Large-Scale Fabrication, Learning Curves, and Economics Including Storage - Nanophysics of Solar and Renewable Energy - page 205

Figure 10.4 Production line for CdTe panels in Longmont CO, USA, by firm Abound Solar (http://
Wpww.abound.com/solar-modules/manufacturing). This line is characterized as capable of
65MWp annual capacity.

10.4
Large-Scale Scenario Based on Thin-Film CdTe or CIGS Cells

Our simple analysis to address the full electric power consumption in the United
States includes only solar cells, while in a realistic change to renewable energy there
would likely be important contributions from wind turbines and from solar thermal
plants, also called CSP (concentrated solar power).
(CSP is rapidly being built in the United States. Under construction are the
Ivanpah, CA, power tower, 370MW, Solana, Arizona, parabolic trough 280MWand
6 hmolten salt heat storage, and Crescent Dunes, Nevada, power tower, 110MWwith
10 h storage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_solar_thermal_power_stations).
Announced CSP projects in United States total 7GW. These plants are either similar
to the facility shown in Figure 5.4 or based on parabolic trough re ectors, and require
cooling water for the steam turbine generator. It appears that a 200 - 280MW plant
will require 1500 - 3000 acre-feet of water per year. As we discussed in Chapter 5, the
conversion ef ciency of these plants is generally higher than photovoltaics, with the
possibility of higher ef ciency if turbine temperatures can be increased.)
Our present estimate is based on photovoltaic cell arrays, with no proviso for
energy storage or need for water-cooling on the site. To provide 460 GWon average,
since the sun shines only a fraction of the day, the capacity has to be multiplied by
about 1000/205

¼

4.9, with the implication of a huge amount of grid storage, drawn
upon to provide power at night. Our present analysis is not realistic, but provides an
idea of themagnitudes involved in the PVpart of whatmore realistically will become a
combination of PV and wind power sources.
To supply full U.S. electric power from solar cells, the most reasonable approach
would seem to be via CdTe or CIGS thin- lm cells that have a cost advantage both in