Solar PV - World Wide Installation and Generation

Solar Photovoltaics - World Wide Installation and Generation.

During 2007 the total world wide generating capacity of solar photovoltaic panels grew by 62%, approaching 3,000 MW. Almost half of which was located in Germany, a country that has pioneered solar electric generation through beneficial tax rates and feed in tariffs.

During 2007 Spain has added almost 1/4 of world wide solar PV capacity while Japan and the USA have added approximately 8% each.

Total solar photovoltaic capacity at the end of 2007 was in the region of 12,4000MW with approximately 4,000 o fthis being located in Germany.

Manufacture of Solar PV increased to 3,300MW per year during 2007 with additional manufacturing plants being built which will further add to manufacturing capacity and thus in turn generating capacity.

While the price of solar pv remains relatively high, inovative means are being introduced to get the most out of solar panels.

The simplest method is to ensure that the solar panel is optimally pointed ta the sun so that the flat face of the panel forms a tangent to the sun. This can be done using a solar tracking system.

Alternativel by concentrating the sun so that though the panel might be 10% efficient, by focusing or reflecting the suns energy from elsewhere, the relative efficiency can be boosted. This is called CPV or concentrated Photovoltaic, not to be confused with:-

Concentrated Solar Power CSP

This is a term used to define the use of solar energy in generating electricity by focusing the suns heat on a single point and running the system as a steam engine with the electricity being generated by traditional turbines.

The heat generated can be very very high, the system potentially generating far more (latent energy) than might be immediately used for power generation, this heat energy might be stored for later use. The storage medium can be molten salt, water, oil, concrete (like a night storage heater). The stored heat then in turn being used to heat water to steam and generate more power during non sunny periods.

CSP projects

Planned - Abengoa Solar: 280 MW parabolic trough project with 6-hour molten salt storage, designed to supply the late afternoon and evening electric load of the Arizona summer.
World's first CLFR (Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector ) plant to generate 177 MW in California's Central Valley.
53 MW complex of parabolic trough power plants in the Mojave Desert.
400 MW power tower plant in California planned by BrightSource Energy.

Spain has 800 MW online, under construction or planned .

The world's first commercial central receiver (power tower) plant, PS10, at 11 MW is now online near Seville with a further larger version PS20 under construction.
Solar Millennium, Flagsol, Cobra S.A. and Sener S.A. are completing a 50 MW parabolic trough plant called Andasol 1 in Granada. Scheduled to go online iin 2008 it is the first commercial CSP plant with molten salt storage.
Andasol 2 under construction with plansfor Andasol 3 at the same location.
Solar Tres, a central receiver design based on the U.S. demonstration plant of the late 1990's, is reported to be close to obtaining financing, making it the first baseload solar power plant with round the clock power generation during the summer.
A 50 MW parabolic trough plant at Puertollano in southern Castile being built by Iberdrola, with plans for others.