Export potential for photovoltaic systems

Technical Report · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6011138

The purpose of this study is to provide a preliminary assessment of the export potential of U.S. photovoltaic products and systems. The need for such a study was identified by Congress in the Department of Energy Act of 1978--Civilian Applications. (Public Law 95-238, Section 208. The study deals with the following issues regarding the potential export of photovoltaic products. (1) What is the nature of the technology. (2) What are the characteristics of the market. (3) How large is the potential market. (4) How large a share of the market can the U.S. expect based upon past performance. (5) What is the U.S. position relative to the potential foreign competition. (6) What determines potential success in exporting. (7) What policy issues will influence market size and market share. The approach to market assessment in this study uses growth trends for a selected number of applications presently in use, combined with a diffusion or growth model based upon historical examples of technological innovations. The findings from this method predict that the international market for photovoltaic power systems will grow from the present one-half megaWatt of annual production to an annual demand of 100 to 1400 megaWatts by the year 2000. This quantitative assessment is intended to be conservative; it therefore assumes only incremental technological improvements and that cost reductions do not accelerate faster than DOE price goals. It does not include any assumed effects of specific government policies to increase the size of the market or U.S. market share. (WHK)

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-06-1830
• OSTI ID: 6011138
• Report Number(s): DOE/CS-0078
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
299001* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Solar-- (1989-)
CHARGES
COMMERCIALIZATION
COMPETITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EXPORTS
FINANCING
FORECASTING
INDUSTRY
MANUFACTURERS
MARKET
MARKETING RESEARCH
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
POWER SUPPLIES
REMOTE AREAS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR INDUSTRY
TRADE
USES