pakistan solar association newsletter dec 2014 -...

Pakistan Solar Association Newsletter Dec 2014 - Jan 2015

Page No. 1

INDEX:

PSA INSIDE:

Executive Committee Meetings (Page No. 2-5)

Press Conference (Page No. 6-8)

NATIONAL:

Solar energy to be brought in to national

power grid (Page No. 9)

First-ever solar institute set up in Lahore (Page No. 10)

BS, MS energy programmes to promote

renewable energy lauded (Page No. 10)

REGIONAL:

India gets $4 billion solar energy promise (Page No. 11)

Ban Ki-moon backs Modi’s solar vision for India

(Page No. 12)

GLOBAL:

IHS: Top 10 predictions for global PV market in 2015 (Page No. 13-15)

Solar took half of all renewables investment in 2014, says BNEF (Page No. 16)

Analyst: Oil's impact on solar 'only superficial or derivative' (Page No. 17)

Deutsche Bank predicts growing solar margins in 2015, despite oil price (Page No. 18-19)

New world record for solar cell efficiency at 46% (Page No. 20-21)

Executive Committee:

Engr. Faiz M Bhutta, Chairman Mr. Nauman Khan, Vice Chairman Mr. Usman Ahmad, Vice Chairman Mr. Waleed Elahi, Vice Chairman Mian Sultan Mahmood, Member Mr. Muhammad Rizwan, Member Mr. Khurram Jan Ch., Member Engr. Muhammad Ishaq Bhatti, Member Lt. Col. (R) Ahmad Fawad Farooq, Member Mr. Haseeb Saadat, Member Mr. Muhammad Farhan, Member Mr. Gulsher Khan, Member Mr. Inam Ur Rehman, Member

Mian Ahmad Irfan, Patron


Page No. 2

Participants: Mian Ahmad Irfan, Patron, Engr. Faiz M Bhutta, Chairman, Mr. Nauman khan, Vice Chairman, Mr. Waleed Elahi, Vice Chairman, Mr. Khurram Jan Ch. Member, Lt. Col. (R) Ahmad Fawad Farooq, Member, Engr. Muhammad Ishaq Bhatti, Member, Mr. Muhammad Rizwan, Member, Mr. M Farhan, Member, Mr. Saadat Saeed, representing Mr. Haseeb Saadat, Member, Mr. Khuzaima Aslam, representing Mian Sultan Mahmood, Member

PSA INSIDE Executive Committee Meeting, held on Dec 20, 2014


Page No. 3

Participants: Engr. Faiz M Bhutta, Chairman, Mr. Nauman khan, Vice Chairman, , Lt. Col. (R) Ahmad Fawad Farooq, Member, Mr. Andy Gao, Mr. Ibrar Khattak, Mr. Ali Zeeshan, Mr. Karrar Ali, Mr. Shafiq-ul- Rehman

PSA INSIDE

A meeting with International Finance Corporation (IFC), held on Jan 17, 2015


Page No. 4

Media Coverage: International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank group, offers

collaboration on ‘Lighting Pakistan’ project to Pakistan solar Association member companies.

PSA INSIDE

Lighting Pakistan:

On Jan 17, 2015, the project coordinator, IFC,

Mr. Ibrar Khattak visited PSA secretariat at

Lahore and held meeting with chairman, vice

chairman and member executive committee,

Engr. Faiz M Bhutta, Mr. Nauman Khan and

Lt. Col. (R) Ahmad Fawad Farooq,

respectively.

Mr. Khattak shared with PSA that after their

successful operations in Africa, South

America, India and Bangladesh, it is now

Pakistan where they are launching ‘Lighting

Pakistan’ (LP) project based on solar.

Through this project they plan to target off the

grid population which is having no access to

electricity.

IFC’s ‘Lighting Pakistan’ project will be

undertaken in collaboration with commercial

micro finance banks for financing the products

from solar lantern to solar home solutions.

The Solar based lighting products will be

affordable to the poor people of Pakistan.

Mr. Ibrar Khattak assured to support PSA in

the promoting Solar, in Pakistan.

PSA assured its cooperation for the

collaboration after consultation with its

members.

Mr. Andy Gao also accompanied Mr. Ibrar

Khattak, in the meeting.


Page No. 5

PSA INSIDE Media Coverage: International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank group, offers

collaboration on ‘Lighting Pakistan’ project to Pakistan solar Association member companies.


Page No. 6

PSA INSIDE Press Conference held on Dec 22, 2014


Page No. 7

PSA INSIDE Media Coverage: Press Conference held on Dec 22, 2014


Page No. 8

PSA INSIDE

Media Coverage: Press Conference held on Dec 22, 2014


Page No. 9

NATIONAL


Page No. 10

NATIONAL

Thursday, January 22, 2015

First-ever solar institute set up in Lahore

LAHORE: The first solar institute of the

country has been established by the private

sector which will produce solar specialists

besides provision of research, services and

consultancy on solar technology.

Director Solar Institute Engineer Faiz

Muhammad Bhutta told APP on Monday that

a solar lab and workshop equipped with

modern technologies had also been

established in the institute for training.

Students were being trained about the latest

demands of the modern era by experts of

University of Engineering and Technology in

the institute, he added.

He said it had become the need of hour to

constitute such institutes on public and

private level to provide solar education and

training to meet the necessities of the

increasing demand of solar energy.

Bhutta said that three day, five day, one

month and six months courses had been

introduced in the institute in which training

in the sectors of solar installation, operation,

maintenance, design, solar cells, business

program, engineering and solar standards

were being provided.

Monday, January 26, 2015

BS, MS energy programmes to promote renewable energy lauded LAHORE: Solar Institute Lahore Director Engineer Faiz Muhammad Bhutta has appreciated the decision of Higher Education Commission to initiate BS and MS Energy System engineering programmes in various universities for promoting renewable energy sector in the country. Talking to APP here on Sunday, he said the country was facing energy crisis and lack of education and awareness about solar system was a major hurdle in expansion of solar system which could resolve energy crisis. He said that launching of BS and MS Energy System programmes in universities would help in promoting solar renewable energy sector in the country. The director said that first solar institute has been set up in the provincial capital by the private sector in which solar training programmes have been started to develop expert human resource about solar energy. He said that it was the first private institute in the country which was providing research and training services. He said that people from industry, commercial and government could get training from the institute and can bring revolution in field of solar design and products after getting certificates. He said that Skill Development Fund has played effective role in developing expert human resource while Solar Institute was also cooperating with Skill Development Fund.


Page No. 11

REGIONAL

India gets $4 billion solar energy promise

U.S. secretary of state praises country's renewable

energy commitments.

By Daniel J. Graeber | Jan. 12, 2015 at 9:39 AM

AHMEDABAD, India, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- With New Delhi

praised for its renewable energy role, Indian

conglomerate Adani Enterprises said it signed a $4

billion solar agreement with a U.S. company.

Adani signed a memorandum of understanding

with solar energy services company SunEdison to

produce enough solar panels to develop a

sustainable green power sector in India.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of an

Indian investment conference, attended by U.S.

Secretary of State John Kerry. From auto giant Ford

Motor Co., to companies like SunEdison, the

Secretary of state there were billions of dollars

worth of new investments targeting the vibrant

economy in India.

Clean energy, Kerry said, "offers an enormous

amount of economic opportunity to all of our people,

both of our countries."

Both sides expect about 4,500 direct and 15,000

indirect jobs will be created at the facility.

Construction should take about four years.

"India has embarked on an ambitious program

to become a world leader in power generation

from renewable technologies, and sees solar as

a key part in realizing that goal," Vneet S Jaain,

chief executive officer of subsidiary Adani Power

Ltd., said in a statement Saturday.

Adani and SunEdisn under the terms of the

agreement pledged to create a vertically integrated

solar manufacturing facility in India, which will be

the largest facility of its kind in the country.

"By pairing SunEdison's solar technology expertise

with Adani's extensive experience and exposure in

creation of infrastructure, we will be able to

transform the region into a solar production

powerhouse," Ahmad Chatila, president and CEO of

SunEdison Inc., said.

http://www.upi.com/author/Daniel-J-Graeber/

http://www.upi.com/author/Daniel-J-Graeber/

http://www.adani.com/adpressreleases/91/1/2015

http://www.upi.com/topic/John_Kerry/

http://www.upi.com/topic/Ford_Motor/

http://www.upi.com/topic/Ford_Motor/

http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2015/01/235783.htm

http://twitter.com/dan_graeber


Page No. 12

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has praised

India’s push for solar energy calling it “an historic

opportunity”.

Speaking at the inauguration of a 10MW canal top

project in Gujarat on Sunday, Ban praised the

multiple benefits of solar.

He also praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra

Modi’s ambitious plans to install 100GW of solar

across the country by 2022.

“I commend Prime Minister Modi for his commitment to

dramatically scale up renewable energy. I applaud his

pledge to light every household in India with a solar

lightbulb. This is the kind of bold leadership the world

needs to reap the benefits of the clean energy

revolution”.

“I count on all partners to continue to support our

common goals. Engage actively. Make commitments.

Invest your resources and take action. Together, we can

create a safer, more prosperous world for all.”

Ban also welcomed India’s role in his Sustainable Energy

for All initiative that seeks to provide universal access to

electricity by 2030 as well a doubling of energy efficiency

and double the proportion of renewable in the global

energy mix by the same deadline.

Ban Ki-moon backs Modi’s solar vision for India

“Solar power protects the environment. It

creates development. It helps us conserve land.

And it promotes health and prosperity. More

solar power means less pollution. And that will

lead to cleaner air and healthier lives,” he said.

“We have an historic opportunity to transform

our societies. This project shows us how."

.

REGIONAL

http://www.pv-tech.org/news/indian_government_maps_out_solar_parks_as_it_chases_100gw_ambition

http://www.pv-tech.org/news/indian_government_maps_out_solar_parks_as_it_chases_100gw_ambition


Page No. 13

GLOBAL IHS: Top 10 predictions for global PV market in 2015 08. JANUARY 2015 | BY: EDGAR MEZA

Among the market research firm's forecasts for the

coming year: California will become global leader in

solar power penetration. By the end of 2015,

California -- the largest renewable power market in

the United States -- will attain worldwide leadership

in market share of annual PV power generation.

Market research firm IHS forecasts that global PV

demand will rise 25% this year while installation

demand will grow at double-digit rates as

installations reach approximately 55 GW.

IHS also predicts that distributed PV (DPV) in

China will fall behind expectations but nevertheless

continue to grow.

The firm points out that while 2014 remained a

challenging time for the PV industry, “it marked an

inflection point in the market’s development.”

According to a new IHS white paper, solar PV demand

grew at a double-digit pace, largely due to policies in

China and Japan; conditions remained extremely

tough for suppliers, however.

“Through mergers, acquisitions and bankruptcies, the

supplier base consolidated further, as companies

struggled with debt-laden balance sheets and a rapid

shift in their customer base away from their

traditional markets,” said Ash Sharma, senior research

director for solar at IHS. “All signs point to a

strengthening recovery of the solar industry in 2015,

even if the recovery itself remains incredibly fragile.”

Following are the top 10 predictions for 2015 from

the IHS solar research team:

1. Global solar PV demand is forecast to grow by up to

25% in 2015. Due to ongoing cost reductions for solar

PV, IHS forecasts that installation demand will grow at

a double-digit rate of 16 to 25% and installations in

the range of 53 to 57 GW. Geographically, the largest

markets again will be China, Japan and the United

States, while the largest contributors in terms of

absolute growth will be China, the United States and

India.

Cont’d…

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/china-reveals-details-of-distributed-generation-policy_100016344/#axzz3NnnH7fTN

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/china-reveals-details-of-distributed-generation-policy_100016344/#axzz3NnnH7fTN

http://www.pv-magazine.com/fileadmin/PVI_website_pictures/US_California_26_MW_photovoltaic__Borrego_I_Solar_Generating_Station_Image_Business_Wire.jpg


Page No. 14

GLOBAL IHS: Top 10 predictions for global PV market in 2015

2. Concentrated photovoltaic solar (CPV) will

experience accelerated growth. Starting in 2015, IHS

forecasts an accelerated CPV market expansion of

37%, reaching some 250 MW of new installations.

Installations of both high-concentration photovoltaic

(HCPV) and low-concentration photovoltaic (LCPV)

systems will expand at double-digit percentages every

year through 2020.

3. Distributed PV (DPV) in China will fall behind

expectations but continue to grow. With challenges

ahead for China’s ambitious plans for DPV, IHS

forecasts the country will struggle to achieve it

aggressive targets. Even so, IHS says the market is

clearly beginning to build momentum, and policies

and business models are helping to accelerate

growth. IHS forecasts that DPV installations in China

will reach 4.7 GW in 2015, an increase of nearly 20%

from 2014.

4. Grid-connected PV energy storage installations to

triple. The PV power system is evolving away from the

traditional and relatively simple system of one-

directional flow -- from large-scale conventional

Generators through transmission and distribution

lines to consumers, to an increasingly complex mix of

small, distributed generators and consumers at all

points in the electricity grid. Annual installations of

grid-connected PV systems, paired with energy

storage, will grow more than threefold, to reach 775

MW in 2015.

5. Emerging markets mature – Chile will follow South

Africa to reach 1 GW of installed PV capacity. IHS

forecasts that Chile will be the next emerging market,

after South Africa, to reach the milestone of 1 GW in

installed PV solar capacity. Aside from Chile, other

new emerging markets poised for rapid growth in

2015 are Jordan, the Philippines and Honduras.

Conversely, great uncertainty still surrounds Mexico,

Brazil and Turkey.

6. Monocrystalline technology to increase market

share. Although monocrystalline technology will not

threaten multicrystalline domination in the near

future, IHS expects it will steadily gain share,

benefiting from growth on rooftop installations, as

well as increasing demand for higher-efficiency

products. IHS forecasts the monocrystalline share of

Cont’d…

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/global-cpv-capacity-expected-to-reach-1-gw-by-2020_100014547/#axzz3NnnH7fTN

http://www.pv-magazine.com/?id=518#axzz3NnnH7fTN

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/chile-reaches-873-mw-ac-of-solar-under-construction_100017617/#axzz3NnnH7fTN

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/chile-reaches-873-mw-ac-of-solar-under-construction_100017617/#axzz3NnnH7fTN


Page No. 15

GLOBAL

Global cell production will increase to 27% in 2015, up

from 24% in 2014.

7. Systems up to 100 kW to account for 30% of global

installations. There is potential in store for DPV in both

established and emerging markets around the world. IHS

forecasts DPV systems -- i.e., those sized 100 kW or

smaller -- to account for 30% of global installations in

2015, with 15.7 GW projected, up from 13.2 GW in

2014. The largest market for these installations in 2015

will be Japan, with DPV accounting for nearly 70% of

installations. The U.S. is also expected to install more

than 2.2 GW of DPV in 2015, as net-metering and third-

party ownership models continue to drive the market.

8. IHS expects a second-quarter halt to U.K. utility-scale

PV to trigger a new wave of consolidation among

European Engineering, Procurement and Construction

(EPC) contractors. The clock is running down for

integrators of large-sized solar systems in Europe, with

the expiration of a U.K. incentive program bringing an

end to a boom in utility-scale installations and triggering

a flurry of consolidation. The U.K. will dominate the

utility-scale PV landscape In Europe this year by

installing 1.4 GW of ground-mount systems, primarily

Under the renewable obligation certificates (ROC)

scheme, IHS says.

9. Three-phase string inverters to account for one-third of

global solar inverter revenue. Driven by attractive prices in

key PV markets, global revenue for three-phase string

inverters is forecast in 2015, to reach more than $2.2

billion, equivalent to one-third of worldwide revenue for

the overall market for inverters. Estimated shipments next

year of three-phase string inverters will exceed 15 GW, up

31% from 2014. A surge is expected in important markets

like China and Japan, whose combined shipments will

account for 7.6 GW of the total.

10. California in 2015 will become global leader in solar

power penetration. IHS expects that by the end of 2015,

California -- the largest renewable power market in the

United States -- will attain worldwide leadership in market

share of annual power generation received from solar PV.

Following another year of strong utility-scale and DPV

additions, solar power is expected to provide more than

10% of California’s annual power generation in 2015. This

penetration level would push California above other

leading global solar markets, such as Germany and Italy, in

terms of the share of total power generation sourced

from solar PV.

IHS: Top 10 predictions for global PV market in 2015

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/ten-key-questions-on-the-future-of-the-uk-solar-industry_100015633/#axzz3NnnH7fTN

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/renewable-energy-records-set-in-california-and-texas_100015571/#axzz3NnnH7fTN


Page No. 16

GLOBAL Solar took half of all renewables investment in 2014, says BNEF

SunEdison's TerraForm Power IPO raised more than US$550 million. Source: SunEdison.

Solar energy took almost half of all renewable energy

investment in 2014, according to the latest figures

from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).

Investment in all renewables grew 16% in 2014 to

US$310 billion. It is the first annual increase for three

years but falls short of 2011’s peak of US$317.5 billion.

The figures include venture capital, private equity,

public financing and research investment.

Asset finance for project development made up

US$170.7 billion of this year’s total.

Investment in the solar industry as a whole was

US$149.6 billion, a 25% increase on 2013.

“Throughout last year, we were predicting that global

investment would bounce back at least 10% in 2014,

but these figures have exceeded our expectations,”

said Michael Liebreich, chairman of the advisory board

at BNEF. “Solar was the biggest single contributor,

thanks to the huge improvements in its cost-

competitiveness over the last five years,” he added.

“Our answer is that 2014 was too early to see any

noticeable effect on investment, and anyway the

impact of cheaper crude will be felt much more in

road transport than in electricity generation,” said

Liebreich.

Yield cos drove a 52% increase in public market

financing. The publicly trade project holding

companies raised US$3.9 billion in 2014 with the US

and UK leading the way.

“Healthy investment in clean energy may surprise

some commentators, who have been predicting

trouble for renewables as a result of the oil price

collapse since last summer”.

Geographically, a number of countries showed large

gains compared to 2013. China was up 32% to

US$89.5 billion, a national record. Japan was up 12%

to US$41.3 billion. Europe by comparison was

stagnant with 1% growth to US$66 billion.


Page No. 17

GLOBAL Analyst: Oil's impact on solar 'only superficial or derivative' 09. JANUARY 2015 | BY: GARRETT HERRING

With oil prices in free-fall since summer, some financial

analysts are drawing attention to a corresponding

negative impact on the solar sector. They note, for

example, that solar-focused exchange-traded funds

such as Guggenheim Solar ETF and Market Vectors

Solar Energy ETF have fallen almost in concert with

petroleum prices.

But in a research, Pavel Molchanov, a senior analyst at

Raymond James Financial, said that nearly the entire

solar sector has “only a superficial or derivative

connection to oil prices.”

This is because diesel and other petroleum-based fuels

make up only 5% of global electricity supply, according

to the International Energy Agency. In many key

markets, such as the United States, oil makes up only

about 1% of power generation.

“There are certain geographies where power prices can

be influenced by oil prices, but the relevance for solar

stocks is overwhelmingly sentiment-based rather than

fundamental,” wrote Molchanov.

“When thinking about markets where solar demand

could be at all susceptible to oil price changes, even if it

is just theoretically, these are the only ones that

matter.”

Raymond James expects oil prices to rebound toward

the end of 2015. “In addition to directly helping those

clean tech companies that have a close connection to

petroleum, there may be some sentiment boost for

clean tech as a whole,” wrote Molchanov, adding,

however, “most importantly, it again bears repeating

that clean tech simply does not lend itself to making

broad calls.”

James' remarks echo those of Deutsche Bank, which

made a detailed argument why a correlation between

the solar industry and oil prices should not be made in

its 2015 solar market outlook yesterday.

According to Carlos Newall, an equity research

associate at Raymond James, “Less than 20% of global

PV installations have even a tenuous connection to oil

prices.” Markets that do have a material relevance

include Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia and Iran,

he said in an email.

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/is-the-oil-price-slump-a-boon-for-solar_100017395/#axzz3NnnH7fTN


http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/solar-investment-twice-as-effective-as-oil-in-evs_100016498/#axzz3NnnH7fTN



http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/deutsche-bank-predicts-growing-solar-margins-in-2015--despite-oil-price_100017716/#axzz3NnnH7fTN

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/deutsche-bank-predicts-growing-solar-margins-in-2015--despite-oil-price_100017716/#axzz3NnnH7fTN


Page No. 18

GLOBAL Deutsche Bank predicts growing solar margins in 2015, despite oil price 08. JANUARY 2015 | BY: JONATHAN GIFFORD

In its 2015 outlook for investors, Deutsche Bank

predicts a year of growing margins and stable supply

and demand dynamics for the year. Diverse demand

drivers in the U.S. will be a key highlight, while project

financing and permitting progress in China balances

potential weakness in Japan.

Deutsche Bank analysis has tended to be bullish on

solar and its 2015 solar outlook, delivered today, did

not stray from this song sheet. In a key message for

investors, Deutsche said that reductions of oil prices

would have little to no material impact on solar

demand.

“We expect a balanced supply demand outlook as

strong demand from the U.S. and improving demand

from China/other emerging solar markets offsets any

potential demand weakness in the UK/Japan,” writes

Deutsche Bank solar analyst Vishal Shah. Shah noted

that solar's share of the electricity generation mix

continues to grow.

The U.S. market was identified by Deutsche as

representing a bright spot, with the growing rooftop

market described as being “the key highlight.”

Cont’d…

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/deutsche-bank--sustainable-solar-market-expected-in-2014_100010338/#axzz3NnnH7fTN

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/deutsche-bank--sustainable-solar-market-expected-in-2014_100010338/#axzz3NnnH7fTN

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/deutsche-bank--momentum-continues-in-us-solar-market_100016917/#axzz3NnnH7fTN


Page No. 19

GLOBAL Deutsche Bank predicts growing solar margins in 2015, despite oil price

Deutsche noted positively, “utilities will also start

competing in the [downstream] solar market [in 2015].”

Financial innovation, in the form of yieldcos, was

highlighted by Deutsche as an important theme, with the

analysis concluding that the firms that have already built

experience in yieldcos have first mover advantage. The

investment house expects companies to begin launching

yieldcos of international solar assets in 2015.

While falling oil prices have lead to a weakening in solar

stocks in recent weeks, Deutsche noted that this

presented investors with, “an attractive entry point for

investors.”

The full analysis presented detailed figures as to

why oil prices should have little to no correlation

to solar stocks.

“Oil represents only about 5% of global electricity

production and in some of the important solar

markets such as the U.S. and China, oil based

electricity generation is less than 5% of the total,”

the Deutsche Bank analysis noted. “Moreover,

the fuel cost of oil based electricity generation

even at US$50 oil prices is in the 7-9c/kWh range

and as shown in the note, the marginal electricity

cost is higher than solar in many regions

worldwide.”




Page No. 20

GLOBAL

French-German cooperation confirms competitive advantage of European photovoltaic industry Press Release 26/14, December 1, 2014 Bernin, France and Freiburg, Germany

New record solar cell on a 100 mm wafer yielding approximately 500 concentrator solar cell devices. ©Fraunhofer ISE/Photo Alexander Wekkeli

IV characteristics of the new 4-junction solar cell with an efficiency of 46% at 50.8 W/cm2 which corresponds to a concentration ration of 508 times the solar AM1.5d (ASTM E927-10) spectrum.

A new world record for the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity has been established. The multi-junction solar cell converts 46% of the solar light into electrical energy and was developed by Soitec and CEA-Leti, France, together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Germany. Multi-junction cells are used in concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems to produce low-cost electricity in photovoltaic power plants, in regions with a large amount of direct solar radiation. It is the cooperation’s second world record within one year,

after the one previously announced in September 2013, and clearly demonstrates the strong competitiveness of the European photovoltaic research and industry.

Multi-junction solar cells are based on a selection of III-V compound semiconductor materials. The world record cell is a four-junction cell, and each of its sub-cells converts precisely one quarter of the incoming photons in the wavelength range between 300 and 1750 nm into electricity. When applied in concentrator PV, a very small cell is used with a Fresnel lens, which concentrates the sunlight onto the cell. The new record efficiency was measured at a concentration of 508 suns and has been confirmed by the Japanese AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology), one of the leading centers for independent verification of solar cell performance results under standard testing conditions.

A special challenge that had to be met by this cell is the exact distribution of the photons among the four sub-cells. It has been achieved by precise tuning of the composition and thicknesses of each layer inside the cell structure. ”This is a major milestone for our French-German collaboration. We are extremely pleased to hear that our result of 46% efficiency has now been independently confirmed by AIST in Japan”, explains Dr. Frank Dimroth, project manager for the cell development at the German Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. “CPV is the most efficient solar technology today and suitable for all countries with high direct normal irradiance.”

Jocelyne Wasselin, Vice President Solar Cell Product Development for Soitec, a company headquartered in France and a world leader in high performance

Cont’d…

New world record for solar cell efficiency at 46%

http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/bilder/presseinformationen/2014/foto-neue-weltrekordsolarzelle-auf-einem-100-mm-wafer-mit-ungefaehr-500-konzentratorzellen-en/@@image_fullscreen_overlay

http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/bilder/presseinformationen/2014/grafik-iv-charakteristik-der-neuen-vierfach-solarzelle-mit-46-wirkungsgrad-en/@@image_fullscreen_overlay


Page No. 21

GLOBAL New world record for solar cell efficiency at 46%

semiconductor materials, says: “We are very proud of this new world record. It confirms we made the right technology choice when we decided to develop this four-junction solar cell and clearly indicates that we can demonstrate 50% efficiency in the near future.” She adds: “To produce this new generation of solar cells, we have already installed a line in France. It uses our bonding and layer-transfer technologies and already employs more than 25 engineers and technicians. I have no doubt that this successful cooperation with our French and German partners will drive further increase of CPV technology efficiency and competitiveness.”

About Soitec Soitec is an international manufacturing company, a world leader in generating and manufacturing revolutionary semiconductor materials at the frontier of the most exciting energy and electronic challenges. Soitec’s products include substrates for microelectronics (most notably SOI: Silicon-on-Insulator) and concentrator photovoltaic systems (CPV). The company’s core technologies are Smart Cut™, Smart Stacking™ and Concentrix™, as well as expertise in epitaxy. Applications include consumer and mobile electronics, microelectronics-driven IT, telecommunications, automotive electronics, lighting products and large-scale solar power plants. Soitec has manufacturing plants and R&D centers in France, Singapore, Germany and the United States. www.soitec.com About CEA-Leti (France) By creating innovation and transferring it to industry, Leti is the bridge between basic research and production of micro- and nanotechnologies that improve the lives of people around the world. Backed by its portfolio of 2,200 patents, Leti partners with large industrials, SMEs and startups to tailor advanced solutions that strengthen their competitive positions. It has launched more than 50 startups.

Its 8,000m² of new-generation cleanroom space feature 200mm and 300mm wafer processing of micro and nano solutions for applications ranging from space to smart devices. Leti’s staff of more than 1,700 includes 200 assignees from partner companies. Leti is based in Grenoble, France, and has offices in Silicon Valley, Calif., and Tokyo. www.leti.fr About Fraunhofer ISE With a staff of 1300, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, based in Freiburg, is the largest solar energy research institute in Europe. Fraunhofer ISE is committed to promoting energy supply systems which are sustainable, economic, safe and socially just. It creates the technological foundations for supplying energy efficiently and on an environmentally sound basis. To this end, the institute develops materials, components, systems and processes for energy efficiency, energy conversion, energy distribution and energy storage. The Institute is a member of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Europe’s largest application-oriented research organization. www.ise.fraunhofer.de

http://www.soitec.com/

http://www.leti.fr/

http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/


Page No. 22

GET PSA MEMBERSHIP AND BECOME

ACTIVE MEMBER OF SOLAR BUSINESS

COMMUNITY

PSA SECRETARIATE

S. Rahat Rizvi Secretary General

Pakistan Solar Association

Lahore: Suite # 10, First Floor, Al-Hafeez Suites, 69-B/II, Gulberg III, Lahore, Pakistan. Ph +92- 42- 35772097

Karachi: 38-F, Block 6, P.E.C.H.S, Karachi- 75400 Islamabad: First Floor, Building No 11, Sanitary Ware, Sector I-11/3,

Near Metro ISB, Islamabad

Email: [email protected]

Face book: https://www.facebook.com/pakistansolarassociation

Design by: Haroon Razzaq

mailto:[email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/pakistansolarassociation

pakistan solar association newsletter dec 2014 -...

Documents