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 IEA 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 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. These previously internal national reports can now be found on the public website through the countries' pages.
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 six issues had been published by the end of 2002.
- 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.
Seventeen issues of the newsletter had been published by the end
of 2002.
- 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.
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Summary of Task 1 accomplishments for 2002
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. The ongoing development of the website remains a priority activity for Task 1, and is carried out within the framework of the guiding principles and agreed policy for the website. 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 seventh issue of the International Survey Report was published in September 2002 and analyzed data collected between 1992 and
the end of 2001. 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). Fourteen of these countries provided material close to the agreed date.
These National Survey Reports are funded by the participating
countries, provide a wealth of information and are a key component of the collaborative work carried out within the PVPS Programme. The International Survey Report is funded by the PVPS Common Fund and is distributed by Task 1 participants to their identified national target audiences and at selected conferences and meetings.
The report is available on the public website, can be downloaded as a
complete document, and figures
/ tables can be downloaded separately.
- Subtask 1.2: Newsletter
Editorial policy for the newsletter continued to emphasize that projects and
products must be tangible to be included. Issue
16 of the newsletter was published in June 2002. Issue
17 was published in December 2002. Current and back
issues of PV Power are available on the public website.
- Subtask 1.3: Special Information Activities
During 2002 work continued at a low level on a number of
activities (ongoing and new) that fall under the umbrella of special information activities. The significant issue affecting the ability to progress these activities is that they are all without a “lead country” providing the required resources. The activities include innovative marketing and financing, cost of energy from PV, value of PV business activity and the value chain of the PV industry. The agreed position is that, without the resources required to carry out the detailed analyses that some of these topics require, Task 1 will build on existing activities by collecting and disseminating related information to target audiences via established channels.
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Activities planned for 2003
The issue of market implementation is an important focus for
the PVPS Programme, including all Task 1 activities. Task 1 will
continue to identify, collect and disseminate relevant information that, although not necessarily part of an established activity or task, may subsequently be included in PVPS publications, or lead to development of a special information activity or provide input to a new task.
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Industry involvement
Task 1 activities continue to rely on close cooperation with government agencies, 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. It is recognized that the target audience for PVPS information has broadened considerably. A communication survey, carried out within countries during 2002, will guide communication strategies at the country and programme levels.
Workshops are considered an effective means of attracting industry involvement in the PVPS programme, and are developed whenever possible.
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Key deliverables (2002 and planned)
The following were published and also made available on the public website during 2002:
During 2003 it is planned to produce the eighth issue of the International Survey Report, PV Power issues 18 and 19, a selection of examples of innovative marketing / financing of PV and PV-specific portfolio standards, a broad range of country information on the public website and development of “key topic” (such as costs and prices) support on the 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
- Held in 2002
- The 20th Task 1 Participants’ meeting was held in Bodo, Norway, 13-15 March 2002.
- The 21st Task 1 Participants’ meeting was held in Basel,
Switzerland, 11-13 September 2002.
- Planned for 2003
- The 22nd Task 1 Participants’ meeting will be held in Basingstoke, UK, 5-7 March 2003.
- The 23rd Task 1 Participants’ meeting will be held in Sweden, 10-12 September 2003.
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