International Center for Science and High Technology
AREA Science Park, Padriciano 99, 34012 Trieste, Italy
Expert Group Meeting on
“Networking of PV systems and applications”
Cairo, 26-28 April 2000
Sponsored by: ICS-UNIDO
Hosted by:
Photoenergy Center, Cairo
Expert Group Meeting Directors
Mr. Anthony Bromley, Senior Officer, UNIDO/IEE/SES
Prof. Sabry Abdel-Mottaleb, Director, Photoenergy Centre
Background
The worldwide demand for solar electric power systems has increasingly gained momentum in the last decade. PV solar cells are one of the most judicious choices, particularly in the non-grid remote areas owing to its reliability, competitive cost and easy maintenance.
It must be added that the demand for environmental and longer-term fuel supply concerns by governments and electric utilities help accelerate the market for PV systems.
Typical applications of PV include stand-alone power systems for cottages and remote residences, navigational aides for the Coast Guard, remote telecommunication sites for utilities and the military, water pumping for farmers and emergency call boxes for highways.
Through lots of field tests all over the world, PV systems have been devised so as to adapt to the various kinds of applications and also substantive know-how has been established on the institutional aspects, pilot project characteristics, implementation process, operational and technological issues.
The cost of PV systems, which had been a long-standing question for PV applications, has decreased to realistic level due to the improvement of energy conversion efficiency and the development of thin-film cell technology. In fact, recently the cost has remarkably dropped and it is expected to be competitive with the conventional power supply before 2010 and bear the important role of electricity generation in the near future.
As a consequence PV applications in developing countries are just before the mass diffusion.
Justification
* The real beneficiaries of PV technology in the developing countries should be inhabitants, small industries, hospitals and schools which are not connected to the grid.
* In this sense, technicians and engineers as well as scientists should be trained for the practical usage, maintenance and repair
* A couple of project proposals to materialize training activities on PV systems and applications have been collected by ICS-UNIDO
* In order to meet the needs, necessary actions should be taken by ICS in close collaboration with UNIDO/IEE/SES branch and CASE (International Centre for Application of Solar Energy, UNIDO Research Centre for Renewable Energy) since such programme is strongly connected to UNIDO service module on Rural energy development
* The programme should be focused on PV systems and applications as well as on the cost evaluation, taking into account the practical benefit for the developing countries
* Given their strong interest in PV applications, selected Middle East and North African countries should be given first priority on technology transfer
* The Photoenergy Centre, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, would be a suitable focal point as a regional centre in the Middle East and African countries due to its excellent experience of PV technology and to its geographic position
Objectives
Discuss the scheme to meet the needs presented by the selected developing countries
Discuss about the creation of a PV network focused on the systems and the practical applications
Outline and schedule the activities for the year 2000 and 2001
Expected Outputs
Identify the pertinent institutions and resource persons
Make a concrete action-plan to implement the programme
Define the ICS-UNIDO role and final goal for the project
Participants (Tentative)
25 participants:
Photoenergy Centre, Egypt
CASE (International Centre for Application of Solar Energy), Australia
NEDO (New Energy Development Organization), Japan
Eurosolare, Italy
ESCWA (Lebanon)
Tunisia
Syria
Palestine Authority
Morocco
Jordan
Local participants in Egypt
Saudi Arabia
Yemen
Each participant has been prepared a paper on PV projects and present the situation of PV technology in their countries.
PV related International organizations such as ESCWA and UNDP.
Professor Sabry Abdel-Mottaleb
solar@photoenergy.org
Fax: +202 4845941
Tentative programme
26 April Key note address on the PV technology transfer from UNIDO, CASE, NEDO and Eurosolare
27 April Introduction and case studies by participants from developing countries on the PV activities and applications in their countries and Site visits
28 April Round table discussion on the scheme of the PV applications network and action plan for 2000 and 2001
Venue and Dates
The workshop will be hosted by the Photoenergy Centre, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, 26-28 April 2000
Language
The workshop will be conducted in English.
