Stability and Performance of Photovoltaics (STAPP)

Completed

Renewable Energy Sources(Solar Energy, Photovoltaics)

Basic and strategic applied research

SOCIAL SCIENCES (Economics and Econometrics)
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Other sociological economical and environmental impact of energy)

Dr R Gottschalg
Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Loughborough University

Standard

EPSRC

04 January 2011

03 January 2015

48 months

£2,417,460

Energy

East Midlands

Energy : Energy

Dr R Gottschalg, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University

Dr IA Ashcroft, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham
Dr B Chaudhuri, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London
Dr I Forbes, Sch of Engineering & Technology, Northumbria University
Professor D G Infield, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde
Dr B Pal, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London
Professor NM Pearsall, School of Computing, Engineering & Information Sciences, Northumbria University
Dr G Putrus, Sch of Engineering & Technology, Northumbria University
Dr PD Ruiz, Sch of Mechanical and Manufacturing Eng, Loughborough University
Dr M Thomson, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University
Dr RD Wildman, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham

Dr TR Betts, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University

Project Contact, Lanco Solar, India
Project Contact, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, India
Project Contact, IT Power Ltd
Project Contact, Solar Century Global Community Trust
Project Contact, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Project Contact, West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation, India
Project Contact, New and Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC)
Project Contact, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
Project Contact, IPSOL Test Limited
Project Contact, BHER-ASSCP, India
Project Contact, Institute for Energy and Transport (IET), Joint Research Centre (JRC), Petten, The Netherlands
Project Contact, Shurjo Energy, India
Project Contact, PerkinElmer LAS (UK) Ltd
Project Contact, Astonfield, India
Project Contact, Solar Semiconductor Pvt. Ltd, India
Project Contact, HHV Solar, India
Project Contact, Reliance Solar, India
Project Contact, Leapfrog
Project Contact, Tata

Definition of the performance of photovoltaics is normally reduced to the efficiency alone. However, this number contains no indication of key issues such as system component reliability, module stability or appropriate balance of system design -- all of which play a crucial role in determining the performance in terms of usability. The key indicator is the levelised cost of energy (LCOE). The main influences on this, and thus the viability of photovoltaic technologies, are not only in material science but also in the way systems behave in the long term, and the uncertainty in predicting their behaviour. The link between laboratory-based materials science and the LCOE is poorly understood, revealing gaps in scientific knowledge which will be filled by this project. The key outcome is improved understanding of the potential for deploying photovoltaics in different climatic zones.The biggest unknowns in the LCOE are: understanding of the stability and long-term performance of photovoltaic modules; how a holistic system performance can be described; and the uncertainty in life-time energy yield prediction. This is crucial, especially for newer thin film technologies, which have been shown to be more variable in degradation and often suffer inappropriate balance of system components. Close collaboration with manufacturers of thin film as well as crystalline silicon devices will ensure that these aspects are appropriately covered. Novel measurement and modelling approaches for the prediction of life-time energy yield of the modules will be developed and validated against realistic data in collected in different climatic zones. This will result in the development of accelerated test procedures. Uncertainty calculations will enable identification and minimisation of this, and thus reduce the LCOE. A holistic systems approach is taken, specifically looking at the effects of different inverters in different climates and the effects of the existing network infrastructure on energy performance.At the heart of this project is the development of models and their validation, all focused on predicting the lifetime energy yield. A measurement campaign will be undertaken using novel techniques to better monitor the long-term behaviour of modules. Detailed, spatially-resolved techniques will be developed and linked to finite element-based models. This then allows the development of improved accelerated tests to be linked to real environments. These models will be validated against modules measured in a variety of realistic deployments. Using a geographical information system, maps of environmental strains and expected degradation rates per year for the different technologies will be developed.The feedback from the grid is an often underestimated effect on photovoltaic system performance. Typically, the grid and power conditioning cause 5-10% losses in otherwise appropriately installed systems; in unfortunate cases this can rise to 60%. The underlying reasons need to be better understood, so specific models for the interaction with the grid and different control strategies will be developed with the overall aim to minimise these loss effects.This project will be crucial for both the UK and India to translate their ambitious installation plans into reality as it will deliver the tools required to plan the viability of installations via geographical information systems, underpinned by a robust science base. This will aid decisions on the use of appropriate photovoltaic technology for a given site, to include both the modules themselves and other system components, to maximise cost-effectiveness and reliability

03/11/10