1) Solar energy adoption is growing in the US, with over 13,000 MW of solar capacity installed as of 2014. The utility scale solar market is leading the way.
2) The US military is also increasing its use of solar power, with a goal of obtaining 25% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. Several large solar installations have been completed at military bases.
3) While higher efficiency solar cells can be developed in research settings, the cost-effectiveness of a solar installation depends more on the total cost per watt including installation and maintenance over the long-term. Balance of system costs are a major factor.
3. Agenda
• Overview of US and International Solar
Markets
• Core Solar Technologies on the Market
• Peripherals
• Efficiency vs. Cost (Industrial vs. Academic
Perspective)
• Portable Power Implications
• Question and Answers
4. Who is the Talking Head?
• Heath Naquin, MSTC, BBA, PMP
• Managing Director UT Austin NSF Center for
Next Generation Photovoltaics
• Extensive government work
• Technology Transfer and
Commercialization experience
in 22 Countries
5. Public View of Solar Technologies
• Easy Clean Energy
• Very Green Technology
• Super Cost Effective to Deploy
• Good for Going off the Grid
6. Industry View of Solar
• Marketing Platform
• Pain mandated by Government
• Money Pit
• Unproven Technology
7. Military View of Solar
• Energy Independence enabling mission
readiness 24/7
• Remote Operating Base Enabler
• Cost Savings Mechanism
• Others???
9. Solar Adoption Curve US
• 13,000 MW of installed PV/Solar capacity in
the US as of 2014.
• More than 445,000 PV systems in operations
in the US today.
• Average Cost per Watt (Installed) $2.59/W (at
Utility Scale
• Utility Scale Power Installations lead the
Charge
10. Examples from the Field
• Agua Caliente Solar Project
– First Solar in Arizona ($2.10/Watt)
– 250MW (AC)
– 5,200,000 modules
– Power for nearly 100,000 homes
– 2,400 acres for site
12. Solar Adoption in the US Military
• Part of 2025 Goal of Military to have 25% of
energy used be from renewable sources (3
GW)
• 130 MW currently installed at Military Bases
• PV slated to account for 58% of the 1.9 GW of
renewable energy to be installed by 2017
• Deployed in a variety of instances in MENA
and Pacific Theater
13. Fort Huachaca: Army
• 18-megawatt solar installation planned at Fort
Huachuca in Arizona
• Headquarters: U.S. Army Intelligence Center and
the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology
Command (NETCOM)/9th Army Signal Command
• Largest in US Military History
• 68 acres for the site
• Installation will deliver ¼ of base electricity needs
14. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
• 57,000 solar panels
• 170 acres
• 16.4 MW—enough to power 3,000 homes
• 35 percent of base energy needs met with
solar power
• $500,000 in annual energy savings
15. Navy Specific Solar Examples
• Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command
(SPAWAR) complex San Diego: 1.3 Megawatts
• Norfolk Naval Station: 8600 panels, 2.1 MW of
production (only 2% of energy needs)
16. Keys to Military Solar Installations
• Public Private Partnership with many players
• Military usually provides land for solar installs for
“free”
• Incentives and long term generation estimates
cover financing from third parties
• Military usually retains priority in “emergency
situations for production”
• Consistent with with typical fossil fuel
arrangements
• Incentives still drive total cost for installs
17. How Big of a Market?
• Global Market for PV in total is estimated at
$38 Billion annually.
• Estimated to grow to roughly $47 Billion by
2017
• Largest areas will be portable power solutions
and consumer gadgets powered by solar.
20. Types of Solar Energy/Technology
• Photovoltaic Systems
– Producing electricity directly from sunlight.
• Solar Hot Water
– Heating water with solar energy.
• Solar Electricity
– Using the sun's heat to produce electricity.
• Passive Solar Heating and Daylighting
– Using solar energy to heat and light buildings.
• Solar Process Space Heating and Cooling
– Industrial and commercial uses of the sun's heat.
24. Lets talk about efficiency…
• Big Confusion on this…
• Solar efficiency refers to the amount of
ambient light that can be converted into
usable electricity
• Academics love talking about efficiency
– Sunpower best with about 26% efficiency
– Thin Film record of around 17%
– Theoretical Max of around 44%
25. Computation of Efficiency
• Efficiency is defined as the ratio of energy
output from the solar cell to input energy
from the sun.
• This is calculated by dividing a cell's power
output (in watts) at its maximum power point
(Pm) by the input light (E, in W/m2) and the
surface area of the solar cell (Ac in m2).
26. Efficiency in Practice
• Solar Panel with 20% Calculated Efficiency and
area of 1m2
• Under test condition, AKA “simulated high
noon” will product 200W
• In Colorado (higher sun exposure and quality
of sunlight) system will produce 440kWh/year
• In Michigan (lower sun exposure and quality)
same system will produce 280 kWh/year
27. In reality…
• Efficiency less important matter, rather cost
per watt of production.
• Energy is a commodity
• Consider
– Nat Gas costs about $.06/W
– Solar, needs to achieve sub $1/Watt installed to be
competitive over 25 years to fossil fuel.
28. Lets talk about Balance of Systems
• Balance of Systems (BOS) costs refer to the
total cost to deploy a solar solution
– Best in US in Austin at $3/W installed
– Worst is NYC at $7/W installed
33. Calculating Benefit of Solar
• Consider the following
– Efficiency of Panel
– Cost to Purchase
– Cost to Install
– Estimated Production over 25 years
– Estimated Cost to Maintain over 25 years
– Average Amount of SunLight per position
35. Enabling Technology for Portable
Power
• Thin Film and Amorphous Silicon Lead the way
• Alternative Substances
• Cost, Weight, Flexibility and durability more
important than Efficiency
• ITAR is a big issue