23rd EU PVSEC Closing Session: Technical Highlights

[Valencia, Spain]

Continuing where the 23rd EU PVSEC Closing Session: 2008 Becquerel Prize Awarded left off, Dr. Heinz Ossenbrink, Technical Programme Chairman, presented his view of the Conference Technical Highlights from the 23rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC).

This year, Dr. Ossenbrink admitted relying on section chairs for inputs, and it is always possible to miss something significant. However, I did see Dr. Ossenbrink at a number of Oral Presentations.

Dr. Ossenbrink’s presentation is first captured below as a Picasa slideshow and then with inline text to satisfy the hungry search engines.

(Some) Highlights of the 23rd European Photovoltaic Conference and Exhibition

Valencia, Spain
1-5 September 2008

Dr. Heinz Ossenbrink
Technical Programme Chairman
European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre
Ispra, Italy

Advanced Photovoltaics
•Tandem Cells Using Quantum Dots All QD-Devices Mostly SiO2! Proof of Concept Successful
–(Green/ UNSW, AU)
•(Inverted) Metamorphic Triple Cells Record 40.8%, Potential 50%
–(SpectroLab, US)
•Flexible > 33%
–(EMCORE, US)
•Concentrator Potential to 28.5%, 2 GW by 2020 in Reach
–(Luther, DE)

Advanced Photovoltaics (2)
•DSSC: 11.3% improved stability >1000 h
–(EPFL, CH)
•Printed Organic:
–(Konarka US)
•Certified Efficiency Measurements Required!
–(OrgaPVnet, EU)
•Axial pn-Junctions with Nanowires grown on Si, Voc 400 mV
–(IPHT, DE); (GE Energy, US)
•Fluorescent Concentrator with Photonic Structure, Up-Conversion; High System Efficiency Possible
–(ISE Freiburg, DE)

Wafer-Based Silicon Solar Cells and Materials
•New Wafer Technology Ready: Crystallization on Molten-Si Dipped Substrates (~14.8%, 250 cm²)
–(Sharp, JP)
•Wafering by Proton Beam: No Kerf Losses; Ultra-thin Possible: 50 um
–(SIGEN, US)
•17.2% Module With Thin Back-Contact Cells
–(Kyocera, JP)
•Demonstration of Permanent Deactivation of the B-O effect for CZ, leading to >20%
–(ECN, NL / NUST, NO / Deutsche Solar, ISC Konstanz DE)

Wafer-Based Si Solar Cells and Materials (2)
•20.4% HIT Silicon Heterojunction technology
–(Sanyo, JP)
•“Golden Anniversary” (50 y) of Prof. Martinuzzi, Presentation on diffusion lengths in p-type mc-Ingots
–(Uni Marseille/ CNRS Grenoble, FR)
•PERC cell with Al BSF on Thin Wafers, 16.6%
–(IMEC, BE)
•Production of 650 kg Ingots with Improved efficiency distribution
–(Freiberg, DE)

Thin Films
•Controlled Texturing of TF Substrates for a-SI -Periodic Grooves for TCO
–(Delft/Juelich; NL/DE)
•Roll-to-Roll Electroplated CIGS Manufacturing ~11%
–(SOLOPOWER; US
•1.4m² a-Si including ZnO, 9.4%, 110 W stabilized
–(Oerlikon, CH/LI)
•5.7m² Results, hundreds of Manufacturing Systems in Production
–(Applied Materials, US)

Thin Films (2)
•9% Stabilized for Micromorph Tandems on Plastic
–(Uni Neuchatel, CH)
•μC-SiGe Tandems 11.2% initial
–(AIST, JP)
•Good Overview on the Continuous Improvement of all Thin-Film Technologies, Multi-GW by 2012 can be expected
–(Wuerth, DE)

Components for PV Systems
•Model the World with 3 Parameters
–(ISE Freiburg, DE)
•Very Comprehensive and all Technologies
–(PERFORMANCE Project / ZSW DE)
•Predict Long-Term Lifetime from Module Warranty Returns. <2005: 0.13%, <0.01% since then. Extending Module Life Possible, End-of-Life well beyond Warranty Period of 25 years
–(BP Solar, US)
•PV-MIPS: Integrated AC Inverter in a 400 V CIS Module
–(ISET, DE)

Components for PV Systems (2)
•PV goes Skiing: 1 or 2 Axis Tracking “Solar Wings” Using Low-Cost Cable car Technology
–(ZHAW Winterthur, CH)
•Li-Ion Batteries Arrive! Higher η than PB
–(Conergy, DE)
•Performance of LEDs for Small Lanterns
–(ISE Freiburg, DE)

PV Systems
•Floating PV System; Foam Pontoons, 9x9 m², Prototype 10% higher cost, Water Cooling for 20º Temp Reduction, probably also good to clean Bird Dropping!
–(AIST, JP)
•Matching Very Large Scale PV to the Grid, Penetration Limits w-w/o Storage calculated
–(Ben Gurion, IL)
•Storage Options: Pumped Hydro, CAES, Pumped H2 30-40%, Li-Po, SuperCaps/Flywheels Vehicle to Grid
–(RWTH,DE)
•New Architectural Avenues for PV: PV/LED Facades, “Pixellated” for until now Unseen Appearances
–(ENEA, IT)

PV Deployment
•Spain: The Dangling Sword of The Cap, PV Experts too busy in installing more than 1100 MW before End of this Month
•Greece: Overwhelming Response above 2000 MW; Implementation Slow, only 2..3 MW in 2007/08 installed
•Italy: doubled to more than 100 MW in 2007, Well Organised, 450 MW expected in 2009
•Korea: 100’000 Solar Roofs by 2012
•Japan: Brings up new Residential Programme
•Burocratic Burden Still Too High!
–AssoSolare et al

The Conference View on World’s R&D Landscape (please see the slideshow)

The Solar Europe Initiative
PV Technology Platform
+
Europe’s Strategic Energy Technology Plan

•for the 2020 Goals 3% (100GW) are very realistic
•But with sequential Grid Parity on:
–Peak Demand
–Retail Prices
–Bulk Power
...6% - 12% Can Be Envisaged

•Prepare for 12% = 400 GW!

We Have No Time To Loose!

We hope you have enjoyed the programme!

Thank you for coming to Valencia

See you again next year at the 24th in.....

Muchas gracias to Dr. Ossenbrink for taking the time to provide a copy of his “(Some) Highlights of the 23rd European Photovoltaic Conference and Exhibition” presentation after the late close of the 23rd EU PVSEC. All of us, self included, were already thinking about our Friday afternoon itineraries.