Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
1.4.2 Solar photovoltaics
The IEA in its roadmap to 2050, foresees that solar PV could supply 11% of the
global electricity production (4,500 TWh/year) which would correspond to an in-
stalled capacity of 3,000 GW, helping to prevent some 2.3 Gt
CO
2
per year enter
the atmosphere (IEA, 2010b). As of 2012, PV technology provides 0.1% of the
world's electricity. This low value, given the energy contained in solar radiation, is
a consequence of the high unit price per kWh. It is however expected to reach grid
parity i.e. where the final user cost becomes equivalent to the electricity purchased
from the utility company, at some point between 2015 and 2020 (see Fig. 1.4).
Module
price per m
2
USD
200/m
2
USD
300/m
2
USD
400/m
2
USD
500/m
2
USD
600/m
2
Module
Price (USD
per Wp)
Concentrating
Photovoltaics
Technologies
Under 1%
x
4
Crystalline
Silicon
Technologies
85-90%
x
3
Thin Films
Technologies
10-15%
x
Organic
Solar Cells
Under 1%
x
2
1
0
5%
50 W/m
2
10%
100 W/m
2
15%
150 W/m
2
20%
200 W/m
2
25%
250 W/m
2
Efficiency
Performance
x
percentage share of 2008 market
Fig. 1.4 Prices and e
ciencies of photovoltaic cells.
The high price shown in Fig. 1.4 stems from the hardware used in the sector.
Commercial modules of crystalline silicon photovoltaic wafers, which account for
85-90% of the global market, remain expensive despite the drop in the price of
silicon from
e
450 a kilogram of silicon in 2008 to
e
20 in 2011
15
.
15
According to ASIF: Spanish photovoltaic industry association. See also
http
:
//autoconsumoenergetico.wordpress.com/
2011
/
12
/
. Accessed Aug. 2012.
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