Smart grid adds value to solar photovoltaics

This panel session examines the challenges and opportunities of integrating large scale solar photovoltaic units into the electric power grid. As large solar PV projects (hundreds of MW) come online, their output variation due to weather changes will be visible in the generation dispatch centers. In the absence of a smart grid, the PV power plants can at best be treated as negative loads without any capacity credit. The smart grid provides opportunities for load control and dispatch of storage units to make the solar PV more valuable to grid operation. There will be five presentations in this panel dealing with the research, policy, technology and some country specific applications of solar photovoltaics. The presentation from the US National Science Foundation will focus on some of the ongoing research on advanced solar cells and their expected performance. The speaker from the US Department of Energy will speak about the expected impact of some of the government policies that will encourage large scale penetration of solar PV in the US market. The Chinese speaker will summarize the public and private sector programs in the country designed to promote large scale solar PV penetration there. The presentation from Japan will address the government programs in the country and the programs being promoted by solar PV industry to popularize solar penetration. The presenter from Georgia Tech will identify how the smart can play a role in making solar PV more practical as a grid resource.