Solar PV 101
Introduction
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 PV industry. You will learn about harnessing the sun's energy through both silicon and thin-film photovoltaics (PV), plus emerging concepts. You will have a chance to discuss the economic and commercial factors affecting them, and gain an insight into the direction of travel of these technologies and the industry around them.
The science and technology is placed in a fully relevant business context, ensuring that the information gained provides a real commercial value.
Level & Style
Please note that this course will be run in an informal manner which allows and encourages time for discussion and questions, to ensure participants get the most out of the day.
About your trainer
Dr John Massey is Green Power Academy's Training Director and in-house solar expert. He combines a strong academic science background with over fifteen years experience researching and analysing technology industries and trends in the commercial sector (covering a range of technologies and markets including renewable energies, telecoms and consumer electronics). He has delivered training globally, explaining the workings and financial / commercial context of rapidly evolving technologies to senior, non-technical executives. He has also developed educational material for both live and distance learning courses.
Following a 1st Class Honours degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge, John gained a PhD in Earth Sciences and – in addition to his commercial experience - has gained further academic qualifications in topics including Economics, Innovation and Sustainability.
About Green Power Academy
Green Power Academy exists to provide the quality, impartial, informative and enjoyable training needed to increase and distribute knowledge and skills to green energy industry professionals.
Whether you are new to the industry, have recently changed jobs or simply wish to refresh your knowledge, our training should become a key part of your personal or company professional development programme.
If you are interested in learning more about what we offer and wish to keep up-to-date as new course dates and topics are added to our programme, please bookmark and register your interest at: www.greenpoweracademy.com.
“Excellent Tutor”
“Comprehensive overview in a short period of time”
Agenda Details
Key concepts in understanding eolar Energy
- Jargon-buster: introducing some of the key scientific terminologies and concepts.
- Power vs. Energy, energy conversion efficiency, electricity vs. heat.
- Fundamentals of Solar Radiation: quantifying and understanding limiting factors on the energy resources available.
- Fixed, single-axis and dual-axis tracking and its impact on energy collection.
Pholtovoltaic (PV) solar technology
- How solar cells work: the pholtovoltaic effect.
- PV materials, powers and efficiencies.
- Comparing crystalline and thin-film materials and their performance.
- New materials and upcoming developments (dyes, organics, space solar etc.)
- Manufacturing methods and commercialising PV technologies.
- PV cells, modules and systems, including “bill of system” contributions and costs.
- Real-world PV performance.
- Concentrated PV (CPV)
- Issues impacting on utility-scale deployments and “solar farms”.
- The challenges of electricity storage (including when and why it might be needed)
- Case studies and examples.
The economics of solar PV
- A discussion of costs (capex and opex) and the factors that determine them.
- Methods and tools for determining the financial viability of a PV system
- Competitive positioning: PV in a market of other power technologies
- Regulatory impacts on PV economics, including feed-in-tariffs (FITs) and other incentives
Approximate Timing
Course begins: 09:00 Course ends: 17:00
(NB. timings are approximate and include lunch plus morning and afternoon refreshment breaks)