Relevant links#
This list gathers updated links to online reports, apps, and other tools that are related to the topics covered in the book.
Chapter 1. Introduction to Photovoltaic Solar Energy#
Annually-published reports including updated information on solar PV.
Fraunhofer-ISE, Photovoltaics Report
IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (PVPS). Snapshot of global PV markets
REN21, Renewables 2021. Global Status Report
Photon International. Solar Power Magazine
IEA Special Report, Solar PV Global Supply Chains
BP Statistical Review of World Energy
History of solar PV: Video from AT&T Archives on The Bell Solar Battery
Chapter 2. Solar Radiation#
Reference Air Mass 1.5 Spectra
Solar data
NREL, Measurement and Instrumentation Data Center
NREL, NSRDB, National Solar Radiation Database
JRC-EU, PVGIS, Photovoltaic Geographical Information System (contains NSRDB data)
Solar radiation maps from SOLARGIS
Solar/PV modeling
Sandia, PV Performance Modeling Collaborative
pvlib-python, PV & solar radiation simulator
Chapter 3. Working principles of a solar cell#
Chapter 5. Silicon solar cell fabrication technology#
Video Summary Production of Silicon (NTNU)
Video Summary Production of Silicon (Wacker)
Silicon metal production plant description
3D video of Electric Arc Furnace (you can rotate the image)
Video EAF during penetration of electrodes
Video Czochralski ingot pulling and wafer sewing, UNSW
Video Solar phosphorus diffusion for silicon solar cells, UNSW
Video Silver and Aluminium Screen Printing, UNSW
Fraunhofer-ISE, Photovoltaics Report
Chapter 6. Alternative solar-cell technologies#
Best Research-Cell Efficiency Chart, NREL
Efficiency Comparison of Technologies: Best Lab Cells vs. Best Lab Modules, Fraunhofer ISE
Chapter 7. Photovoltaic modules#
Numerical methods for solving PV models in Python
Using Lambert’s W for solving single diode model: Hansen, C., Parameter Estimation for Single Diode Models of Photovoltaic Modules, SAND2015-2065, Sandia National Laboratories, 2015
Single-diode model parameters for modules in the CEC database
Software tools
SmartCalc.CTM and SmartCalc.Module
PV industry
International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaic
Fraunhofer-ISE, Photovoltaics Report
Videos on PV module manufacturing and recycling
Chapter 9. Design and operation of distributed PV systems#
Chapter 10. Design and Operation of Utility-scale Solar Power Plants#
World’s largest photovoltaic power plants, wikipedia
Radiation databases
JRC-EU, PVGIS, Photovoltaic Geographical Information System (contains NSRDB data)
Solar radiation maps from SOLARGIS
GIS tools for site evaluation
CAD tools
PV modeling
Sandia, PV Performance Modeling Collaborative
NREL, System Advisor Model (SAM)
pvlib-python, PV & solar radiation simulator
Renewables.ninja, Solar&wind power output simulator
List of open source PV tools from “Review of Open Source Tools for PV Modeling” by Will Holmgren, et al. at IEEE 7th World Conference on PV Energy Conversion 2018.
Chapter 11. Integrated Photovoltaics#
Chapter 12. Measuring solar cells, modules, and power plants#
Fitting an I-V curve from measured data
Electroluminescence while walking on a PV module
Electro-Optical Characterization at NREL
Photovoltaics Characterization: An Overview
Best Research-Cell Efficiency Chart
Research on Photovoltaic characterization at NREL
Characterization facilities for PV materials and cells at IES-UPM
Photovoltaic reports at Fraunhofer Institute
Silicon photovoltaics characterization at Fraunhofer Institute
Chapter 13. Economics of solar energy#
Lazard’s Levelized Cost of Energy
Fraunhofer-ISE, Photovoltaics Report
TEDx talk by Jenny Chase: Solar Energy Is Even Cheaper Than You Think
Chapter 14. Large penetration of solar in the grid#
Understanding Inertia Without the Spin, NREL
PyPSA: Open energy-modelling framework: pypsa.org
PyPSA-Eur-Sec: Open sector-coupled network model of the European Energy System: documentation and code
Chapter 15. Solar PV for space applications#
Video showing the roll out solar arrays at the International Space Station