Technology Status - NET Nowak Energie & Technologie AG

issue as production levels increase. Should a bottleneck develop, new
production of feedstocks could be brought on line.
Solar Cell Technology
Manufacturing approaches have diversified recently. A few technologies
have entered the industrial stage while many others are still in the pilot
manufacturing or even laboratory phase. It is likely that different
technologies will continue to co-exist for different applications for some
time. Many varieties of materials are being researched, but they are far from
the manufacturing stage. An early assessment of production processes,
industrial compatibility and costs should be undertaken.
Balance of System
Both grid-connected and stand-alone applications need better BOS
components. A variety of reliable components are available; nevertheless,
the efficiency, lifetime and operation of some components can be further
improved, especially inverters and batteries. Standardisation and quality
assurance are crucial for components as well as for the entire system.
Ultimately, BiPV systems should be treated like almost any other building
construction component.
The Japanese technology development programme has been particularly
successful. Some key elements of this programme are given in Table 17.
Long-term R&D
While cost reduction potential through learning in PV technology, as in other
technologies, should lead to major cost reductions over time, they are
unlikely to lead to cost competitiveness for on-grid power generation. Longterm
R&D needs to focus, therefore, on how to improve solar technologies
with new and more cost effective technologies. The time horizon of this R&D
effort extends well beyond the 2010 limit of this work’s focus.
R&D focused on the long-term is, therefore, of high importance for PV, in
particular for the solar cell. Furthermore, to bring new concept cells and
modules to production, new manufacturing techniques and large investment
is needed. Such developments typically require 5 to 10 years to move from
laboratory research to industrial production. Over the next decade, thin film
technologies are expected to display their potential for cost reduction and
improved performance, and grow to significant shares of the shipped volume.
Novel concepts for PV can be found in some of today’s most promising
scientific fields, including nanotechnology, organic thin films and molecular
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