Making Modern Living Possible with Danfoss Solar Inverters
Photovoltaic Energy Perspectives on a Realistic Alternative Uffe Borup, Ph.D Senior Technology Manager Danfoss Solar Inverters Agenda Solar energy and photovoltaics Varity of installation The path to grid parity Market development Supporting the Grid
Danfoss Solar Inverters Business
Fundamental driver The impact of CO2 emissions / climate change is indisputable and so is the need for increasing renewable energy sources to cope with it
Clean Tech the new driving force Clean Tech will be the strongest driving force for modern society Clean Tech will drive the next wave of innovation in a world with scarce resources Clean Tech can provide foundation for new billion dollar industries all over the world
Benefits of Solar Electricity CO2 neutral and no visual nor noise pollution Very low maintenance costs and long life >30 years Public acceptance / everybody can join Can be installed anywhere, on grid and off grid Can be used in every size Significant cost reductions in the forthcoming years Easy to fit into the grid both for decentralised and centralised production Building integrated installations The biggest potential among all Renewable Energy Sources Proven and ready to go to work
Solar cell history The photovoltaic (PV) effect was discovered in 1839 by Becquerel The first real PV cell appears in 1883. It is made out of Selenium and gold conductors. The efficiency is still below 1% The first silicon PV cell is invented in 1950 by Bell Labs. By 1954 the efficiency is increased to more than 6% In 1958 the US satellite Vanguard 1 uses PV for supplying a small radio transmitter The best commercial cells today have an efficiency of app. 22% and the best modules offers an efficiency of 18% World record laboratory test 41.1%
How does it work A) Photon Energy = Bandgab Energy release of electron B) Photon Energy > Bandgab Energy release of electron and heat C) Photon Energy < Bandgab Energy No release D) Photon reflected by the solar cell No release
Types of Solar cells Mono-crystalline Efficiency: 14 22 % Form: Round edge / quadratic Color: Black / Dark blue Yearly energy, ~120 kwh/m2 Amorf / thinfilm Efficiency: 5 11 % Form: Lines Farve: Black / Dark Brown Yearly energy, 50-100 kwh/m2 asi, CIS, CdTe On glas or plastic foil Poly-crystalline Efficiency: 12 18 % Form: quadratic Color: Dark Blue with structure Yearly energy, ~100 kwh/m2
Market segments of on-grid PV Systems Source: BSW Solar May 2008
PV installations - residential SIB Zero+
Building Integrated - Commercial Source: German Solar Industry Association / EPIA ( 2007)
Fiera Di Roma Size: 38.000 m2 Power: 1.5 MWp Energy: 1.7 mill kwh/year (~600 households) CO2 avoided: 1200 t / year Investment: 12 mill Modules: Thinfilm Unisolar Inverters: 150 pcs of TLX 10k
Waldpolenz 40 MW Source: Juwi
Solar energy competitiveness - Residential The cost of energy from Solar is on a downward path ~ 10% / year The best systems in the best locations will reach grid parity in 1-2 years The feed-in tariff programs support that diversified solutions are possible
The growing competitiveness of solar power
Solar energy competitiveness Large scale Roadmap to Grid Parity 2010-2012 Source: First Solar
Module Roadmap to Grid Parity thin film Source: First Solar
Cumulative installed PV Power
Global market forecast / year (Moderate vs Policy driven) Long term perspective is 400 GW acc in 2020 50% of primary energy in 2050
The Future Energy system Smart Grid solutions and communication links the system together
Electrical system support from PV systems The best inverters are able to provide system services that will help to stabilize the grid Studies show that PV can be increased to 40% with today's technology. With smart grid we can go even higher Ride-Through capability Reactive power Voltage support Frequency stability Remote control
Photovoltaic opportunities Photovoltaic will be competitive with conventional energy in 2-7 years, depending on location Production scale-up will reduce the cost significantly PV energy can be used efficiently from small residential (1kW) over large commercial (1-3 MW) to Mega power plant (5 MW 1 GW) PV systems and inverters will increasingly take part in the power system with new responsibilities to insure grid stability
We need to make it happen!! Remove barriers. Align regulation and approval processes Appropriate support is important in the market creation and maturing phase Promote PV to make a consumer PULL effect
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