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Next Generation Photovoltaics Lecture Series: Advances in Utility-Scale PV Plants: Key Lessons Learned

January 9, 2018

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Center for Next Generation Photovoltaics

The Center for Next Generation Photovoltaics, a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) program, will host a webinar as a part of the Next Generation Photovoltaics Lecture Series, titled “Advances in Utility-Scale PV Plants: Key Lessons Learned,” by Dr. Mahesh Morjaria at 4:00 p.m. Central on January 9, 2018.

The webinar will be posted on the Next Generation Photovoltaics website just before the webinar.

Dr. Mahesh Morjaria is the vice president of Photovoltaic Systems at First Solar.

The lecture is part of the Next Generation Photovolatics series.

Abstract

Advances in utility-scale PV plant design and balance of system (BOS) components, along with PV module cost reduction and efficiency improvement, have played a significant role in making solar energy more cost-effective than conventional resources. The industry has already achieved a significant PV plant cost reduction by adopting the next generation plant architecture that increases direct current (DC) system voltage from 1,000V. Further cost reductions are also possible by adopting other plant architectures. 

The viability of PV plants to provide important ancillary services to the grid was recently demonstrated in a test conducted with NREL and CAISO on a 300MW utility. The results showed that a PV plant can regulate to 4-second Automated Generator Control (AGC) signal 24-30 points more accurately than even fast gas turbines.