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2002 IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC)
Electric power reliability, utility deregulation,
global climate change, National Energy Strategies, distributed
generation ¨ each of these topics captured headlines during the
past year. The public is generally aware that something is amiss
in the energy infrastructure and its prospects for sustainable
delivery of the electricity needed to meet rapidly growing demands.
Some people are aware that solar electric power can contribute
in a significant way, but few know that the photovoltaic (PV)
business is growing 40% per year in sales and is on track to provide
a significant percentage of the electricity generation around
the world. The 2002 (or the 29th) IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist
Conference (PVSC), sponsored by the Electron Devices Society,
continues a forty-year tradition of bringing together the research
community in electronic materials and devices, packaging and encapsulation,
systems, and applications to discuss the technical issues, real-world
challenges, and future directions for the continued growth of
PV as the power source of choice for terrestrial and space power
needs. The Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel,
New Orleans, Louisiana, May 21 through 24, 2002. The PVSC is held every 18 months to collect
a comprehensive record of the state of the technology and business
and to stimulate and explore ideas to accelerate progress toward
delivering significant amounts of electric power. The technical
sessions include oral and poster presentation formats to provide
in-depth coverage of materials properties, device developments,
manufacturing and processing, optical components, and module performance
for the four major materials systems as well as emerging technologies.
These include:
In addition to these device topics, we are
making special efforts to expand our coverage of terrestrial systems,
applications, and reliability. This encompasses engineering of
systems components, systems research and development, field experience,
utility interconnection, and reliability. We have also invited
speakers to highlight the technical scope and political influences
affecting PV in several National Programs. Photovoltaic technology is entering a very
exciting phase of development. Business grew through providing
power in remote applications¨for communications, lighting, and
battery charging. This supported expanding production and associated
cost reductions, and new markets have opened with each cost reduction.
Innovations in incorporating photovoltaic devices into building
designs and products have opened many other opportunities. Today,
many nations and several U.S. states offer incentives to encourage
and accelerate the deployment of PV power systems for residential
power. Japan has perhaps the most aggressive program. Their target
is to produce more than 2% of total national electric generating
capacity in PV by the end of the decade. As processes continue
to improve for manufacturing large-area electronic devices, costs
are competitive with conventional sources in many markets. Space power systems are pushing the performance
of sophisticated solar cells to ever higher levels. Multiple-junction
devices, comprised of heteroepitaxial III-V layers responding
to different light energies, exceed 30% power conversion efficiencies
in the laboratories and are available in commercial quantities
at 26%. The breadth of materials technology in research
is expanding to address the ever-greater challenges of long-term
energy supply. PV interests push technology in areas of p-type
transparent conducting oxides, nano-structure processes, polymer
semiconductors, and a range of other materials finding applications
in non-PV electron devices. This gathering of PV specialists provides
an important opportunity to educate and inform others interested
in solar electric power. On May 20, the Conference will host several
special events including tutorials and auxiliary meetings. Short
courses will cover the following topics:
The 29th PVSC is coordinated with two auxiliary
meetings, starting May 20. The first of these is the Workshop
on PV in the Americas. This interactive, one-day workshop will
focus on sustainability and cost-recovery issues of commercial
PV applications, research and development needed to satisfy these
issues, systems quality in the context of certification and standards,
and PV designed to both increase rural quality of life and enable
economic development. It will bring together industry product
designers; suppliers, installers, and users in Latin America and
the Caribbean with IEEE PVSC scientists and engineers for a discussion
of the real-world technology needs of photovoltaic applications
in the Americas. The second event is the International Conference
on Solar Electric Concentrators. This will examine entry markets
for developing concentrator technologies; provide insight for
further research planning on solar electric concentrator technologies;
and, in joint session with the PVSC, share research information
leading to higher performance or lower cost technologies and discuss
field experience, reliability, and improved standards. Throughout the week, the Exhibits area will
showcase manufacturers of PV products, systems components, manufacturing
and research tools, characterization equipment, array designs
and distributors, space power systems, market information, publications,
and education. To find out more, please visit the Conference
website at http://www.ieee.org/
pvsc or send an e-mail john_benner@ nrel.gov to be added to our mailing
list. On behalf of the organizers of the 29th IEEE PVSC, we all
hope you will join us in New Orleans this May. John Benner |
