What is the IEA photovoltaic power systems technology collaboration programme?

The IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Technology Collaboration Programme, which advocates for solar PV energy as a cornerstone of the transition to sustainable energy systems. It conducts various collaborative projects relevant to solar PV technologies and systems to reduce costs, analyse barriers and raise awareness of PV electricity’s potential.

How are PV production costs modeled?

The costs of materials, equipment, facilities, energy, and labor associated with each step in the production process are individually modeled. Input data for this analysis method are collected through primary interviews with PV manufacturers and material and equipment suppliers.

How do solar PV systems work?

Solar PV systems most often are connected to transmission and distribution networks that can move power over long distances and deliver it to consumers.

How are PV cells assembled?

Panel Assembly. PV cells are wired together on a glass sheet to form a panel, which typically has 60 or 72 cells (120 or 144 half-cut cells). The assembly is covered on the front and backside with a plastic laminate, sheet of glass, or other material for protection from the environment.

Where is PV glass made?

China accounted for 86% of PV glass produced globally in 2019.108 Since then, NSG Group opened a plant in Ohio to produce flat glass for thin-film producer First Solar, and Canadian Premium Sand announced it would pivot from architectural glass to patterned glass for PV modules, a product not currently manufactured in North America.109

How are photovoltaic absorbers made?

The manufacturing typically starts with float glass coated with a transparent conductive layer, onto which the photovoltaic absorber material is deposited in a process called close-spaced sublimation. Laser scribing is used to pattern cell strips and to form an interconnect pathway between adjacent cells.