connected during the remainder of the year.
The changes to the EEG are a reaction to the increased price competitiveness of photovoltaic systems, including the recent price drop for solar panels and components. By 2013, energy from PV sources is expected to be competitive with conventional energy sources in the electricity market for private consumers.
SOURCE: Germany Trade and Invest
In 2009, Germany accounted for approximately one of every two newly installed modules worldwide, with total installations totaling 3.8 GW for the year.
Amendments to the PV feed-in tariffs (FITs) in Germany's Renewable Energies Act (EEG) were passed in early July and a further adjustment to the FITs will take effect Oct. 1. The changes mark a further shift toward the rooftop segment by abandoning field installations on cropland and increasing the attractiveness of the self-consumption bonus for small- and medium-scale rooftop installations.
The FIT rates were reduced by 13% for rooftop installations and eliminated for cropland field installations beginning July 1. At the same time, conversion areas saw a reduction of 8%, and all other areas were decreased by 12%. Beginning Oct. 1, these rates will be reduced by a further 3%. Still, the new tariffs remain highly attractive, with rates ranging from 25.02 eurocents/kWh to 34.05 eurocents/kWh for installations connected before Oct. 1 and 24.26 eurocents/kWh to 33.03 eurocents/kWh for those connected during the remainder of the year.
The changes to the EEG are a reaction to the increased price competitiveness of photovoltaic systems, including the recent price drop for solar panels and components. By 2013, energy from PV sources is expected to be competitive with conventional energy sources in the electricity market for private consumers.
SOURCE: Germany Trade and Invest
Italy Reduces Solar Incentives
The Italian Conferenza Stato e Regioni - the country's committee of representatives and the central government - plans to adjust national feed-in-tariff (FIT) levels. The new levels will take effect Dec. 31.
The FIT - known as the Conto Energia III - "still offers a high degree of investment security, despite the moderate reductions made in line with current market conditions," says EuPD Research in a research note announcing the reduction.
Funds allocated to solar electricity generated by open-space systems with a capacity up to 5 MW will be cut by 9.3% - on average - during the first four months of 2011, according to EuPD Research. Incentives for systems with a capacity of 5 MW and greater will be decreased by 14.2%. Adjustments for rooftop systems are between 4.75% and 13.28%, depending on the size of the system. Tariffs will be reduced every four months in 2011.
"The new Conto Energia III clearly shows that an adjustment with a sense of proportion can also work in growth markets such as the Italian market," commented Markus A.W. Hoehner, CEO of EuPD Research. "The fact that a sweeping cut of all tariffs is no longer under discussion and that the adjustments have been tailored to the individual market segments should be [welcomed]."
SOURCE: EuPD Research
The FIT - known as the Conto Energia III - "still offers a high degree of investment security, despite the moderate reductions made in line with current market conditions," says EuPD Research in a research note announcing the reduction.
Funds allocated to solar electricity generated by open-space systems with a capacity up to 5 MW will be cut by 9.3% - on average - during the first four months of 2011, according to EuPD Research. Incentives for systems with a capacity of 5 MW and greater will be decreased by 14.2%. Adjustments for rooftop systems are between 4.75% and 13.28%, depending on the size of the system. Tariffs will be reduced every four months in 2011.
"The new Conto Energia III clearly shows that an adjustment with a sense of proportion can also work in growth markets such as the Italian market," commented Markus A.W. Hoehner, CEO of EuPD Research. "The fact that a sweeping cut of all tariffs is no longer under discussion and that the adjustments have been tailored to the individual market segments should be [welcomed]."
SOURCE: EuPD Research
New FIT Program Could Blow California's Solar Market Wide Open
On Aug. 24, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) released a proposal that would establish a 1 GW pilot program requiring Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric Co. to procure electricity from renewable energy systems up to 20 MW in size. Industry observers say the plan could unleash a frenzy of solar power development in California.
"We have a hard mandate for a gigawatt pilot," Adam Browning, executive director of the Vote Solar Initiative, tells Solar Industry. "This will be intensely competitive, with developers clamoring to get these deals done."
The proposal, submitted by Administrative Law Judge Burton Mattson, would be backed by a feed-in tariff (FIT) based on market prices. These prices would be negotiated during biannual auctions - a procurement method the CPUC has dubbed the Renewable Auction Mechanism (RAM).
California's current FIT applies to projects up to 1.5 MW in size, and the procurement target is capped at 500 MW. Also, the standard contracts under the existing FIT program are priced against a market-price referent (MPR), which is determined by the cost of energy produced at combined-cycle natural-gas plants. California S.B.32, signed into law last October, would expand the FIT program to a 750 MW cap and a project size up to 3 MW, but the CPUC has not implemented it.
Although all renewable energy generation assets would be eligible for the new program, it seems likely that solar would be the key beneficiary. By increasing the eligible system size to 20 MW, the CPUC has hit a sweet spot for large-scale photovoltaic (PV) plants.
PV system costs have dropped precipitously over the past year, making the development of big installations economically viable for all stakeholders. And with those lower system costs have come lower solar energy prices - so low, in fact, that the lofty goal of reaching grid parity is in sight in California.
"This is a sea change in the solar industry," Browning says.
He notes that the wholesale clearing price of solar is currently below retail rates, enticing utilities to scoop up solar power not only to help meet the state's renewable portfolio standard (RPS) mandate, but to simply procure energy at competitive prices.
The RAM appears to be a useful mechanism for doing that. Experience with the existing FIT suggests that utilities would resist the fixed-price contracts that would accompany the implementation of S.B.32. The RAM provides an option to avoid that unpleasantness. In essence, the CPUC has determined that renewable energy should be priced on its own merits - not against the price of fossil-fuel generation.
"The key thing is they have shown their hand, as far as what they think the value of solar is above the MPR table," comments Dr. John Barnes, founder and principal partner of Solar Power Development Partners, based in Saratoga, Calif.
The CPUC has also expressed its desire to expedite RPS fulfillment, which is much easier to accomplish with midsized projects that can come online in a fraction of the time it takes a massive concentrating solar power (CSP) plant to be commissioned. While the output of a CSP facility can register in the hundreds of megawatts, large PV plants - while certainly complicated and expensive - are more nimble, the commission has reasoned.
The new proposal also helps stakeholders skirt thorny issues related to transmission. In most cases, the transmission infrastructure needed to move power from remote CSP plants to demand centers is not available. Building new high-voltage lines requires not only huge capital investments, but also Federal Energy Regulatory Commission involvement, which presents challenges related to jurisdiction and project timelines.
Midsized PV projects can integrate with the grid via existing electric-distribution networks. To one degree or another, all of the investor-owned utilities that would participate in the new program are currently engaged in upgrading distribution equipment. In turn, it is presumed that these systems will be able to handle the integration of distributed solar resources.
"The real way to get solar installed in California is through distributed generation," Barnes says. "It allows you to connect these systems and get them done in a reasonable time frame without transmission upgrades."
For its part, the CPUC has fortified the proposal with language that seeks to cut away the fat and ensure that only projects that are shovel-ready enter the RAM pipeline. For instance, the proposal recommends a RAM deposit of $20/kW for selected projects. Developments that are selected for the program would have 18 months from the date of contract execution to begin commercial operation - if not, the project deposit would be lost.
Although the proposal is not a final rule, Browning is confident that the major provisions of the plan will sail through the comment period and be adopted by the CPUC. In fact, he says the commission could vote on the proposal within a few weeks, potentially leading to "tremendous growth" in California's solar market.
"It's a very positive step toward higher levels of distributed solar generation," Barnes adds.
Source: Solar Industry
"We have a hard mandate for a gigawatt pilot," Adam Browning, executive director of the Vote Solar Initiative, tells Solar Industry. "This will be intensely competitive, with developers clamoring to get these deals done."
The proposal, submitted by Administrative Law Judge Burton Mattson, would be backed by a feed-in tariff (FIT) based on market prices. These prices would be negotiated during biannual auctions - a procurement method the CPUC has dubbed the Renewable Auction Mechanism (RAM).
California's current FIT applies to projects up to 1.5 MW in size, and the procurement target is capped at 500 MW. Also, the standard contracts under the existing FIT program are priced against a market-price referent (MPR), which is determined by the cost of energy produced at combined-cycle natural-gas plants. California S.B.32, signed into law last October, would expand the FIT program to a 750 MW cap and a project size up to 3 MW, but the CPUC has not implemented it.
Although all renewable energy generation assets would be eligible for the new program, it seems likely that solar would be the key beneficiary. By increasing the eligible system size to 20 MW, the CPUC has hit a sweet spot for large-scale photovoltaic (PV) plants.
PV system costs have dropped precipitously over the past year, making the development of big installations economically viable for all stakeholders. And with those lower system costs have come lower solar energy prices - so low, in fact, that the lofty goal of reaching grid parity is in sight in California.
"This is a sea change in the solar industry," Browning says.
He notes that the wholesale clearing price of solar is currently below retail rates, enticing utilities to scoop up solar power not only to help meet the state's renewable portfolio standard (RPS) mandate, but to simply procure energy at competitive prices.
The RAM appears to be a useful mechanism for doing that. Experience with the existing FIT suggests that utilities would resist the fixed-price contracts that would accompany the implementation of S.B.32. The RAM provides an option to avoid that unpleasantness. In essence, the CPUC has determined that renewable energy should be priced on its own merits - not against the price of fossil-fuel generation.
"The key thing is they have shown their hand, as far as what they think the value of solar is above the MPR table," comments Dr. John Barnes, founder and principal partner of Solar Power Development Partners, based in Saratoga, Calif.
The CPUC has also expressed its desire to expedite RPS fulfillment, which is much easier to accomplish with midsized projects that can come online in a fraction of the time it takes a massive concentrating solar power (CSP) plant to be commissioned. While the output of a CSP facility can register in the hundreds of megawatts, large PV plants - while certainly complicated and expensive - are more nimble, the commission has reasoned.
The new proposal also helps stakeholders skirt thorny issues related to transmission. In most cases, the transmission infrastructure needed to move power from remote CSP plants to demand centers is not available. Building new high-voltage lines requires not only huge capital investments, but also Federal Energy Regulatory Commission involvement, which presents challenges related to jurisdiction and project timelines.
Midsized PV projects can integrate with the grid via existing electric-distribution networks. To one degree or another, all of the investor-owned utilities that would participate in the new program are currently engaged in upgrading distribution equipment. In turn, it is presumed that these systems will be able to handle the integration of distributed solar resources.
"The real way to get solar installed in California is through distributed generation," Barnes says. "It allows you to connect these systems and get them done in a reasonable time frame without transmission upgrades."
For its part, the CPUC has fortified the proposal with language that seeks to cut away the fat and ensure that only projects that are shovel-ready enter the RAM pipeline. For instance, the proposal recommends a RAM deposit of $20/kW for selected projects. Developments that are selected for the program would have 18 months from the date of contract execution to begin commercial operation - if not, the project deposit would be lost.
Although the proposal is not a final rule, Browning is confident that the major provisions of the plan will sail through the comment period and be adopted by the CPUC. In fact, he says the commission could vote on the proposal within a few weeks, potentially leading to "tremendous growth" in California's solar market.
"It's a very positive step toward higher levels of distributed solar generation," Barnes adds.
Source: Solar Industry
Producing Solar Below 70 Cents a Watt - The New Target
The race to produce solar PV for less than a dollar per watt is over. The new cost race is now based on cents, not dollars.
Remember back in the good 'ol days of 2008 when manufacturing solar PV below a dollar a watt was a big deal? How quaint that vision seems today.
kay, so the sub-one dollar production cost is still a major milestone. But as more companies approach or cross the threshold, the solar industry is starting to compete at a much different level.
In 2009, industry leader First Solar was the first company to produce cadmium-telluride thin-film modules for below a dollar a watt. Today, the company is producing panels at 76 cents a watt – a benchmark by which all other solar manufacturers are compared. If a company can't provide a clear path to that cost range quickly, it probably doesn't have a good chance of competing in today's market. But First Solar certainly can't rest on its laurels.
In a big announcement this week, the equipment manufacturer Oerlikon says that its new fab line is able to pump out 10 percent-efficient amorphous-silicon (a-Si) thin-film modules for under 70 cents a watt.
“This certainly gives us a lot of confidence. We were able to meet the target we set for the end of 2010 earlier than expected,” says Chris O'Brien, head of market development at Oerlikon.
efinitely be producing solar below 70 cents a watt. Oerlikon is assuming that its customers can integrate the new line and reach those cost targets by 2011. So while the company has achieved this ground-breaking cost structure in a controlled setting, actually getting customers to that target will be harder.
"It's more of a calculation. Oerlikon doesn't produce the panels. At this point, it's more theory than practice," says Shyam Mehta, a senior solar analyst with GTM Research. "It's up to Oerlikon working with its vendors...to scale up and hit these targets."
Mehta cautions that this sort of cost target takes longer to reach than people expect. So for the time being, First Solar can still solidly call itself the leader in production cost and efficiency.
"First Solar is already there. It's definitely not an apples-to-apples comparison," says Mehta.
Even with all the "ifs," the news is good for the struggling sector. For the last two years industry analysts have been predicting the death of a-Si thin film, a technology plagued by high costs. In many ways, they have been right: A number of a-Si companies have gone belly up, and the most high-profile equipment producer, Applied Materials, got out of the business earlier this summer. The technology couldn't compete with conventional PV when prices for silicon dropped so dramatically.
“We ran into some enormous headwinds,” says O'Brien. “The advantages of thin film disappeared quickly. But we feel that's changing.”
O'Brien says the company has been constantly making changes to the fab line over the years. Those changes include a focus on tandem-junction (i.e. higher efficiency) cells, thinner silicon layers, higher reflective backsheets, eliminating “dead zones” around the perimeter of the module, and reducing material needs. He says the effort has increased cell efficiencies and reduced the capital expenditure for its customers by 25%.
Oerlikon also announced the development of a new tandem-junction "micromorph" cell that is 11.9 percent efficient in the lab. The efficiency was verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
This announcement illustrates the new paradigm for solar manufacturers. Two years ago, producing solar at $1.50 a watt was pretty good. Today, that just won't cut it. If Oerlikon continues on a path toward steady cost reductions and efficiency improvements in line with that trend, the company could prove to be a major success story in an a-Si sector filled with bad news.
To hear the podcast - click here.
Also, in the video interview below, Oerlikon's Chris O'Brien talks more about why the company has continued to improve while other a-Si players have struggled so badly.
Source: Renewable Energy World
Note: While cost per watt is a good target ... the more important measurement is cost / kWh of electricity produced. Cheap cost per watt isn't necessarily the best choice.
Remember back in the good 'ol days of 2008 when manufacturing solar PV below a dollar a watt was a big deal? How quaint that vision seems today.
kay, so the sub-one dollar production cost is still a major milestone. But as more companies approach or cross the threshold, the solar industry is starting to compete at a much different level.
In 2009, industry leader First Solar was the first company to produce cadmium-telluride thin-film modules for below a dollar a watt. Today, the company is producing panels at 76 cents a watt – a benchmark by which all other solar manufacturers are compared. If a company can't provide a clear path to that cost range quickly, it probably doesn't have a good chance of competing in today's market. But First Solar certainly can't rest on its laurels.
In a big announcement this week, the equipment manufacturer Oerlikon says that its new fab line is able to pump out 10 percent-efficient amorphous-silicon (a-Si) thin-film modules for under 70 cents a watt.
“This certainly gives us a lot of confidence. We were able to meet the target we set for the end of 2010 earlier than expected,” says Chris O'Brien, head of market development at Oerlikon.
efinitely be producing solar below 70 cents a watt. Oerlikon is assuming that its customers can integrate the new line and reach those cost targets by 2011. So while the company has achieved this ground-breaking cost structure in a controlled setting, actually getting customers to that target will be harder.
"It's more of a calculation. Oerlikon doesn't produce the panels. At this point, it's more theory than practice," says Shyam Mehta, a senior solar analyst with GTM Research. "It's up to Oerlikon working with its vendors...to scale up and hit these targets."
Mehta cautions that this sort of cost target takes longer to reach than people expect. So for the time being, First Solar can still solidly call itself the leader in production cost and efficiency.
"First Solar is already there. It's definitely not an apples-to-apples comparison," says Mehta.
Even with all the "ifs," the news is good for the struggling sector. For the last two years industry analysts have been predicting the death of a-Si thin film, a technology plagued by high costs. In many ways, they have been right: A number of a-Si companies have gone belly up, and the most high-profile equipment producer, Applied Materials, got out of the business earlier this summer. The technology couldn't compete with conventional PV when prices for silicon dropped so dramatically.
“We ran into some enormous headwinds,” says O'Brien. “The advantages of thin film disappeared quickly. But we feel that's changing.”
O'Brien says the company has been constantly making changes to the fab line over the years. Those changes include a focus on tandem-junction (i.e. higher efficiency) cells, thinner silicon layers, higher reflective backsheets, eliminating “dead zones” around the perimeter of the module, and reducing material needs. He says the effort has increased cell efficiencies and reduced the capital expenditure for its customers by 25%.
Oerlikon also announced the development of a new tandem-junction "micromorph" cell that is 11.9 percent efficient in the lab. The efficiency was verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
This announcement illustrates the new paradigm for solar manufacturers. Two years ago, producing solar at $1.50 a watt was pretty good. Today, that just won't cut it. If Oerlikon continues on a path toward steady cost reductions and efficiency improvements in line with that trend, the company could prove to be a major success story in an a-Si sector filled with bad news.
To hear the podcast - click here.
Also, in the video interview below, Oerlikon's Chris O'Brien talks more about why the company has continued to improve while other a-Si players have struggled so badly.
Source: Renewable Energy World
Note: While cost per watt is a good target ... the more important measurement is cost / kWh of electricity produced. Cheap cost per watt isn't necessarily the best choice.
Grid Energy Storage a $35B Market by 2020?
Coming on the heels of yesterday's announcement that California is moving closer to setting grid energy storage mandates for utilities in the state, today Pike Research released a new report that says the grid energy storage market could reach as much as $35 billion by 2020.
According to the research company, demand is being driven by several key trends including the proliferation of renewable energy from variable sources such as wind and solar, the expansion of utility smart grid initiatives, and the introduction of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. The new report, “Energy Storage on the Grid,” indicates that the market will increase from $1.5 billion in 2010 to $35.3 billion annually by 2020.
Pike Research analyst David Link said that today utilities use grid energy storage to mitigate wind and solar energy variability, for load following and for renewable energy time shifting. “In the coming years,” said Link, “the number of applications for energy storage on the grid will expand to include the opportunity for utilities to defer transmission and distribution (T&D) capital upgrades, time of use energy cost management for the commercial and industrial (C&I) segments, and conventional energy time shifting.”
Of storage technologies Pike research sees major growth in the areas of the compressed air energy storage (CAES), Li-ion batteries, and flow batteries. Other storage technologies in use today include pumped hydro and sodium sulfur (NAS) batteries.
Source: Renewable Energy World
According to the research company, demand is being driven by several key trends including the proliferation of renewable energy from variable sources such as wind and solar, the expansion of utility smart grid initiatives, and the introduction of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. The new report, “Energy Storage on the Grid,” indicates that the market will increase from $1.5 billion in 2010 to $35.3 billion annually by 2020.
Pike Research analyst David Link said that today utilities use grid energy storage to mitigate wind and solar energy variability, for load following and for renewable energy time shifting. “In the coming years,” said Link, “the number of applications for energy storage on the grid will expand to include the opportunity for utilities to defer transmission and distribution (T&D) capital upgrades, time of use energy cost management for the commercial and industrial (C&I) segments, and conventional energy time shifting.”
Of storage technologies Pike research sees major growth in the areas of the compressed air energy storage (CAES), Li-ion batteries, and flow batteries. Other storage technologies in use today include pumped hydro and sodium sulfur (NAS) batteries.
Source: Renewable Energy World
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
How Fast Can You Really Recharge Your Plug-In Car?
We are quickly approaching the launch dates of the Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Volt-the first two globally-distributed and mass-market plug-in cars the world has ever seen. Beyond those two groundbreaking vehicles, every major automaker has now committed to delivering some sort of plug-in vehicle within the next five years. As the public's attention shifts to the battery-powered drivetrain and its perceived shortcomings, the question of how long it will take to charge the battery has rightly taken center stage.
To this point, much of the conversation regarding plug-in car charging times has revolved around what kind of charging station you use. In the US, as many of us know, there are essentially three types of charging:
A standard 3-prong household outlet, also known as "Level 1 charging"
A specialized home charging station, also known as "Level 2 charging"
A commercial quick charging station, known alternately as both "DC fast charging" and "Level 3 charging."
Listening to radio and TV shows, and reading through internet threads devoted to the topic of "How long will it take me to charge my electric car," it is apparent that there is a very big information gap out there when it come to charging times and what you might reasonably expect for your Nissan LEAF or Chevy Volt or Coda Sedan or whatever other electric car come down the pipe.
A battery is just a storage device for energy. Any given battery's potential energy storage is rated in terms of kilowatt-hours (kWh). For instance, the Nissan LEAF effectively has a 22 kWh battery, and the Chevy Volt effectively has an 8 kWh battery. In the US, your standard household outlet (Level 1 charging) can deliver about 1.6 kW (after accounting for losses and other items). To figure out how long it will take you to fully charge a given battery, simply divide the battery's size by the outlet's output. For instance, a 16 kWh battery will take 10 hours to fully charge from a standard outlet (16 kWh/1.6 kW).
So, if you install a Level 2 home charging station in your garage, how much shorter will the recharge times be? In the US, Level 2 stations are rated up to 14.4 kW (240 Volt / 60 Amp) outputs, but most of them will probably be installed on standard dryer circuits (240Volt / 30 Amp) and be able to output about 6.5 kW (after accounting for losses and other items). Of course, you can go higher if you buy a station that is rated higher and you pay for the upgraded wiring and circuitry to get you to 60 Amps, but for the sake of discussion, let's assume an output of 6.5 kW for a Level 2 station.
Using the same logic as for your standard household outlet above, you'd think a Level 2 station could charge that 16 kWh battery in about 2.5 hours, but this is where things get a little tricky. As it turns out, the station is just the energy supplier in the charging world-the actual device that regulates charging speed is on-board the car. And, as it also turns out, this on-board charger is the absolute critical piece to understanding how fast you can charge your brand spanking new electric car.
If you wanted to take maximum advantage of your typical Level 2 station, you'd want an on-board charger that could handle at least 6.5 kW. In fact, looking back at previous electric cars that were released back in the California mandate days, the original Toyota RAV4 EV was equipped with a 6.6 kW charger. Today, things are quite a bit different though. The first gen LEAF is shipping with a 3.3 kW charger, same as the first gen Volt. The Coda Sedan, however, is shipping with a 6.6 kW charger.
So even if your Level 2 station is rated at 6.5 or 6.6 kW, if you have a LEAF or Volt, you'll never be able to push more than 3.3 kW to the battery at any given time-resulting in charging speeds that are half that of what you might expect based on the charging station's stats. However, if you have a Coda, you'll be able to take full advantage of it. Even more confusing, the on-board charger doesn't affect how fast you can charge your plug-in at a DC fast charging station. In that case, the DC station is just dumping energy very quickly into the battery and kind of bypasses the on-board charger. You could get a Nissan LEAF battery from 0-80% full in about 25 minutes at a DC fast charging station. The Volt and Coda don't have DC fast charging capability.
In their defense, Nissan has said that the inclusion of the 3.3 kW charger was a choice they wouldn't make again in retrospect, and they plan on upgrading to a 6.6 kW charger for the next generation LEAF. At that point they also plan on making the 6.6 kW charger available for installation in the first gen LEAF, likely for some additional cost. My guess is that the Japanese Nissan LEAF engineers, working in a secretive Japanese world when first designing the LEAF, based their assumptions on Japanese outlets. A standard Japanese outlet is rated at 200 V and 15 Amps, or about 3 kW. In Japan there won't be any Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 charging-just standard household outlets and DC fast charging while on the road-so there's no need for a charger rated higher than 3.3 kW. Whoops...
Yet, in the end, all of this talk of charging speeds and times from empty to full really doesn't make much sense because we're rarely going to be filling our plug-in cars from empty to full. More likely you'll drive the thing 40 miles in a day and then come home at night and plug it in. When you wake up in the AM it will be fully charged no matter how long it took. But if you only have to drive 40 miles a day, even a charge on a 3-prong outlet is a reasonable 6 hours, so focusing the charging speed becomes less important.
Reprinted with permission from PluginCars.com
To this point, much of the conversation regarding plug-in car charging times has revolved around what kind of charging station you use. In the US, as many of us know, there are essentially three types of charging:
A standard 3-prong household outlet, also known as "Level 1 charging"
A specialized home charging station, also known as "Level 2 charging"
A commercial quick charging station, known alternately as both "DC fast charging" and "Level 3 charging."
Listening to radio and TV shows, and reading through internet threads devoted to the topic of "How long will it take me to charge my electric car," it is apparent that there is a very big information gap out there when it come to charging times and what you might reasonably expect for your Nissan LEAF or Chevy Volt or Coda Sedan or whatever other electric car come down the pipe.
A battery is just a storage device for energy. Any given battery's potential energy storage is rated in terms of kilowatt-hours (kWh). For instance, the Nissan LEAF effectively has a 22 kWh battery, and the Chevy Volt effectively has an 8 kWh battery. In the US, your standard household outlet (Level 1 charging) can deliver about 1.6 kW (after accounting for losses and other items). To figure out how long it will take you to fully charge a given battery, simply divide the battery's size by the outlet's output. For instance, a 16 kWh battery will take 10 hours to fully charge from a standard outlet (16 kWh/1.6 kW).
So, if you install a Level 2 home charging station in your garage, how much shorter will the recharge times be? In the US, Level 2 stations are rated up to 14.4 kW (240 Volt / 60 Amp) outputs, but most of them will probably be installed on standard dryer circuits (240Volt / 30 Amp) and be able to output about 6.5 kW (after accounting for losses and other items). Of course, you can go higher if you buy a station that is rated higher and you pay for the upgraded wiring and circuitry to get you to 60 Amps, but for the sake of discussion, let's assume an output of 6.5 kW for a Level 2 station.
Using the same logic as for your standard household outlet above, you'd think a Level 2 station could charge that 16 kWh battery in about 2.5 hours, but this is where things get a little tricky. As it turns out, the station is just the energy supplier in the charging world-the actual device that regulates charging speed is on-board the car. And, as it also turns out, this on-board charger is the absolute critical piece to understanding how fast you can charge your brand spanking new electric car.
If you wanted to take maximum advantage of your typical Level 2 station, you'd want an on-board charger that could handle at least 6.5 kW. In fact, looking back at previous electric cars that were released back in the California mandate days, the original Toyota RAV4 EV was equipped with a 6.6 kW charger. Today, things are quite a bit different though. The first gen LEAF is shipping with a 3.3 kW charger, same as the first gen Volt. The Coda Sedan, however, is shipping with a 6.6 kW charger.
So even if your Level 2 station is rated at 6.5 or 6.6 kW, if you have a LEAF or Volt, you'll never be able to push more than 3.3 kW to the battery at any given time-resulting in charging speeds that are half that of what you might expect based on the charging station's stats. However, if you have a Coda, you'll be able to take full advantage of it. Even more confusing, the on-board charger doesn't affect how fast you can charge your plug-in at a DC fast charging station. In that case, the DC station is just dumping energy very quickly into the battery and kind of bypasses the on-board charger. You could get a Nissan LEAF battery from 0-80% full in about 25 minutes at a DC fast charging station. The Volt and Coda don't have DC fast charging capability.
In their defense, Nissan has said that the inclusion of the 3.3 kW charger was a choice they wouldn't make again in retrospect, and they plan on upgrading to a 6.6 kW charger for the next generation LEAF. At that point they also plan on making the 6.6 kW charger available for installation in the first gen LEAF, likely for some additional cost. My guess is that the Japanese Nissan LEAF engineers, working in a secretive Japanese world when first designing the LEAF, based their assumptions on Japanese outlets. A standard Japanese outlet is rated at 200 V and 15 Amps, or about 3 kW. In Japan there won't be any Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 charging-just standard household outlets and DC fast charging while on the road-so there's no need for a charger rated higher than 3.3 kW. Whoops...
Yet, in the end, all of this talk of charging speeds and times from empty to full really doesn't make much sense because we're rarely going to be filling our plug-in cars from empty to full. More likely you'll drive the thing 40 miles in a day and then come home at night and plug it in. When you wake up in the AM it will be fully charged no matter how long it took. But if you only have to drive 40 miles a day, even a charge on a 3-prong outlet is a reasonable 6 hours, so focusing the charging speed becomes less important.
Reprinted with permission from PluginCars.com
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