United Kingdom, Photovoltaic technology status and prospects - Contribution to the Annual report 2005

United Kingdom
Photovoltaic technology status and prospects
Sarah Davidson, Energy Specialst, IT Power Ltd.

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General Framework

Fig. 1 - The 391 kW PV system on Manchester’s CIS building will be Europe’s largest vertical solar façade.

Implementation of UK energy policy is delivered by a Sustainable Energy Policy Network which includes representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department of Transport.

The Renewables Obligation (RO) forms the main element of the Government's strategy for renewables deployment. The RO began in 2002 and sets out targets for electricity suppliers to source an increasing amount of their electricity from renewable resources.

Certificates, or ROCs, are awarded to generators using renewable sources. ROCs can be traded to make up any shortfall. It was designed to enable the UK to make progress towards its target of generating 10 % of its electricity from renewable energy sources covered by the Obligation by 2010. The current obligation level is 5,5 % for 2005/06 rising to 15,4 % by 2015/16.

A review of the Renewables Obligation took place in 2005, with the aim of making some changes to the eligibility of electricity generated from mixed wastes; modify future rules for low cost technologies and simplify the administrative arrangements.

The Renewables Innovation Review was published in February 2004 and identified:

the key renewable technologies for the delivery of the UK targets and aspirations for renewables.
the barriers to the development and deployment of the key renewable technologies;
the most cost effective Government measures to facilitate delivery of the UK targets.

The International Energy Strategy was launched in October 2004, and states that the UK Government will tackle climate change, curb carbon emissions and diversify the energy mix to lessen our dependence on fossil fuels.
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National Programme

The UK's National Programme for photovoltaics consists of the following elements:

Research and development, under the DTI's Technology Programme and various programmes of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
Field trials and demonstrations, under DTI programmes
Participation in international programmes (EC and IEA)

The overall goal is to develop the capabilities of industry and to encourage sustainable growth in the market by removing barriers to the deployment of PV.

The renewables innovation review, described in the section above concluded that with current technology, solar PV installation is expensive under UK conditions. It recommended that research should focus on 3rd generation PV and collaborative efforts with nations with complementary capabilities. Future grant funding for PV should come through a technology blind programme to support building integrated renewables and energy efficiency technologies.

The DTI held a consultation over the nature of the new national programme for micro-generation during 2005 and will publish its micro-generation strategy and details of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in spring 2006.
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Research, Development and Demonstration

Fig. 3 - PV is popular with housing Associations and Local Authorities where it is used to reduce social tenant’s electricity bills (photo Courtesy of Sustainable Energy Installations).

Academic research in the UK is largely funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). In addition to companies' internal research activities, some pre-competitive industrial Research and Development projects are supported by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) mainly under the Technology Programme.

The DTI's Technology Programme funds industrially focused collaborative research. Funded research projects relating to PV are currently focused on third generation technologies and cost reduction measures.

The EPSRC Sustainable Power Generation and Supply (Supergen) Project 'Photovoltaic Materials for the 21st Century' was launched during 2004. The project consortium is made up of six universities (University of Wales Bangor, University of Durham, University of Bath, University of Northumbria, University of Loughborough and University of Southampton) and seven companies. The project aims to develop low-cost thin-film solar cell devices fabricated from inorganic semiconductors. Work includes the development of novel low cost electrode position routes to fabricate films of materials such as copper indium sulphide/selenide (CIS/CIGS).

Since 2000 there have been three PV field trial and demonstration programmes in the UK:

The Domestic Field Trial (DFT) which ran in two phases between 2000 and 2003. The DFT aimed to use the design, construction and monitoring of the installations as a learning opportunity for utilities, building developers and other key players. A total of 741 kW has been installed, the majority of which is on social or mixed housing. Monitoring of the systems is being carried out to assess performance over the two years following commissioning.
Large-Scale Building-Integrated PV Trial (LSBIPV): In November 2001 and March 2002 together a total of 7,2 MGBP was allocated for large building integrated PV projects (i.e. >20 kW). The objectives of the programme were to raise awareness and create confidence in the application of PV, increase UK capabilities in the application of the technology, as well as to assess the potential for BIPV in the near term and its role in future energy policies and strategies. The programme so far has provided between 60 % and 100 % funding and a total of around 3 MGBP for 12 completed projects. All the designs are for true building integrated systems, on a variety of construction types and all completed installations are being performance monitored for a period of two years; the results of this are to be used to make best practice recommendations. The systems installed within the programme are all high profile installations on public buildings and as such are playing an important role in raising public awareness of PV.
The PV Major Demonstration Programme (MDP) was officially launched in 2002 and 20 MGBP was made available by the Department of Trade and Industry for a three-year programme. Since then a further 11 MGBP additional funding was announced in 2004 and another 750 000 GBP in 2005, to enable the scheme to run until Spring 2006. Grants are available for both on and off-grid applications and are eligible for modules, inverters and installation. Subsidy levels are on average 50 % and for small scale applications are subject to a maximum amount per kW. All grant applications require the use of approved products and accredited installers and designers.

Amongst the projects supported by the programme during 2005 is the Eden project in Cornwall, where PV modules are incorporated into the buildings unique architecture, which is based on the Fibonacci series. When viewed from above the panels spiral outward in a ring around the centre of the building, forming the shape of a flower with eleven individual petals. The MDP is also supporting the construction of the UK's largest PV system, a 391 kW PV façade on the building of Co-operative Insurance Services in Manchester. The project is using PV modules manufactured in the UK by Sharp in Wrexham.

The MDP is due to finish in March 2006 and will be superseded by the new Low Carbon Building programme. The new programme will support PV as well as other renewable energy technologies suitable for building integration.

Fig. 4 - The unique building integrated PV array at Eden Project in Cornwall received funding from the DTI’s Major Demonstration Programme (photo courtesy of The Eden Project)

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Implementation

The total capacity of grid connected installations during 2004 was 2 197 kW, which represents over 97 % of the annual total. This was an increase of 35 % with respect to that installed during 2003.

This is largely due to the completion of a number of projects under the DTI's grant supported programmes (mentioned above) and in particular the Major Demonstration Programme. Of the off-grid installations, one third was installed on residential properties with the remaining installations for a range of applications including street lighting and furniture.
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Industry Status

Crystalox, the producer of multi-crystalline silicon blocks, saw continued growth in annual production capacity during 2004. Sharp, which opened its new PV module manufacturing facility in Wrexham in July 2004 is now the single largest employer in the UK PV industry. The facility expanded its annual production capacity from 20 MW to 40 MW during its first 6 months of operation. Romag, the specialist glass manufacturer now produces semi-transparent crystalline PV laminates at its new 6 MW/year lamination facility in Consett, County Durham.
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Market Development

Fig. 2 - Building mounted small wind is beginning to take off in the UK and will be supported along with PV by the new Low Carbon Buildings Programme, to be launched later in 2006 (photo Courtesy of Berwickshire Housing Association).

The cumulative installed PV generation capacity increased by 38 % during 2004, reaching a total of 8,2 MW. Much of this increase is due to the rapid expansion of the grid-connected markets.
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Future Outlook

Further installations under the Major Demonstration Programme will facilitate a continued healthy rate of grid-connected PV installation during 2005 and 2006. The current programme is due to end in March 2006 and will be replaced by the Low Carbon Buildings programme, which will support PV as well as other renewable energy technologies suitable for building integration.

PV module manufacturing is set to increase in 2005, following the opening of two new manufacturing facilities by Sharp and Romag during 2004 and subsequent increase in capacity at the Sharp factory from 20 MW to 40 MW. An increase in silicon feedstock production capacity sufficient for a further 10 MW of PV cells is due to be completed during 2005 at the Crystalox plant.
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