Technology Status - NET Nowak Energie & Technologie AG

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Economy of scale can be relevant for some component sizes. For instance,
inverters cost substantially less on a per kW basis in large sizes than in
small ones. The same is true for modules and batteries although the
difference in cost between large and small components is not as great as with
inverters.
PV technology needs market stimulation to improve products and increase
volume. Opening up markets stimulates private-sector R&D and initiates the
learning process. R&D progress and associated cost reductions will be crucial
to the future of PV.
● Market Opportunities
Market Potential
Theoretically, the potential for photovoltaic applications is tremendous as
sunlight is ubiquitous and areas available for development and applications
abound. Building stock in industrialised countries offers enough suitable
surfaces for PV to generate between 15% and 50% of current electricity
consumption.
Electricity output and costs of PV applications depend primarily on the
amount of sunshine in a given area. Roughly speaking, the ratio of solar
irradiation to electrical output is directly proportional, although other factors
like operating temperature, dirt, reflexivity and share of diffuse light
influence this relationship.
Technology Factors
On the basis of traditional cost-evaluation PV is not competitive, by a factor
of 10 or more, with conventional base load power from the grid. However,
solar electricity is being successfully deployed on the grid. This is both in
areas of expensive conventional peak power and high solar irradiation
(e.g., California) through subsidy support. As a result, the market for
grid-connected PV (e.g., Germany and Japan) rooftop systems is the
fastest-growing of all PV applications.
Building-integrated/decentralised, grid-connected photovoltaic systems
are becoming more common, especially in Europe, Japan and the US. In
these regions, the biggest potential application is rooftop systems on
houses and commercial buildings connected to the local electricity network.
PV for use in building-integrated systems is already manufactured as a
construction material, making the building’s outer surface multifunctional.
SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER X3