Overall objective
The objective of Task 1 is to promote and facilitate the exchange and dissemination of information on the technical, economic, environmental and social aspects of PV power systems. Task 1 activities support the broader PVPS objectives that relate to contributing to cost reduction of PV power applications, increasing awareness of the potential and value of PV power systems, fostering the removal of both technical and non-technical barriers and enhancing technology co-operation.
All countries participating in the PVPS Programme are members of Task 1. To meet the Task 1 objective and deliver the expected outcomes, Task 1 participants focus on understanding the needs of their target audiences for the various Task 1 deliverables and establishing mechanisms for communication both within and outside the PVPS Programme. The development of the public website www.iea-pvps.org will continue to be influenced by the requirements for information that are identified and revised by Task 1 participants and others. Task 1 activities are organized into the following subtasks:
- Subtask 1.1: Status Survey Reports
A published International Survey Report is compiled from the National Survey Reports produced annually by all countries participating in the IEA-PVPS Programme. Parts of these previously internal national reports can now be found on the public website. The International Survey Report presents the current status and interprets trends relating to systems and components being used in the various PV power systems markets, as well as changing applications within those markets. This is reported in the context of the business environment, policies and relevant non-technical factors in the participating countries.
International Survey Reports were initially produced every two years, but a shorter report is now produced annually to provide more timely information. The first issue was printed in March 1995 and a further five issues had been published by the end of 2001.
- Subtask 1.2: Newsletter
A newsletter, PV Power, is prepared and distributed each six months presenting highlights of the IEA-PVPS Programme as well as general features of interest about PV systems and components and market applications. Task 1 participants provide material of interest to the newsletter editor and ensure that the newsletter reaches its target audience in the respective countries.
Fifteen issues of the newsletter had been published by the end of 2001.
- Subtask 1.3: Special Information Activities
A variety of activities, including workshops and documents, provide analysis and summary assessment of special topics. These are directed at technical, economic, environmental and social aspects of PV systems and applications and are usually managed by a specific country or a group of countries from the Task 1 membership.
Activities to date include workshops and published reports on “Environmental aspects of PV power systems,” “Photovoltaics in competitive electricity markets” and “Added values of photovoltaic power systems.” Other activities include “Buy back rates for grid-connected photovoltaic power systems,” “Photovoltaic components and systems: Status of R&D in IEA countries, 1985-1995” and “Photovoltaics in cold climates.” A new activity, “Estimating cost of energy from photovoltaic power systems,” has commenced.
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Accomplishments for 2001
For all activities Task 1 emphasizes the importance of meeting the needs of the various target audiences and this focus has continued in general throughout the year. The public PVPS website enables PVPS information to be provided quickly and at a reasonable cost.
Consequently, the ongoing development of the website remains a priority activity for Task 1. The website (and its various links) also provides other PVPS participants with valuable information on the programme as a whole, enhancing inter-task communication.
- Subtask 1.1: Status Survey Reports
The sixth issue of the International Survey Report was published in September 2001 and analyzed data collected between 1992 and the end of 2000. The report was prepared under the supervision of Task 1 by an independent consultant on the basis of the National Survey Reports (NSRs) prepared by Task 1 participants. Eighteen out of twenty countries produced the required NSR (or at least provided information). Fifteen of these countries provided material close to the agreed date.
Some new information was requested in this NSR in response to outside interests – trends in system and module prices, and employment data, both from countries able to provide such information. The International Survey Report was funded by the PVPS Common Fund and was distributed by Task 1 participants to their identified national target audiences and at selected conferences and meetings. The report is also available on the public website.
- Subtask 1.2: Newsletter
Editorial policy for the newsletter continued to emphasize that projects and products must be tangible to be included. Issue 14 of the newsletter was published in April 2001. Issue 15 was published in October 2001. Issues of PV Power are now available on the public website.
- Subtask 1.3: Special Information Activities
- Added values of photovoltaic power systems
Printed copies of the public report were sent to all countries in April 2001, and the report is also able to be downloaded from the public website. The report has formed the basis of presentations at a number of workshops in different countries.
- Answers to frequently asked questions about solar photovoltaic electricity: an international perspective
A set of questions and answers was developed within Task 1 and loaded on to the public website for use as a public resource.
- Estimating cost of energy from photovoltaic power systems
Work is underway. In particular, Task 1 has developed evaluation criteria to help assess various costing methodologies identified by Task 1 and others.
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Activities planned for 2002
The issue of market implementation has been identified as an important focus for the PVPS Programme, and Task 1 will ensure that this theme is addressed in all activities. Further, Task 1 will informally begin to look at innovative marketing and financing strategies, which may then lead to development of a special information activity or provide input to a new task.
- Subtask 1.1: Status Survey Reports
The target date for publication of the seventh issue of the International Survey Report is August 2002. Changes to the format and content of the seventh issue and an agreed timetable for production will be finalized during the March 2002 Task 1 meeting. National Survey Reports will be completed by the end of May 2002 so that the information can be incorporated in the International Survey Report.
- Subtask 1.2: Newsletter
Task 1 participants will continue to review and update the target audience within their country, and to seek feedback regarding preferred format (e.g. electronic or printed) and content from these audiences.
PV Power Nos. 16 & 17 will be published in April 2002 and October 2002 respectively, maintaining current editorial policy.
- Subtask 1.3: Special Information Activities
Estimating cost of energy from photovoltaic power systems – It is planned that during 2002 work will be substantially completed on the broad issues relating to estimating cost of energy from PV, the description of the costing elements relevant to both grid-connected and off-grid PV, and the review and assessment of methods commonly used in participating countries to calculate the cost of energy from PV systems.
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Industry involvement
Task 1 activities continue to rely on close co-operation with PV industries, electricity
utilities and other parties, both for collection and analysis of quality information
and for dissemination of PVPS information to target audiences. This is achieved
through the networks developed in each country by the Task 1 participants. Workshops
are considered an effective means of attracting industry involvement in the PVPS
programme, and are developed whenever possible. [ Top
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Key deliverables (2001 and planned)
The following were published and also made available on the public website during 2001:
- Added values of photovoltaic power systems Report IEA-PVPS T1-09: 2001;
- Trends in photovoltaic applications in selected IEA countries between 1992 and 2000 Report IEA-PVPS T1-10: 2001;
- Newsletter – PV Power issues 14 and 15; An internal report on frequently asked questions and answers was circulated, and the material was also added to the website.
- National Survey Reports and guidelines are produced and updated each year.
During 2002 it is planned to produce the seventh issue of the International Survey Report, PV Power issues 16 and 17, internal and public reports on the costing activity and to disseminate information collected on innovative marketing and financing strategies. It is also planned to circulate NSRs to Task 1 members and to make some information from these reports available through the public website.
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Participating countries, key participants in 2001 and their organizations
Current participants and experts supporting them are listed in Task 1 participants.
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Meeting schedule (2001 and planned 2002)
- The 18th Task 1 Participants’ meeting was held in Aarhus, Denmark, 21-23 March 2001.
- The 19th Task 1 Participants’ meeting was held in Long Beach,
USA, 7-10 October 2001.
- The 20th Task 1 Participants’ meeting will be held in Bodø,
Norway, 13-15 March 2002.
- The 21st Task 1 Participants’ meeting will be held in Switzerland,
11-13 September 2002.
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