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Republic of Korea Photovoltaic technology status and prospects Jinsoo Song, Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) |
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2003 > Last updated: 30 May 2004 |
In December 2003, the Government, Korea Ministry of Commerce Industry and Energy
(MOCIE), announced “The 2nd Basic Plan for New & Renewable Energy Technology Development
& Dissemination." This new plan aims at developing the relevant New and Renewable
Energy Technology and has a target to attain a 3 % share of New and Renewable
Energy by year 2006; with 5 % by year 2012.
In order to achieve this target, an aggressive approach must be taken to create the market and to expand market size. With the limited amount of funds, development of all New and Renewable Energy technologies could not be effective without selection or concen-trated efforts. Hence, PV that has only been a promising technology for the future until now and which has large potential in the reduction of environmental pollution has been selected as a high priority programme.
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In January 1997, the Government formulated the “Ten-year National Plan for Energy Technology Development (1997-2006)” which included New & Renewable Energy, Energy Conservation and Clean Energy Technology. This plan aimed to supply 2 % of the total primary energy demand with New and Renewable Sources of Energy at the end of 2006. To legally support and realize this plan, the “Promotion Act for NRSE Development” was amended to the “Promotion Act for NRSE Development, Utilization and Dissemination,” which put greater emphasis on enhancing the utilization and dissemination of developed technologies than the previous version. Photovoltaics has always had a high priority among various New Renewable Energy technologies.
During the last 15 years under this framework, a steady investment in PV has been made, as shown in Figure 1. The total R&D funding during this period amounts to 27,4 MUSD (16,2 MUSD from government and 11,2 MUSD from industry). In particular, R&D funding has been increased very sharply since 2001, which shows the Korean Government’s strong willingness to materialize technology development and market expansion.
The new plan for the technological progress is divided into three different steps, while focusing on developing the technology for mass distribution and commercialization of PV.
In the short-term, PV cell R&D is focused on crystalline silicon. The target is to increase the PV module efficiency from the current 12 % to 15 % until the year 2006, and to 18 % until the year 2010. The cost target of the module is 5,4 USD/W until the year 2004, 3,3 USD/W until the year 2006 and 1,9 USD/W until the year 2010. Finally, we will commercialize developed technologies with targets by the year 2012.
In terms of the technical aspect, Korea is also preparing the certification system for PV components and systems. Under this framework, the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) was designated as the official center for performance testing and evaluation. During the period 2002-2004, certification systems for PCS, PV modules and PV cells are to be set up.
In addition, the MOCIE has been supporting “Green Village” project for the demonstration and field-test of PV systems. Currently two cities (Gwangju, Daegu) are involved in this project, and two more local authorities are expected to take part in this project within this year. The local authorities, in cooperation with the Government, play the leading role in the design, construction and monitoring of PV rooftop systems and other solar application facilities.
In addition to the projects listed above, there are three representative and supportive activities for technical development to be introduced here. One is a standardization activity to comply Korean Industrial Standards (KS) with the IEC; which represents international standards. International collaborative projects, such as field testing of PV power systems implemented in developing countries such as Mongolia and Vietnam, are another. Activities both to strengthen the IEA/PVPS programme and to found a cooperative scheme with neighboring countries, is the third.
KIER has installed a PV (5kWp)-Wind (3kW) hybrid system and Solar Home Systems at an isolated village in the Gobi Desert, in October 2003, as a collaborative project, named DURE-Gobi Project with Mongolia.
Moreover, the “Renewable Energy Forum in North-East Asia” has
been established and held in Seoul, in November 2003, in order to realize actual cooperation among Korea, China, Japan and Mongolia.
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The PV market was still dominated by the off-grid non-domestic sector that occupied
about 77 % of the cumulative installed PV power. However, the market share of
this sector has been decreasing year by year. Among the various off-grid non-domestic
applications, telecommunications was still the largest sector of application,
followed by marine applications, such as lighthouses. In 2002, marine applications
were the largest sector of application, followed by highway emergency call boxes
and streetlight lamps. Other important applications include PV systems for the
aviation warning lamps of high-voltage transmission towers, environmental monitoring
equipment such as water-borne pollution, sewage, weather and traffic signaling
and forest fire monitoring.
For off-grid domestic application, three PV systems with a total capacity of 85 kW were installed at remote islands in 2002. The share of this sector is about 9 % of the total cumulative installed PV power.
In 2002, more than 20 grid-connected distributed systems with a capacity in the range of 3 kW to 53 kW were installed. Among them, 16 systems were for public office buildings and 5 systems were rooftop systems for residential houses. The share of grid-connected distributed system was raised to 14 % of the total cumulative installed power. In 2002, the total installed power of this sector was 237 kW, representing 36 % of the total PV market. In 2001, only systems with a total capacity of 168 kW were installed. This sector has been intensively promoted under the framework of demonstration projects or local energy development projects supported by the government and local authorities.
Under the local energy development project, a wide variety of PV systems including off-grid domestic, non-domestic and grid-connected systems were constructed. The focus was put on grid-connected distribution systems owned by local authorities, public organizations and individuals. A 53 kW grid-connected system installed on the roof of the Chosun University’s dormitory building and a 30 kW system installed on the roof of the Energy Pavilion at the site of the International Cave Exposition in the city of Samcheok, Gangwon Province, were representative examples. At the Cave Exposition site, a 107 kW system has already been constructed in 2001. In addition, two PV-diesel hybrid systems with a PV capacity of 60 kW and 22,5 kW, respectively, were constructed and began operating during 2002.
The total cumulative capacity of PV systems in Korea was 5,418 kWp at the end of 2002, and the installed capacity in 2002 was 475 kWp as shown in Figure 2.
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There has been no major change in the status of PV cells and module production
in 2002. Until 1999, High Solar Company (independent from former LG Siltron Co.
in May 1999) continued to manufacture PV cell, but this company stopped its operation
in the year 2000. In 2001, there was no PV cell manufacturer in Korea. However,
two new companies, Neskor Solar and Photon Semiconductor & Energy after having
completed the construction of PV cell manufacturing facility, started its operation
in 2002. These companies with a production capacity of 1,2 MW produced 300 kW
of single crystalline silicon PV cells in 2002. Over half of the products were
exported and a part of the products were supplied to domestic PV module manufacturers.
Recently, Photon Semiconductor & Energy has expanded production capacity to 6MWp
and single crystalline silicon PV cells, since the end of 2003.
Five companies, including one which started its operation in 2002, produced about 780 kW of PV modules. The production volume was 10 % less than that of last year. Most of single and multi-crystalline silicon PV cells were imported from foreign countries. In 2002, the total production capacity was 2 000 kW(I shift). In the previous year the production capacity was also 2 000 kW and production volume was 850 kW.
S-Energy (Independent of former Samsung Electronics Co.) manufactured four types of modules with a peak output of 50 to 80 W using mc-Si PV cells imported from BP Solar. The 75 W has a dimension 1 204 L x 538 W x 38 mm D, and a structure glass/EVA/ solar cells/EVA/tedlar. This company announced the completion of development of rooftop PV modules and started field testing of these modules in 2003. This company is planning to install large size laminator for the manufacturing of large size module. LG Industrial System Co. produced various types of PV modules with a peak output power in the range of 43 to 100 W using sc-Si PV cells imported from Siemens Solar Industries in USA. The module has a typical structure of glass/EVA/solar cells/EVA/back sheet, which is similar to that of S-Energy. Haesung Solar manufactures small PV modules with an output power ranging 1 to 50 W using PV cells; of which one part is purchased from Neskor Solar, and some that are imported from abroad. The module manufacturing process is also similar to that of the former two companies.
Two companies manufacture the inverters for grid-connected systems: Hex Power
Systems and Samwha Engineering. The former produced various products with a
capacity 1 – 50 kW. These companies also produce the inverters for stand-alone
systems. The price of inverters for grid-connected applications is shown in
Table 5. In the case of inverters for stand-alone systems, Dongmyung Electric
has manufactured several types of inverters for electrification, as well as
Solar Home Systems, in developing countries. There is one PV battery manufacturer,
Global High-tech Co., that produces lead-acid batteries of the tubular plate
stationary type. The unit price of the battery with a capacity 2 000 Ah/100
hr is 910 KRW. Concerning the supporting structures, PV system installers used
their own type of support structures made from anodized aluminum or galvanized
steel. That is why the price of the supporting structures is so multifarious.
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The strategies for promoting the distribution of PV systems are described below. The whole programme will be managed and monitored by the experts group organized solely for the PV technology distribution.
To fuel the plans and strategies as mentioned above, Korea will spend about USD 2,3 billion during 2004-2012 (see Fig. 6)
The fund will be provided by the government. As the PV world market grows fast, the investment from the industry is expected to increase at a fast pace.
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