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A Learning Curve Approach to Projecting Cost and Performance in Thin Film Photovoltaics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

George Cody  and
Thomas Tiedje
George Cody
Affiliation:
Exxon Research, Clinton Township, Route 22 East, Annandale N.J. 08801, gdcody@erenj.com
Thomas Tiedje
Affiliation:
Physics Department, University of British Columbia, 6224 Agriculture Road, Vancouver, British Columbia. V6TIZI, Canada, tiedje@physicsubc.ca
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Abstract

The current cost of electricity generated by PV power is still extremely high with respect to utility power and there remain questions as to whether PV power can ever be competitive with electricity generated by fossil fuels. A previous paper by the authors supplied an objective framework for considering this important question and introduced analytical tools to define and project the technical/economic status of PV power through the year 2010. In this paper, we update this previous work in the context of the recent announcements by Amoco/Enron Solar of projected sales of PV power in 1997 at rates considerably less than the US average.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 426: Symposium J – Thin Films for Photovoltaic and Related Device , 1996 , 539
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996

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