Solar Technologies 101

NB: You are now able to register on this course using the Solar Economics Forum registration form. If you have any queries or would like to reserve your place now, please enquire here.

Course objectives

Whether you are new to the industry or simply want to refresh and update your knowledge, this one-day training course will ensure you are up-to-speed with the key, fundamental aspects of the Solar energy industry. You will learn about the different applications and technologies for harnessing the sun's energy, including both photovoltaics and solar thermal. These will be placed in their relevant business context both within the energy market as a whole and by considering the commercial, economic and regulatory factors affecting both demand and supply.

You can use the course as a self-contained session or as an opportunity to gain an understanding and confidence which will help you gain most benefit from the Solar Economics Forum taking place on the three days following.

Timing

Registration & coffee:	08:00
Course begins:	09:00
Course ends:	17:30
Includes lunch plus morning & afternoon refreshment breaks

Agenda Details

1. Key concepts in understanding Solar

• Jargon-buster: introducing some of the key terminology and concepts that you should know and which provide a basis for the following discussions.
• Fundamentals of Solar Radiation: quantifying and understanding limiting factors on the energy available.
• Solar energy usage today: a market overview
• Opportunities and challenges in providing on- vs. off-grid energy.

2. Pholtovoltaic (PV) Solar

• How solar cells work: the pholtovoltaic effect
• PV materials, powers and efficiencies, , including crystalline vs. thin-film.
• . PV cells, modules and systems
• PV concentrators and utility-scale deployments.
• New materials and upcoming developments (dyes, quantum dots, space solar etc.)
• Case studies and examples.

3. Solar Thermal

• Low vs. High-temperature solar thermal.
• Concentrating Solar Power (CSP): linear, dish and tower solar-driven engines.
• Thermal Energy Storage mechanisms: smoothing out supply to the grid.
• Efficiency and scale of current and future deployments
• Other solar thermal technologies: solar chimneys and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC)
• Case studies and examples

4.  Solar Economics: Key Influences

• Solar Market Drivers: the key competitive, regulatory and social factors influencing the markets for solar energy.
• Market trends and indicators.
• Introducing concepts such as: Grid Parity, Levelised Electricity Cost (LEC), capital costs, operation & maintenance costs and other key commercial factors.

About Green Power Academy

The Green Power Academy has been established to provide the quality, impartial, informative and enjoyable training needed to increase and distribute knowledge and skills to green energy industry professionals.

Whether you are new to the industry, have recently changed jobs or simply wish to refresh your knowledge, our training should become a key part of your personal or company professional development programme.

If you are interested in learning more about what we offer, wish to keep up-to-date as new course dates and topics are added to our programme, or have a specific question to ask, please contact us via: www.greenpoweracademy.com.

About your trainer

Dr John Massey is Green Power Academy's Training Director and combines a strong academic science background with over fifteen years experience researching and analysing technology industries and trends in the commercial sector. He has delivered training all around the world, in particular explaining the workings and commercial context and implications of rapidly evolving technologies to senior, non-technical executives. He has also developed educational material for both live and distance learning courses.

Following a 1st Class Honours degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge, John also gained a PhD in Earth Sciences and has since undertaken further study in topics including Economics and Innovation & Sustainability.