Realizing the Promises & Addressing
the Challenges of Solar Energy: A
National Priority.
Roland Hulstrom
NREL Solar Program
Manager.
Feb. 10, 2009
NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Innovation for Our Energy Future
• Dedicated to renewable energy & energy efficiency
R&D, demonstration, and deployment.
• Collaboration with industry, universities, and States
is a hallmark.
• Ability to link scientific discovery & product development
to accelerate commercialization.
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10% R.E. by 2012
25% R.E. by 2025
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
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National Renewable Energy Laboratory
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National effort/priorities to include schools/education
ACORE teams up with Partners GREEN and their “Project EverGreen Schools”
Initiative in an effort to transition America’s schools towards Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy
The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) announced today that it has
joined forces with Partners GREEN in signing a letter to President Obama voicing its
strong support for the Partners GREEN’s project, “Onsite Renewable Energy,
Efficiencies and Education at Our Nation’s Schools.” ACORE and Partners GREEN
will ask ACORE Members to join in signing this “Letter to President Obama” before the
letter is delivered to the President on February 26, 2009, through the RETECH
Conference in Las Vegas, NV.
President Obama has called for renewable energy efficiencies, and educational
programs to be brought to our nation’s schools and, in response to that challenge,
Partners GREEN launched a petition drive to secure support for a national energy policy
consistent with President Obama's goal for “greening” the nation's schools.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
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National Renewable Energy Laboratory
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"I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy.
What a source of power! I hope we don't have to
wait till oil and coal run out before we tackle that."
Thomas Edison (1847-1931)
Converting the sun’s radiation into electricity – two
main pathways
Photovoltaics (PV)
Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)
Cells of semi-conductors absorb photons and
directly convert them into electrical current.
Mirrors focus solar radiation to heat fluids that are used
to drive electric generators.
Can be used anywhere in the U.S.
Predominantly in the Southwest U.S.
(requires direct sunlight)
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The Challenges/Requirements
•
•
•
•
•
•
Systems that deliver reliable (20 to 30 yrs.) retail-competitive
electricity for a wide variety of markets & applications.
Systems that have optimized capacity (storage) factors that make
them attractive to electrical grid and certain markets.
Large-scale (gigawatts) U.S. industrial manufacturing &
deployment capacities that will dramatically reduce component,
system, and installation costs.
A national workforce commensurate with large scale development
and deployment. Education and training at all levels.
Acceptable/value-added grid integration; Smart Grids.
Advanced solar resource prospecting and forecasting (1 hour to 1
week) technologies and tools.
•
Financing mechanisms to facilitate affordability.
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Photovoltaic (PV) applications and markets are
Commercial
evolving very rapidly
Residential
PV is a growing source for
distributed & centralized
electricity generation
Utility-scale
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U.S. solar resources significantly outweigh energy use
Currently, solar
provides less than
0.1% of the
electricity used in
the U.S.
For the U.S., less than
2% of the land
dedicated to
cropland and
grazing could
provide all of our
electricity.
Covering less than
0.2% of the land on
the earth with 10%efficient solar cells
would provide
twice the power
used by the world.
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CSP industry is developing multiple plant technologies, each with
different route to intermediate power parity
Trough
Linear Fresnel
Dishes
Tower
DOE Goals for Industry Technology Development & Projects:
• Peak/Intermediate power of 10 cents/kWh by 2012
• Intermediate power of 7 cents/kWh with 6 hrs storage by 2015
• Baseload power of 5 cents/kWh with 14 hrs storage by 2020
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Southwest U.S. is ideal for CSP technology
Direct-Normal Solar Resource for the Southwest U.S.
Screened Solar Resource for the Southwest U.S.
Screening for:
> 6.0 kWh/m2/day,
Environment/urban/
water/etc land uses,
< 1% slope, > 5 km2.
Potential Solar Generation Capacity by State
Very large technical potential
 Could provide more than 10X
current U.S. electricity capacity.
 Need access to transmission.
State
AZ
CA
CO
NV
NM
TX
UT
Total
Solar
Land Area Capacity
(mi 2)
(MW)
13,613 1,742,461
6,278
803,647
6,232
797,758
11,090 1,419,480
20,356 2,605,585
6,374
815,880
23,288 2,980,823
87,232 11,165,633
Solar
Generation
Capacity
GWh
4,121,268
1,900,786
1,886,858
3,357,355
6,162,729
1,929,719
7,050,242
26,408,956
Source: NREL (2007).
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The Mission of the DOE Solar Program is to Accelerate the wide-spread
adoption of solar electric technologies across the U.S.
Photovoltaics (PV)
DOE
SETP
Distributed Generation
- on-site or near point of use -
Market Transformation
Grid Integration
Concentrating Solar
Power (CSP)
Centralized Generation
- large users or utilities -
15
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The goal of the SAI is to reduce solar electricity to grid parity
by 2015
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Planning/Decision-Making: Priorities, Scope, & Funding
?
Congress
President
?
?
DOE
?
DOE
EERE
?
Stakeholders
(inputs, review)
Public
Industry
States/Cities
Etc.
48%
National
Labs
Strategic Plan
FY Plans
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
?
DOE
SETP
Strategic Plan
FY Plans
NREL Solar Program;38%
SNL: 10%
BNL: <1%
Others
?
52%
DOE
GFO
Strategic Plan
FY Plans
Industry
Universities
States/Cities
Schools
Utilities
Innovation for Our Energy Future
A number of factors are driving strong growth in the solar
industry
Federal, state, and local policy incentives.
Market volatility and high cost of natural
gas and oil.
Climate change and likely
carbon regulations.
Energy security issues.
Need for increased energy production to
meet growing demand (China, India,
etc.).
Interest from financial community in “next
big thing”.
Influx of talent from the IC industry.
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Source: Navigant Consulting, Report #NPS-Supply 3, April 2008.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
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PV growing rapidly in key countries
Grid-connected PV is
fastest growing
market.
Incentives have driven
steep growth in
installations.
Average annual global
growth rate has been
40+% for the past 5
years.
PV could capture > 30%
of market share for
new capacity
additions within next
5-10 years.
Source: International Energy Agency (2007).
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CSP Projects in the US (July 2008)
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CSP Projects and development outside the US (July 2008)
* Natural gas/hybrid project; capacity shown is CSP portion only
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Market Transformation & Deployment: Schools
Critical Roles and Opportunities.
• Workforce & Market Development:
- All levels of education and training.
Future users/consumers/decision-makers
Scientists & Engineers
Skilled trades
Local > National government
Financial (loans, investing, etc.)
• Deployment: (communities/utilities)
- Building-integrated PV electric power supplies
- Community/utility large scale power plants
- Serve as examples of “how to do it right”
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Solar Education & Workforce Development
New Ideas in Educating a Workforce In
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: 3rd
National Conference Set for November 18-20,
2009, Albany, NY : IREC web site.
Large roof-top systems.
Covered Parking = Dual-use, prime, space
within communities: Solar Power Stations
750 kWac Carport
Naval Base Coronado, CA
Photo credit: Schott Solar
130 kWac Carport
Riverside, CA
Photo credit: PowerLight