P HOTOVOLTAIC P OWER S YSTEMS P ROGRAMME ANNUAL REPORT 2018 2 COVER PHOTO: GREEN ENERGY PARK - A First Model in Africa The Green Energy Park photovoltaic plant, inaugurated by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in January 2017, is a unique model in Africa. The plant, with a total capacity of 250 kW, installed and connected to the grid is composed by different sub-systems with capacities varying between 5 kW and 30 kW. Its outdoor test platforms are designed in collaboration with the Fraunhofer CSP institute, and combine a multitude of test-set-ups, in order to investigate and characterize PV modules in harsh weather conditions and to obtain valuable data about their performances onsite. Located in the Green City of Ben Guerir, it covers the electrical needs of the Green Energy Park platform laboratories. It covers an area of approximately 1,5 ha. The plant, considered as a living laboratory by itself, contributes to R&D projects for the determination and identification of the most suited technologies for local conditions. It also gives the opportunity for national and worldwide PV module producers to test and characterize their photovoltaic technologies in real conditions. The plant is owned and operated by the Green Energy Park platform. KEY POINTS • Installed in self-consumption configuration to cover the R&D platform needs in terms of electricity; • Composed of many types of technologies (crystalline, thin film, CPV, fixed static structures, trackers); • Total area 1,5 ha; • 25 solar string inverters with different capacities are used and distributed for each sub-system; • Test of photovoltaic technologies at module level to identify the degradation mechanisms occurring on the different components of the PV modules in real conditions; • Test of photovoltaic technologies at string level to characterize their behavior in terms of power ratio and degradation mechanisms on the different component of PV plants in real local conditions. The Green Energy Park is the unique model of its kind in Africa, which allows, on the one hand, the creation of synergies and the mutualization of infrastructures of several Moroccan research institutions in order to create a critical mass and achieve excellence; and on the other hand, the acquisition of knowledge and know-how by the various partner universities as well as Moroccan industries. A multitude of advanced equipment and high technology lets it cover the entire value chain of research and helps to make Morocco a leading country in the field of solar energy. Credits: Cover photo and above, courtesy of IRESEN CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE 3 CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE The Photovoltaic Power Systems Technology Collaboration Programme, the IEA PVPS TCP, under the auspices of the International Energy Agency, is pleased to provide its 2018 annual report to you. This report provides you with the latest results from our global collaborative work as well as developments in PV research and technology, applications and markets in our growing number of member countries and organizations worldwide. 2018 has confirmed the strong development of the global photovoltaic (PV) market of previous years and the continuous increase in competitiveness of solar photovoltaic power systems whereby PV is rapidly entering the energy world in many of our member countries. Achieving levelized costs of electricity from PV as low as under 2 USDcents/kWh, establishing Gigawatt (GW) scale markets in an increasing number of countries around the world and a continuous evolution of the market framework set the scene for our global collaborative efforts. Similar to 2017, our market analysis for 2018 estimates close to 100 GW installed worldwide, raising the cumulative installed capacity to above 500 GW respectively half a Terawatt (TW). China, India, the USA and Japan represented the largest markets in 2018, accounting for more than 70 % of the additional installed capacity in these four countries alone. 32 countries had at least 1 GW of cumulative PV systems capacity at the end of 2018 and 10 countries installed at least 1 GW in 2018. Meanwhile, in 29 countries, PV contributes with 2 % or more to the annual electricity supply. In 2018, PV has contributed to roughly 2,5 % of the world’s electricity generation. These dynamic market developments, progress in PV technology and industry and a rapidly changing overall framework form the basis for the activities of the IEA PVPS Programme. In 2018, the IEA PVPS TCP started implementing its new strategy for the term 2018 – 2023, focussing on the integration of PV in the energy system as a whole. Indeed, as PV is increasingly becoming a part of the energy system, integration at all levels becomes a key strategic matter. Keeping our overall mission to foster global cooperation and working on both technical and non-technical issues, IEA PVPS widens its scope, both in content and in cooperation with other organizations. Our key collaborative projects are related to environmental assessment of PV, reliability and performance investigations, cost reduction, grid and building integration, best practice in various applications, as well as the rapid deployment of photovoltaics. Anticipating future needs, IEA PVPS also addresses recent policy and market issues, new business models, sustainable policy frameworks, as well as technical and market related integration of photovoltaics in the electricity and energy system at large. During 2018, IEA PVPS started working on its new collaborative project Task 17 on PV and Transport, thereby marking the trend of PV entering an even broader range of applications. As PV matures with a growing number of stakeholders and organizations, providing well targeted, 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 and the outreach of our efforts becomes more and more relevant. Besides fostering an increased cooperation within the IEA technology network, stronger ties are being built with organizations such as IRENA and the IEC, as well as with the utility sector. Interest and outreach for new membership within IEA PVPS continued in 2018. With Morocco becoming a PVPS member in 2018, IEA PVPS confirms its global expansion across all five continents. At the end of 2018, IEA PVPS had 32 members and is one of the largest IEA technology collaboration programmes (TCPs). Exploration for membership continues with India, New Zealand, Singapore and ECREEE (ECOWAS Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency). IEA PVPS maintains its coverage of the majority of countries active in development, production and installation of photovoltaic power systems. 85 % of the global installed PV capacity is in IEA PVPS member countries. The detailed results of the different PVPS projects are presented in the Task reports of this annual report and all publications can be found at the PVPS website (www.iea-pvps.org). Learn about the current status of photovoltaics in all PVPS member countries described within the country section of this annual report. Our work would not be possible without a committed community of experts and colleagues. I therefore wish to thank all Executive Committee members, Colleagues in the PVPS Management Board, Operating Agents and Task Experts, for their ongoing and dedicated efforts for a unique and truly global cooperation! 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 9 Task 12 – PV Sustainability 13 Task 13 – Performance, Operation and Reliability of PV Systems 17 Task 14 – Solar PV in a Future 100 % RES Based Power System 23 Task 15 – Enabling Framework for the Acceleration of BIPV 28 Task 16 – Solar Resource for High Penetration and Large Scale Applications 34 Task 17 – PV and Transport 40 PHOTOVOLTAIC STATUS AND PROSPECTS IN PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES AND ORGANISATIONS AUSTRALIA 42 AUSTRIA 44 BELGIUM 47 CANADA 49 CHILE 51 CHINA 54 COPPER ALLIANCE 58 DENMARK 59 EUROPEAN COMMISSION 61 FINLAND 63 FRANCE 64 GERMANY 68 ISRAEL 72 ITALY 75 JAPAN 78 KOREA 84 MALAYSIA 87 MOROCCO 89 THE NETHERLANDS 91 NORWAY 93 PORTUGAL 95 SOLARPOWER EUROPE 98 SOUTH AFRICA 100 SPAIN 103 SWEDEN 106 SWITZERLAND 109 THAILAND 113 TURKEY 115 UNITED STATES 119 COMPLETED TASKS 122 ANNEXES A – IEA-PVPS Executive Committee Members 124 B – IEA-PVPS Operating Agents 127 6 PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SYSTEMS PROGRAMME 7 PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SYSTEMS PROGRAMME IEA The International Energy Agency (IEA), founded in November 1974, addition of its most current PVPS TCP members, it embraces all is an autonomous body within the framework of the Organization for continents and subcontinents; Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which carries out a • to provide a global network of expertise for information comprehensive programme of energy cooperation among its member exchange and analysis concerning the most relevant technical countries. The European Union also participates in the IEA’s work. and non-technical issues towards sustainable large-scale Collaboration in research, development and demonstration (RD&D) deployment of PV; of energy technologies has been an important part of the IEA’s • to act as an impartial and reliable source of information for Programme. PV experts and non-experts concerning worldwide