Photovoltaics have become a versatile and attractive technology for generating electricity from sunlight. The cost of photovoltaic systems has decreased dramatically from over $100 per watt in 1980 to just $1 per watt in 2004 due to increases in production volumes and improvements in manufacturing processes. As a result, the cumulative installed global peak power capacity of photovoltaics grew from 10 megawatts in 1990 to over 10 gigawatts in 2010. A 12 megawatt ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system in Germany uses over 1,500 solar panels on two-axis trackers to generate about 14 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually across 77 hectares of land.

1. Dr. Volker Wittwer Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE Photovoltaics: sexy and versatile technology

6. Price experience learning curve d [µm] = 400 300 200 100 50  cell [%] = 10 15 18 20 22% (25%) [€/W p ] 100 10 1 1980 1990 2000 2004 Installed Peak Power (comulated) [GWp] 10 -1 10 Graph: G. Willeke, ISE (30%) 2020 2010 1 10 -2 10 -3 10 -4 10 2 10 3

12. 12MW Ground Mounted System in Arnstein / N‘Bavaria System: 1,500 units of 2-axis tracker Tracker supplier: Solon Contractor: Solon Modul type: different c-Si Modul suppl.: Solon (Sunpower…) Area: 77 ha Annual yield: 14 GWh

13. Energy Management in Low Voltage Grids Technical management allows economical and energy saving use of electricity production and storage control PV + load battery PCU fuel cell CHP load business prognosis 20 kV 400 V