No abstract available

[en] Photovoltaic (PV) systems are almost entirely benign in operation, and potential environmental hazards occur at the production and disposal stages. There are well established methods of monitoring and controlling potential hazards caused by the semiconductor materials used in PV modules such as silicon, copper indium diselenide and cadmium telluride. The main environmental hazards of photovoltaics are connected to the production processes. These processes require an input of energy, and this energy is derived from the standard fuel mix of the nation in which production takes place. The production of PV systems therefore has associated with it, emissions of greenhouse and acidic gases. However, as the new thin film PV technologies come into production, and the scale of production increases, the energy input to PV systems will decrease considerably, with consequent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, to levels below that of other electricity generating technologies. (Author)

[en] In the present paper it is shown that the short-circuit current will vary under the influence of a magnetic field. The fundamental equations and boundary conditions are derived and a simple structure of a pn⁺ cell is treated analytically. Emphasis is made on possible extensions and metrological applications

[en] The drop in the prices of photovoltaic systems appeared in 2011, this fall was due to the collapse of the price of the module that reached 45% in one year. Other components' prices have also decreased but not to such an extent. The reason is that the production capacities have increased very fast in 2010 when the offer was still below the demand. Now, in 2012 the sale of photovoltaic systems have slowed down because of the crisis and the partial end of financial support programs from European states. The market is now very competitive with low prices, but a lot of enterprises are expected to reorganize or even to bankrupt. For the rest of 2012 the trend is unknown but for a longer term new technological progress are looming: the replacement of silver by copper, the fabrication of thinner sheets of glass and the use of less expensive polymers. These technological advances will give a new and sane margin for the reduction of costs and will make photovoltaic energy more competitive with other energies. (A.C.)

No abstract available

[en] The article comments on the massive increase in sales of photovoltaic cells in 2004, largely due to the growth of subsidised grid-connected markets in California, Germany and Japan. Details of the various companies producing photovoltaics, production figures, and world ranking are given together with photovoltaic production in Europe. Even so, the world production of photovoltaics was only the equivalent of two large gas turbines. The various types of photovoltaic cells are discussed and data, according to cell type, are given for world production. Costs, prices and government subsidies are discussed. A forecast of the world photovoltaics market, according to potential application, is given to the year 2010

[en] The current cost disadvantage of photovoltaics (PV) risks to reduce its relevance in climate policy strategies. Depending on the used assumptions, electricity from PV can become competitive between 2015 and 2040. Cost competitiveness is, however, a conditional criterion and as an alternative to the learning curve perspective, the future role of PV in electricity production is assessed from a portfolio theory or Capital Asset Pricing Model perspective. In this analysis, the focus is on the input price risks. Fossil fuel price volatility can strongly reduce the financial return of conventional generating technologies. From a welfare perspective, energy planners should try to minimise this risk by adding risk-neutral or no-risk technologies to their portfolio. With an analysis for the year 2025, we illustrate how the addition of renewable capacity to an existing portfolio can lower total portfolio risk without a significant reduction of profitability. PV then emerges as an attractive technology, especially once the best locations for wind energy are already developed. (author)

[en] Published in summary form only

No abstract available

[en] For large scale application of PV cost reduction is essential. It is shown in this study that the price evolution is on track and even accelerating the last 15 years. Using an experience curve approach a learning rate of little over 20% was found consistent with other studies. As data were collected for small roof-top grid connected systems, it could be shown that this learning rate is not only found for modules, but also for BOS in Germany as well as in the Netherlands. Projections of the future price of PV systems show that a learning rate of at least 20% is needed to make introduction of PV affordable. It is very effective to invest in learning, thus increasing the learning rate, as well as developing market segments were the value of PV is higher, such as residential PV systems in southern Europe. (authors)