The Solway PV work  that has been led by Prof Colin Stanley at the department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering is usefully in collaboration with colleagues at Universidad Politecnica de Madrid.

Quantum dot crystals develop PV cells known as Intermediate Band Solar Cells (IBSCs). In PV cells a proportion of the solar spectrum is unused. A higher proportion of the solar spectrum can be absorbed by using a semiconductor with a small bandgap which produces a high current at a low voltage. If a wide bandgap semiconductor is used, the voltage is high, the current low.

According to Stanley, the IBSC (left) can generate both high voltage and high current. ‘The structure is, in essence, simpler; it is a single-junction device and does not require the same degree of current matching to make it work efficiently, nor does it need tunnel diodes.’

Following the introduction of the UK feed-in tariffs in April, UK utility npower claims an 80% increase in enquiries for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. Louisa Gilchrist, solar expert for npower, says: “It’s fantastic to see feed-in-tariffs generating so much interest with homeowners and the scheme should be applauded for energising the solar industry in the UK.

“The scheme means that the payback period has been reduced to around 15 years for a typical installation costing around £12,000 and this has proved to be a real incentive, especially amongst homeowners who have always had a vested interest in solar energy.”

Any homeowner who has had solar PV panels installed using products and installers accredited under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), since summer 2009 has started to benefit from the scheme since 1 April, receiving up to 41.3p for every unit of electricity they generate, which can provide an annual income of up to £960 a year. Although there is considerable debate as to whether the UK subsidy for solar PV is a good use of funds.

Toledo finds €1.2bn needed for RD&D
Benito Montiel, (right) a high level representative from the Energy Ministry of Castilla La Mancha, opened the assembly stressing the importance of the PV Industry for the region in  creation of employment and energy independence and that Castilla La Mancha fully supports the PV Platform goals as well as sustainable Feed-in Tariffs and support incentives for local industry.

Bruno Schmitz, (left) DG Research – European Commission, welcomed “the new ways of working together” and referred to the SEII Teams composed of the PV Industry, research and finance sectors as well as PV delegates from MS supporting the initiative, and to the two Advisory Boards, for Industry and Research respectively, providing input to the SEII Teams.

The SEII was presented by Wim Sinke, (right) the chairman of the EU PV Technology Platform which has worked jointly with the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) the world’s largest photovoltaic industry association, and with the European Commission and Member States representatives on the Initiative.

The SEII Implementation Plan shows how the research sector, PV Industry, European Commission and EU Member States can work together to ensure European technology leadership while supporting a PV contribution of up to 12% of the EU electricity demand by 2020.

The Implementation Plan 2010-2012 states that during the coming 3-year period up to €1.2bn on Research, Development & Demonstration (RD&D) needs to be invested in new production technology and in integration of PV into the grid as well as into the built environment, aiming at achieving cost reduction and enabling large-scale deployment.

These are the first steps in the path to reach, within this decade, competitiveness with electricity prices for residential and commercial sectors and even with conventional fossil fuels for industrial applications in locations with high irradiation. Almost 60% of the investment will need to be provided by the private sector whereas the remaining amount should be balanced between the Commission and Member States.

To maintain EU technology leadership on Photovoltaics, the PV Platform and EPIA encourage the Commission and Member States to urgently execute the SEII Implementation Plan by putting into place effective financial mechanisms as well as significantly increasing public budgets for RD&D.

While the SET Plan has been discussed for about three years now, governments in Asia and USA are intensifying their public RD&D support to their industries, which directly translates into lower manufacturing costs.

The EU PV Technology Platform welcomes efforts to intensify and coordinate at EU level all efforts on RD&D activities and encourages maintenance of all the existing supports for market growth in order to enable photovoltaics to become competitive in the short term and to maintain European technology leadership.