P HOTOVOLTAIC P OWER S YSTEMS P ROGRAMME ANNUAL REPORT 2013 2 COVER PHOTO AND ABOVE: Multicolored transparent photovoltaic façade at the SwissTech Convention Center, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne EPFL, Switzerland. This 300 m2 PV installation is the world’s first multicolored Dye Solar Cell Façade, composed of “Grätzel Cells,” which encompasses a length of 36 meters and a maximum height of 15 meters. Annual production is estimated at 2,000 kWh. PV Installation Planned and Produced by: Solaronix SA, Aubonne, Switzerland; with the support of Romande Energie. Architects: Richter · Dahl Rocha & Associés architectes SA, Lausanne, Switzerland. General Contractor: HRS Real Estate SA, Crissier, Switzerland. Photo: © IEA PVPS / DanielForster.com CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE 3 CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE The IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme IEA PVPS is pleased to present its 2013 annual report. 2013 has been a turning point in many aspects for the global development of photovoltaics: On the one hand, the rapid cost reduction of photovoltaic power systems of the last years has continued throughout the year, but at a slower pace. At the same time market support has become more constrained in a number of countries, namely in Europe. On the other hand, markets in Asia and the USA have continued to grow vigorously. Together with the increasing cost-competitiveness of photovoltaics, the worldwide market has reached a new maximum with close to 38 GW installed in 2013, well above the roughly 30 GW of 2012. Asia has seen a larger market than Europe for the first time. Close to 140 GW of photovoltaic systems were installed worldwide at the end of 2013, enough to cover roughly 1 % of the global electricity supply. Together with this upswing of the market, the photovoltaic industry is seen to grow again, following a painful period of consolidation. As a leading and unique network of expertise, IEA PVPS has the mission to cooperate on a global level in this rapidly evolving technology area. Working on both technical and non-technical issues, IEA PVPS undertakes key collaborative projects related to technology and performance assessment, cost reduction, best practice in various applications, rapid deployment of photovoltaics and key issues such as grid integration and environmental aspects. Providing high-quality information about relevant developments in the photovoltaic sector as well as policy advice to our key stakeholders remain our highest priorities. Due to the increasing recognition of photovoltaics as an important future energy technology, the interest in the work performed within IEA PVPS is constantly expanding. Throughout 2013, IEA PVPS has been in close contact with the IEA Secretariat, thereby contributing to the latest IEA publications. 2013 marked the first year of the 5th 5-year term of IEA PVPS, covering the period of 2013 – 2017. In this new 5-year term, the focus and the activities of the IEA PVPS Programme move closer to market related issues, both technical and non-technical, capitalizing on the many experiences meanwhile available and striving for a further sustainable development and implementation of photovoltaic technology. While continuing to foster the key issues for the deployment of photovoltaics mentioned above, the new term of IEA PVPS is further characterized by an increasing focus on business models, sustainable policy frameworks as well as technical and market related integration of photovoltaics in the electricity system. Interest and outreach for new membership within IEA PVPS continued in 2013. The Copper Alliance has joined IEA PVPS as the 28th member, thereby introducing a new industrial dimension to our membership. I welcome the Copper Alliance as the most recent IEA PVPS member and look forward to a long and fruitful cooperation. The PVPS membership of Thailand will finally materialize in 2014. Contacts have continued with Greece, India, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa as well as with EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute USA) and ECREEE (ECOWAS Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency). IEA PVPS continues to cover the majority of countries active in development, production and installation of photovoltaic power systems. The overall communication efforts were continued through systematic distribution of PVPS products at conferences, workshops and by means of direct mailings. Communication was further supported by the PVPS website www.iea-pvps.org. Moreover, booths and workshops at the industry exhibition of the 28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference in Paris (France), Solar Power International in Chicago, Illinois (USA), as well as the 23rd International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference PVSEC-23 in Taipei (Taiwan), attracted a large number of visitors and provided an excellent forum for dissemination purposes. The detailed outcomes of the different PVPS projects are given in the Task reports of this annual report and all publications can be found at the PVPS website. Several of the more recent IEA PVPS Tasks have produced important new publications. The current status of photovoltaics in the PVPS member countries is described within the country section of this annual report. A number of Executive Committee members have left us during the year, heading for new responsibilities or horizons. I would like to thank them for their strong support and valuable contributions. Following many years of managing successfully our Task 1, Greg Watt from Australia has been succeeded by Gaëtan Masson from Belgium. I would like to thank Greg Watt for his continued efforts and wish Gaëtan Masson success in his new responsibilities. With this, I take the opportunity to thank all Executive Committee members, Operating Agents and Task Experts, for their dedicated efforts and contributions to IEA PVPS. Stefan Nowak Chairman 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chairman’s Message 3 Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme 7 TASK STATUS REPORTS Task 1 - Strategic PV Analysis & Outreach 11 Task 8 - Study on Very Large Scale Photovoltaic Power Generation System 15 Task 9 - Deploying PV Services for Regional Development 18 Task 12 - PV Environmental Health & Safety Activities 21 Task 13 - Performance and Reliability of PV Systems 25 Task 14 - High Penetration PV in Electricity Grids 29 PHOTOVOLTAIC STATUS AND PROSPECTS IN PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES AND ORGANISATIONS AUSTRALIA 35 AUSTRIA 37 BELGIUM 40 CANADA 42 CHINA 44 COPPER ALLIANCE 52 DENMARK 53 EUROPEAN COMMISSION 55 EPIA 59 FRANCE 61 GERMANY 65 ISRAEL 68 ITALY 70 JAPAN 72 KOREA 79 MALAYSIA 81 MEXICO 83 THE NETHERLANDS 84 NORWAY 86 PORTUGAL 89 SPAIN 92 SWEDEN 96 SWITZERLAND 98 TURKEY 103 UNITED KINGDOM 106 UNITED STATES 108 COMPLETED TASKS Task 2 - Performance, Reliability and Analysis of Photovoltaic Systems 111 Task 3 - Use of Photovoltaic Power Systems in Stand-Alone and Island Applications 113 Task 5 - Grid Interconnection of Building Integrated and Other Dispersed Photovoltaic Power Systems 115 Task 6 - Design and Operation of Modular Photovoltaic Plants for Large Scale Power Generation 116 Task 7 - Photovoltaic Power Systems in the Built Environment 117 Task 10 - Urban Scale PV Applications 119 Task 11 - Hybrid Systems within Mini-Grids 121 ANNEXES A - IEA-PVPS Executive Committee Members 123 B - IEA-PVPS Operating Agents 126 6 PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SYSTEMS PROGRAMME 7 PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SYSTEMS PROGRAMME IEA The International Energy Agency (IEA), founded in November 1974, • Assessing and sharing experience on new business approaches is an autonomous body within the framework of the Organization for and business models; Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which carries out a • Providing targeted and objective information on PV energy comprehensive programme of energy cooperation among its member services for successful implementation and high penetration; countries. The European Union also participates in the IEA’s work. • Providing a recognised, high-quality reference network for the Collaboration in research, development and demonstration (RD&D) global development of PV and related matters; of energy technologies has been an important part of the Agency’s • Attracting new participants from non-IEA countries where PV Programme. can play a key role in energy supply. • Carrying out relevant activities of multinational interest; The IEA RD&D activities are headed by the Committee on Research • Specifically, IEA PVPS will carry out collaborative activities and Technology (CERT), supported by the IEA secretariat staff, related to photovoltaics on the topics: Quality and reliability, with headquarters in Paris. In addition, four Working Parties on End environmental aspects, grid integration, urban, hybrid and Use, Renewable Energy, Fossil Fuels and Fusion Power, are charged with very large-scale systems, off-grid energy services, policy and monitoring the various collaborative energy agreements, identifying regulatory frameworks, as well as a broad set of information and new areas of cooperation and advising the CERT on policy matters. communication efforts; The Renewable Energy Working Party (REWP) oversees the work of ten • Finally, where appropriate from an energy system point of renewable energy agreements and is supported by a Renewable Energy view, IEA PVPS will increase the efforts to share its results and Division at the IEA Secretariat in Paris. cooperate with stakeholders from other energy technologies and sectors. IEA PVPS The IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (PVPS) is one of the The overall