Research and development — accelerating large-scale solar growth in Australia Nick Morley, First Solar Project Engineer for Asia Pacific
As part of an accelerating trend in sustainable development, the world now adds more renewable energy capacity than fossil fuel generation annually. With solar photovoltaics (PV) solutions leading the charge, the primary drivers of this transformation have been positive policy conditions in key markets and dramatic reductions in the installed cost per unit energy of PV technologies.
I
n Australia, successful solar
expectations across the industry.
the same amount of nominal power. Collec-
PV project deployment,
First Solar invests approximately US$130
tively, module efficiency and energy yield can
supported by co-investment
million annually in R&D, which has resulted
be considered as energy density, essentially
from the Australian Re-
in recent advancements of cadmium telluride
the energy generated per unit area, which is
newable Energy Agency
(CdTe) module technology. Through constant
a crucial performance metric for comparing
(ARENA) and state govern-
development, mass production line efficiency
the cost-competitiveness of PV technologies.
ments, has contributed to radical declines in
has reached nearly 17%, and CdTe laboratory
This is of particular importance to First Solar
the cost per MWh of large-scale solar. As a
cells — which achieved a record efficiency
thin-film modules in Australia where higher
result, we are approaching cost levels seen in
of 22.1% in February this year — are rap-
temperatures across the country result in
mature markets around the world — despite
idly surpassing silicon at significantly lower
additional energy from the improved module
the first large-scale solar PV project being
manufacturing costs, unlocking unrecognised
temperature coefficient, and regions with higher
built in Australia just four years ago.
potential for the solar industry.
humidity produce a relative energy gain due
Although many factors influence the lev-
Higher module efficiencies — provided
elised cost of electricity (LCOE) for solar PV
they are achieved without impacting cost and
— including PV modules, balance-of-system
reliability — are a powerful tool for increasing
Reducing risk
(BOS), development, financing and operating
the cost-competitiveness of large-scale solar
Looking beyond module efficiency and BOS
costs — research and development (R&D) is
because they also reduce balance of system
costs, another cost component to consider
the key fuel feeding a virtuous circle of in-
(BOS) costs by allowing more nominal power
is debt and equity financing, which can be as
novations that continue to reduce the cost of
of PV to be installed in the same area. The
much as one-third of the total system costs.
large-scale solar and increase its impact on
recent commercialisation of PERC (Passivated
In determining the cost of financing, lenders
Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET).
Emitter Rear Contact) technology is also driving
and investors will take into account the various
efficiency improvements in crystalline silicon
factors which pose a risk to their returns —
Increasing efficiencies
cells, which will ensure healthy competition
again, R&D plays a key role in reducing costs
R&D provides opportunities for technological
and lower overall costs for large-scale solar.
by helping to reduce and quantify risk.
advancement that help maintain momentum
Similarly, continued investment into re-
Demonstrations of PV module reliability
for large-scale solar around the world. In
search that improves module energy yield,
both through long-term field performance as
recent years, higher module efficiencies and
which determines how a module performs in
well as accelerated stress tests, combined
declining manufacturing costs have been at the
the varying climates in which it is installed,
with improvements in the accuracy of energy
forefront of these advancements, surpassing
will allow more energy to be generated from
prediction analysis, will help a project to attract
12 Sustainability Matters - Oct/Nov 2016
to changes in the solar spectrum.
www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au