Electricity from Sunlight: Photovoltaic–Systems Integration and Sustainability

Electricity from Sunlight: Photovoltaics Systems Integration and Sustainability, Second Edition

Vasilis Fthenakis, Columbia University and Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA

Paul Lynn, formerly Imperial College, Consultant, UK

 

A technically authoritative overview of photovoltaics and its practical applications now including sections on large–scale PV and the sustainability of its growth

 

Praised for its visual appeal, conversational style and clear explanation of complex ideas with minimal mathematics, Electricity from Sunlight has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect advances in the global PV market, economics and installed capacity.

Key features of the 2nd edition include:

A timely update of the advances of photovoltaics (PV), with major new material on grid–connected systems. More in–depth treatment of PV scientific principles, solar cells, modules, and systems. Up–to–date coverage of the PV market including conversion efficiencies and the expansion of grid–friendly power plants. End–of–chapter questions to support instructors and students through guided self–study. New chapters on manufacturing processes and on materials and other resources availability. New large–scale PV section covering the growth of global capacity, utility–scale PV and affordable solutions for intermittency. Systems analysis of new applications empowered by low–cost PV, such as energy storage and water desalination. Significantly expanded economics and environmental section explaining leveled cost of electricity versus upfront costs, energy return on investments, and lifecycle analysis.

 

Electricity from Sunlight: Photovoltaics Systems Integration and Sustainability, Second Edition is an essential primer for new entrants to the PV industry, needing a basic appreciation of complete PV systems, and to students on undergraduate and graduate courses on renewable energy and photovoltaics.  It also offers a unique treatise of the sustainability of emerging transformative technologies, which makes it useful to both system analysts and energy policy strategists.