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03/30/2016 13:32

Global gathering addresses PV role in energy prosperity and climate change mitigation

Karin Schneider Presse und Public Relations
Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE

    ... and announces transition to a new stage that will carry PV to the terawatt range

    The “Global Alliance for Solar Energy Research Institutes (GA-SERI)” convened a worldwide gathering of experts from Germany, Japan, the USA and beyond to discuss the future of photovoltaics (PV). With annual global PV installations reaching 60 GW in 2015, approaching global production capacity, 50 participants gathered in Freiburg Germany for the initial “GA-SERI Terawatt Workshop” which was supported by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU).

    Representatives from research institutes, industry and funding and financial organizations discussed the contributions of photovoltaics to energy security, prosperity and climate change mitigation and announced the transition to a new stage that will carry PV to the terawatt scale.

    In view of drastically reduced PV costs, cumulative global installations in excess of 3 TW are anticipated by 2030, continuing current R&D and investment paths. PV cost projections make this technology increasingly attractive for low cost domestic electricity supply. To provide a major contribution to global climate goals, total installations on the order of 20 TW will be needed by 2040. This will require continued investment in worldwide R&D to reduce production costs, increase efficiency and improve reliability.

    An increasingly flexible electricity grid, increased availability of low-cost energy storage and demand side management will also play key roles in enabling accelerated PV deployment. In addition to providing a significant fraction of world electricity, PV has the potential to provide low cost energy for mobility and heating market demands.

    Following two days of spirited discussion in the Historical Merchants Hall in Freiburg’s old city, the group reached a consensus that a fully integrated research program among institutes, universities and industry, spanning both near and long term needs can address challenges to scale manufacturing and deployment to the levels required.

    The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy (Germany), the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Japan), and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (USA) are the member institutes of GA-SERI. GA-SERI was founded in 2012.

    All three institutions are publishing this press release simultaneously on March 30, 2016 in Germany, Japan and the USA.


    More information:

    http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de


    Images

    First Terawatt Workshop of the »Global Alliance for Solar Energy Research Institutes GA-SERI« in Freiburg on March 17/18, 2016.
    First Terawatt Workshop of the »Global Alliance for Solar Energy Research Institutes GA-SERI« in Fre ...
    ©Fraunhofer ISE
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    Criteria of this press release:
    Business and commerce, Journalists, Scientists and scholars
    Energy, Environment / ecology, Oceanology / climate, Physics / astronomy
    transregional, national
    Cooperation agreements, Scientific conferences
    English


     

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