Field Performance Evaluation of Amorphous Silicon (a-Si) Photovoltaic Systems in Kenya : Methods and Measurements in Support of a Sustainable Commercial Solar Energy Industry
The study reviews the active market for photo-voltaic (PV) solar home systems (SHSs) in Kenya, with cumulative sales in excess of 100,000 units, and current sales of approximately 20,000 modules per year. It further identifies that small single jun...
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| Format: | ESMAP Paper |
| Language: | English en_US |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2014
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2000/08/717492/field-performance-evaluation-amorphous-silicon-a-si-photovoltaic-systems-kenya-methods-measurements-support-sustainable-commercial-solar-energy-industry http://hdl.handle.net/10986/20311 |
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okr-10986-203112021-04-23T14:03:37Z Field Performance Evaluation of Amorphous Silicon (a-Si) Photovoltaic Systems in Kenya : Methods and Measurements in Support of a Sustainable Commercial Solar Energy Industry Duke, Richard D. Graham, Shannon Hankins, Mark Jacobson, Arne Kammen, Daniel M. Osawa, Bernard Pulver, Simone Walther, Erika BASIC BATTERIES BATTERY BATTERY CHARGING CALCULATORS CHARGING CLOUD COVER CO COLORS CORROSION ELECTRICITY ELECTRONICS ENERGY PRODUCTION ENGINEERS GOLD INSOLATION INTERCONNECTIONS LINES MANUFACTURING PROCESSES MEASUREMENTS MODERN ENERGY MODULES PHOTOVOLTAICS POWER POWER SYSTEMS RADIATION RENEWABLE ENERGY SILICON SOLAR ENERGY SOLAR RADIATION SYSTEM DESIGN TECHNICIANS TELECOMMUNICATIONS TEMPERATURE TERMINALS VOC VOLTAGE The study reviews the active market for photo-voltaic (PV) solar home systems (SHSs) in Kenya, with cumulative sales in excess of 100,000 units, and current sales of approximately 20,000 modules per year. It further identifies that small single junction amorphous silicon (a-Si) modules dominate the market, largely due to their lower retail price, relative to similar sizes of crystalline PV modules. Despite this commercial success, there is concern about the performance of single junction a-Si modules, both in terms of uneven technological quality record, and uncertain short-term degradation, which occurs when this type of PV module is initially exposed to the sun. The study confirms that modules made by two of the three companies dominating the Kenyan a-Si PV market, offer long-term performance, roughly compared to crystalline PV, confirming also that quality brands of single junction a-Si modules provide a highly cost-effective alternative to crystalline modules for SHSs, particularly for households only able to afford relatively small systems. The success of this brand, despite its considerably higher price per measured Wp, indicate that rural consumers are ill-equipped to compare the relative performance of different module brands, and that risks and limitations associated with these systems, suggest a cautious approach. 2014-09-30T20:29:55Z 2014-09-30T20:29:55Z 2000-08 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2000/08/717492/field-performance-evaluation-amorphous-silicon-a-si-photovoltaic-systems-kenya-methods-measurements-support-sustainable-commercial-solar-energy-industry http://hdl.handle.net/10986/20311 English en_US Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme technical series;no. ESMAP technical paper no. 005 CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/ World Bank, Washington, DC Publications & Research :: ESMAP Paper Publications & Research Africa Kenya |
| repository_type |
Digital Repository |
| institution_category |
Foreign Institution |
| institution |
Digital Repositories |
| building |
World Bank Open Knowledge Repository |
| collection |
World Bank |
| language |
English en_US |
| topic |
BASIC BATTERIES BATTERY BATTERY CHARGING CALCULATORS CHARGING CLOUD COVER CO COLORS CORROSION ELECTRICITY ELECTRONICS ENERGY PRODUCTION ENGINEERS GOLD INSOLATION INTERCONNECTIONS LINES MANUFACTURING PROCESSES MEASUREMENTS MODERN ENERGY MODULES PHOTOVOLTAICS POWER POWER SYSTEMS RADIATION RENEWABLE ENERGY SILICON SOLAR ENERGY SOLAR RADIATION SYSTEM DESIGN TECHNICIANS TELECOMMUNICATIONS TEMPERATURE TERMINALS VOC VOLTAGE |
| spellingShingle |
BASIC BATTERIES BATTERY BATTERY CHARGING CALCULATORS CHARGING CLOUD COVER CO COLORS CORROSION ELECTRICITY ELECTRONICS ENERGY PRODUCTION ENGINEERS GOLD INSOLATION INTERCONNECTIONS LINES MANUFACTURING PROCESSES MEASUREMENTS MODERN ENERGY MODULES PHOTOVOLTAICS POWER POWER SYSTEMS RADIATION RENEWABLE ENERGY SILICON SOLAR ENERGY SOLAR RADIATION SYSTEM DESIGN TECHNICIANS TELECOMMUNICATIONS TEMPERATURE TERMINALS VOC VOLTAGE Duke, Richard D. Graham, Shannon Hankins, Mark Jacobson, Arne Kammen, Daniel M. Osawa, Bernard Pulver, Simone Walther, Erika Field Performance Evaluation of Amorphous Silicon (a-Si) Photovoltaic Systems in Kenya : Methods and Measurements in Support of a Sustainable Commercial Solar Energy Industry |
| geographic_facet |
Africa Kenya |
| relation |
Energy Sector Management Assistance
Programme technical series;no. ESMAP technical paper no. 005 |
| description |
The study reviews the active market for
photo-voltaic (PV) solar home systems (SHSs) in Kenya, with
cumulative sales in excess of 100,000 units, and current
sales of approximately 20,000 modules per year. It further
identifies that small single junction amorphous silicon
(a-Si) modules dominate the market, largely due to their
lower retail price, relative to similar sizes of crystalline
PV modules. Despite this commercial success, there is
concern about the performance of single junction a-Si
modules, both in terms of uneven technological quality
record, and uncertain short-term degradation, which occurs
when this type of PV module is initially exposed to the sun.
The study confirms that modules made by two of the three
companies dominating the Kenyan a-Si PV market, offer
long-term performance, roughly compared to crystalline PV,
confirming also that quality brands of single junction a-Si
modules provide a highly cost-effective alternative to
crystalline modules for SHSs, particularly for households
only able to afford relatively small systems. The success of
this brand, despite its considerably higher price per
measured Wp, indicate that rural consumers are ill-equipped
to compare the relative performance of different module
brands, and that risks and limitations associated with these
systems, suggest a cautious approach. |
| format |
Publications & Research :: ESMAP Paper |
| author |
Duke, Richard D. Graham, Shannon Hankins, Mark Jacobson, Arne Kammen, Daniel M. Osawa, Bernard Pulver, Simone Walther, Erika |
| author_facet |
Duke, Richard D. Graham, Shannon Hankins, Mark Jacobson, Arne Kammen, Daniel M. Osawa, Bernard Pulver, Simone Walther, Erika |
| author_sort |
Duke, Richard D. |
| title |
Field Performance Evaluation of Amorphous Silicon (a-Si) Photovoltaic Systems in Kenya : Methods and Measurements in Support of a Sustainable Commercial Solar Energy Industry |
| title_short |
Field Performance Evaluation of Amorphous Silicon (a-Si) Photovoltaic Systems in Kenya : Methods and Measurements in Support of a Sustainable Commercial Solar Energy Industry |
| title_full |
Field Performance Evaluation of Amorphous Silicon (a-Si) Photovoltaic Systems in Kenya : Methods and Measurements in Support of a Sustainable Commercial Solar Energy Industry |
| title_fullStr |
Field Performance Evaluation of Amorphous Silicon (a-Si) Photovoltaic Systems in Kenya : Methods and Measurements in Support of a Sustainable Commercial Solar Energy Industry |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Field Performance Evaluation of Amorphous Silicon (a-Si) Photovoltaic Systems in Kenya : Methods and Measurements in Support of a Sustainable Commercial Solar Energy Industry |
| title_sort |
field performance evaluation of amorphous silicon (a-si) photovoltaic systems in kenya : methods and measurements in support of a sustainable commercial solar energy industry |
| publisher |
World Bank, Washington, DC |
| publishDate |
2014 |
| url |
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2000/08/717492/field-performance-evaluation-amorphous-silicon-a-si-photovoltaic-systems-kenya-methods-measurements-support-sustainable-commercial-solar-energy-industry http://hdl.handle.net/10986/20311 |
| _version_ |
1764437177084674048 |