PHOTOVOLTAIC BOARDS MEET THE TECHNOLOGY
Brazil is more efficient solar plate at lower cost
The plates have above average efficiency
PUC researchers from Rio Grande do Sul develop more efficient solar energy harvesting boards than the world average, lower costs, but have yet to achieve scale in the Brazilian market. "We use the same raw material from abroad to a Brazilian revenues more economically," says Adriano Moehlecke one responsible for the research. Moehlecke states that estimates were made showing reduction in manufacturing costs compared to international standards, but can not disclose those numbers. On efficiency, national cell converts 15.4% of solar energy into electricity. It may seem little, but the world average is 14%. The best marketed in the world solar cells convert about 16%.
Currently, attempting to produce viable photovoltaic plates are in a mini factory within the PUC. The idea of the researchers, working for 10 years on the project, is to develop a means of generating this kind of energy and market it in the country with materials found in the domestic market.
The sector has accumulated growth. "The industry of photovoltaic modules is growing at an average of 80% per year worldwide," says Moehlecke. 7,900 megawatts were produced between 2007 and 2008. The power generated is equivalent to half of the generation of the Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant. "Every two years, they leave the factory, a solar Itaipu but Brazil is out of all this, applications are still very timid, most in isolated electrical network systems," he says.
Moehlecke studies the production of solar energy since 1997 in partnership with Izete Zanesco researcher. The work was initiated at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and gained notoriety in 2002 when researchers won the Young Scientist Award.
They have received around R $ 6 million in investment from the federal government, the Financier of Studies and Projects (FINEP), Petrobras, Eletrosul and National Electricity Company (CNEE). This all, however, is still insufficient so that these boards are produced on a large scale. 200 units to the project sponsors, Petrobras, Eletrosul and other companies have been delivered. The modules will be installed and tested in March.
Why we have not
There are several reasons that may explain the lack of incentives to this type of energy in Brazil. One is the price, energy is still more expensive than the others. "But this figure is falling year by year." Calculations of the Federal University of Santa Catarina in 2013 show that the kilowatt-hour produced by the Brazilian conventional power grid and that produced by the solar network will have the same value in the Northeast.
Another reason for the apparent disinterest in investing in clean energy sources is the "crutch of hydropower: have a clean energy today, hampers the development of new cleaner energy. But we have to think about the future without coal or nuclear, we will not be able to enjoy the rivers forever. " The lack of immediate market also makes investors unwilling to invest in this technology: "The government says there will be no incentive to produce as there is no market. The companies are not interested in producing because there are no government incentives, is a cycle, "says Moehlecke.
