IEA PVPS Task 8 on Very Large-Scale PV Power Systems (VLS-PV) is pursuing a number of activities which will help provide more detailed understanding of the costs, benefits, environmental and social impacts and practicalities of designing and implementing PV plants in the scale of several hundred MWs.

Key research areas include further analysis of the cost implications of alternate technology options such as concentrators versus flat-plat modules as well as life-cycle analysis of VLS-PV systems in the world’s deserts. Given the vast areas involved and potential instability inherent in many desert regions, the development and optimization of site evaluation tools is also of critical importance.

Satellite imagery is being investigated as an option for initial site assessments, while a new methodology is being developed to utilize remote sensing technologies to help pinpoint sites with soil characteristics suitable for VLS-PV development.

Task 8 experts are also investigating a number of proposals with a view to practical implementation of the world’s first VLS-PV system. The Gobi desert, which straddles the China-Mongolia border, covering an area of 1,3 million km² is one of the strongest contenders to eventually host a gigawatt- scale system. Preliminary discussions are currently focused on identifying a site with appropriate infrastructure, workforce potential and access to a suitable power transmission system. Sainshand, 460 km south-east of the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar, on the railway connecting Siberia to China may have just the right ingredients for the first phase of such an initiative, a modest 1 MW pilot plant. This would serve to confirm the viability for a phase two scale-up to 40 MW demonstration, before full scale roll-out. At the same time, on the Chinese side of the border, plans are evolving for an 8 MW pilot project near Dunhuang.

Despite the discussion of these and other pilot concepts for giant desert PV systems, it is clear that successful, sustainable implementation of full-scale VLS-PV projects will be no simple matter. Task 8 is aiming to create a compendium of practical instructions and training tools to support such project development. The report is expected to be completed by the end of March 2006.

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