Renewable DER Technologies

• Photovoltaics
• Thermo-solar
• Wind power generation
• Biomass
• Hydro
• Fuel cell
• Energy harvesting
Photovoltaics technologies
• First Generation
▫ Crystalline Silicon (>90% market share, about
20% efficiency)
• Second Generation
▫ Thin film PV (cheaper, but with very low efficiency
<11%)
▫ Concentrating: Multi-junction (~40% efficiency,
high cost)
• Third Generation
▫ On the way, low efficiency (~10%), but very low
cost.
Photovoltaics technologies
Photovoltaics – Balacing systems
Thermo-solar (CSP) technologies
• Linear Systems
▫ Uses parabolic concentrators or or Fresnell lens
reflectors (until 80-250 MW)
• Power Tower Systems
▫ Uses sun-tracking mirrors (heliostats) focusing
sunlight onto a receiver at the top of a tower (200
MW)
• Dish/Engine Systems
▫ Uses Stirling machines to generate small amounts
of power (3-25 kW)
Thermo-solar (CSP) technologies
Wind power
Wind power evolution