The Impact of Silicon Feedstock on the PV Module Cost

The impact of the use of new (solar grade) silicon feedstock materials on the manufacturing cost of wafer-based crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules is analyzed considering effects of material cost, efficiency of utilisation, and quality. Calculations based on data provided by European industry partners are presented for a baseline manufacturing technology and for four advanced wafer silicon technologies which may be ready for industrial implementation in the near future. Iso-cost curves show the technology parameter combinations that yield a constant total module cost for varying feedstock cost, silicon utilisation, and cell efficiency. A large variation of feedstock cost for different production processes, from near semiconductor grade Si (30 €/kg) to upgraded metallurgical grade Si (10 €/kg), changes the cost of crystalline silicon modules by 11% for present module technologies or by 7% for advanced technologies, if the cell efficiency can be maintained. However, this cost advantage is completely lost if cell efficiency is reduced, due to quality degradation, by an absolute 1.7% for present module technology or by an absolute 1.3% for advanced technologies

Next-generation sequencing-based genome diagnostics across clinical genetics centers: Implementation choices and their effects

Implementation of next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) technology into routine diagnostic genome care requires strategic choices. Instead of theoretical discussions on the consequences of such choices, we compared NGS-based diagnostic practices in eight clinical genetic centers in the Netherlands, based on genetic testing of nine pre-selected patients with cardiomyopathy. We highlight critical implementation choices, including the specific contributions of laboratory and medical specialists, bioinformaticians and researchers to diagnostic genome care, and how these affect interpretation and reporting of variants. Reported pathogenic mutations were consistent for all but one patient. Of the two centers that were inconsistent in their diagnosis, one reported to have found 'no causal variant', thereby underdiagnosing this patient. The other provided an alternative diagnosis, identifying another variant as causal than the other centers. Ethical and legal analysis showed that informed consent procedures in all centers were generally adequate for diagnostic NGS applications that target a limited set of genes, but not for exome- and genome-based diagnosis. We propose changes to further improve and align these procedures, taking into account the blurring boundary between diagnostics and research, and specific counseling options for exome- and genome-based diagnostics. We conclude that alternative diagnoses may infer a certain level of 'greediness' to come to a positive diagnosis in interpreting sequencing results. Moreover, there is an increasing interdependence of clinic, diagnostics and research departments for comprehensive diagnostic genome care. Therefore, we invite clinical geneticists, physicians, researchers, bioinformatics experts and patients to reconsider their role and position in future diagnostic genome care

1 € per watt-peak advanced crystalline silicon modules: the crystalclear integrated project

CrystalClear is an Integrated Project carried out in the 6 th Framework Program of the European Union. The main project aim is to reduce the direct manufacturing costs of crystalline silicon PV modules to 1 €/Wp, when produced in next-generation plants. CrystalClear deals with the entire crystalline silicon value chain from silicon feedstock up to module manufacturing. In the course of the project, which started in 2004, several ‘overall’ technologies have been defined and developed. These technologies represent different combinations of wafer options, cell and module designs as well as processing approaches. They have been analysed in terms of their manufacturing costs, assuming large-scale production. It is found that crystalline silicon PV technology has the potential to reach direct module manufacturing costs of around 1 €/Wp on a relatively short term (i.e. within ≈5 years). This implies that wafer-based crystalline silicon photovoltaics is compatible with the requirements to achieve grid parity, see the Strategic Research Agenda of the PV Technology Platform, www.eupvplatform.org. Critical conditions to reach this cost level are: efficient silicon utilization (g/Wp module power), high total area module efficiency and high-throughput, high-yield productio

Renewable Energy Technologies

In 1998 renewable energy sources supplied 56 ± 10 exajoules,or about 14 percent of world primary energy consumption. Thesupply was dominated by traditional biomass (38 ± 10 exajoules a year. Other major contributions came from large hydropower (9 exajoules a year) and from modern biomass (7 exajoules). The contribution of all other renewables — small hydropower, geothermal, wind, solar, and marineenergy — was about 2 exajoules. That means that the energy supply from new renewables was about 9 exajoules (about 2 percent of world consumption). The commercial primary energy supply from renewable sources was 27 ± 6 exajoules (nearly 7 percent of world consumption), with 16 ± 6 exajoules from biomass. Renewable energy sources can meet many times the present world energy demand, so their potential is enormous. They can enhance diversity in energy supply markets, secure long-term sustainable energy supplies, and reduce local and global atmospheric emissions. They can also provide commercially attractive options to meet specific needs for energy services (particularly in developing countries and rural areas), create new employment opportunities, and offer possibilities for local manufacturing of equipment. There are many renewable technologies. Although often commerciallyavailable, most are still at an early stage of development and not technically mature. They demand continuing research, development, and demonstration efforts. In addition, few renewable energy technologies can compete with conventional fuels on cost, except in some niche markets. But substantial cost reductions can be achieved for most renewables, closing gaps and making them more competitive. That will require further technology development and market deployment — and boosting production capacities to mass production. For the long term and under very favourable conditions, the lowest cost to produce electricity might be $0.01–0.02 a kilowatt-hour for geothermal,$0.03 a kilowatt-hour for wind and hydro, $0.04 a kilowatt-hour for solar thermal and biomass, and$0.05–0.06 a kilowatt-hour for photovoltaics and marine currents. The lowest cost to produce heat might be $0.005 a kilowatt-hour for geothermal,$0.01 a kilowatt-hour for biomass, and $0.02–0.03 a kilowatt-hour for solar thermal. The lowest cost to produce fuels might be$1.5 a gigajoule for biomass, $6–7 a gigajoule for ethanol,$7–10 a gigajoule for methanol, and $6–8 a gigajoule for hydrogen. Scenarios investigating the potential of renewables reveal that they might contribute 20–50 percent of energy supplies in the second half of the 21st century. A transition to renewables-based energy systems would have to rely on: Successful development and diffusion of renewable energy technologies that become more competitive through cost reductions from technological and organisational developments. Political will to internalise environmental costs and other externalities that permanently increase fossil fuel prices. Many countries have found ways to promote renewables. As renewable energy activities grow and require more funding, the tendency in many countries is to move away from methods that let taxpayers carry the burden of promoting renewables, towards economic and regulatory methods that let energy consumers carry the burden

The energy payback time of advanced crystalline silicon PV modules in 2020 : A prospective study

The photovoltaic (PV) market is experiencing vigorous growth, whereas prices are dropping rapidly. This growth has in large part been possible through public support, deserved for its promise to produce electricity at a low cost to the environment. It is therefore important to monitor and minimize environmental impacts associated with PV technologies. In this work, we forecast the environmental performance of crystalline silicon technologies in 2020, the year in which electricity from PV is anticipated to be competitive with wholesale electricity costs all across Europe. Our forecasts are based on technological scenario development and a prospective life cycle assessment with a thorough uncertainty and sensitivity analysis. We estimate that the energy payback time at an in-plane irradiation of 1700 kWh/(m2 year) of crystalline silicon modules can be reduced to below 0.5 years by 2020, which is less than half of the current energy payback time

Wafer-based crystalline silicon modules at 1€ /Wp : Final results from the CrystalClear integrated project

CrystalClear was an EU co-financed Integrated Project aimed at developing technology for waferbased silicon solar modules at 1 per watt-peak manufacturing costs and a strongly improved environmental profile. The project consortium has selected a number of technologies that potentially comply with these aims as well as research that serves as basis for further developments (beyond the project aims). These technologies have been demonstrated in the form of demonstrators, i.e. full-size modules featuring all innovations necessary to comply with the aims. The project has shown that wafer-based multicrystalline-silicon solar modules can be produced at 1 per watt-peak at a world-record efficiency of 16% and an energy pay-back time of less than 2 years in Southern Europe

PV Quality and Economy

The strong growth of the PV sector is accompanied by high cost pressure, accelerated innovation cycles and dynamic deployment, clearly indicating that the quality of PV products and the holistic economy of PV electricity deserve special attention. PV is expected to deliver electricity at low LCOE, Energy Pay-Back Time (EPBT) and Product Environmental Footprint (PEF). This report defines quality as the ability of a product to meet demanding customer expectations while focusing on the impact of quality parameters on monetary, energy and environmental cost