Solar Technologies

Note: The course can be attended as a stand-alone session but also provides an excellent way to introduce yourself to or refresh your knowledge of solar power before attending the " Solar Policy & Economics Forum " on the following days.

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Course objectives:

Whether you are new to the industry or simply want to refresh and update your knowledge, this one-day training course will ensure you are up-to-speed with the key, technologies driving the solar energy industry. You will learn about harnessing the sun's energy through silicon and thin-film photovoltaics (PV) plus solar thermal collection; including concentrating and utility-scale systems in both cases. Technologies are placed in their relevant business context, ensuring that you also understand the factors which will decide their commercial success or failure.

Style:

The course will be run in an informal manner which allows and encourages time for discussion and questions, ensuring that participants get the most out of their day.

Although scientific and technical principles will be included, no prior knowledge is required, making this course ideal for those in non-engineering roles. (For example, previous events in our “101” series have benefitted a wide range of attendees, including those from investment, marketing, legal, management and other commercial roles and backgrounds).

Approximate Timing

(Timings are approximate and include lunch plus morning and afternoon refreshment breaks)

	Course begins:	09:00
	Course ends:	17:30

Course content:

Key concepts in understanding Solar Technologies

Jargon-buster: introducing some key scientific terminologies and concepts.
Power vs. Energy, energy conversion efficiency, electricity and heat.
The fundamentals of Solar Radiation and limiting factors on the energy resource available.
Fixed, single-axis and dual-axis tracking solar energy collectors: pros and cons.

Pholtovoltaic (PV) Solar

How solar cells work: the pholtovoltaic effect.
PV materials, powers and efficiencies.
Comparing crystalline and thin-film materials and their performance.
Manufacturing and commercialising PV technologies.
Real-world PV performance: why it varies and how it is reported.
PV cells, modules and systems, including “balance of system” components.
PV concentrators (CPV).
New materials and upcoming developments (dyes, organics, space solar etc.)
Case studies and examples, including utility-scale deployments.

Solar Thermal

Low vs. High-temperature solar thermal.
Heat-engines and efficiencies.
Concentrating Solar Power (CSP): linear, dish and tower solar power plants.
Heat collection and transport.
Thermal Energy Storage and back-up energy mechanisms to smooth supply to the grid.
Hybrid plants and Integrated Solar Combined Cycle (ISCC)
Efficiencies and scales of current and future deployments
Case studies and examples