Education in the field of photovoltaics in Czech Republic
V. BENDA
Department of Electrotechnology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering
Czech Technical University in Prague
Technicka 2, 166 27 Praha 6
CZECH REPUBLIC
E-mail: benda@fel.cvut.cz
Abstract
The demand for specialists in photovoltaics is expected to increase considerably anticipated in the
relatively near future. Education and training are needed for specialists in this field, in order to
establish an infrastructure and to meet the requirements of the market.
One of problems in teaching photovoltaics is that the field of study is rather broad and interdisciplinary.
Education can be offered on various levels – from very basic information for the general public, to
training courses for users and specialised education for experts. Education for specialists in the field of
photovoltaics may be provided in various ways: from short courses and professional training sessions
up to graduate programs on a high academic level.
In the Czech Republic, education in photovoltaics is provided at several levels. For primary and
secondary schools, the Sun into Schools programme received state support from 2000 until 2006.
Small on-grid connected PV demonstration systems were built at several hundred schools, and basic
information was provided in the physics curriculum. Teacher education formed a part of this project.
Specialists are prepared at university level. At the Czech Technical University in Prague, a course in
Photovoltaic Systems, dealing with PV system technology (28 hours of lectures, 28 hours of exercises)
forms a part of the master study programme in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology. A
course of similar length on Photovoltaic Systems has been included in the master study programme in
Intelligent Buildings. This course is deals with practical applications in energy-efficient buildings.
1. INTRODUCTION
In the last two decades, photovoltaics has received a great deal of attention and funding as a
pollution-free, renewable technology that has the potential to contribute significantly to future energy
supply. It is the task of scientists, engineers and businessmen to develop this technology into costefficient applications, and it is the task of educators to prepare not only specialists who will develop
photovoltaics but also members of the general public to be aware of the issues involved in this field.
Impressive progress has been made in PV technology over the past twenty years. This is evident from
the lower costs, the rising efficiency and the
great improvements in system reliability and
yield. Yearly growth rates in the period from
2000 to 2004 were on an average more than
40%, and in 2005 PV industrial production grew
by almost 50%. In 2006, solar cell production
grew by 40% to a level of more than 2.5 GW p.
In 2007 the level could reach 3.5 GW p.
Photovoltaics is one of the most dynamically
growing industries at the present time.
(Hirshman, 2007).
In Europe, the yearly irradiance varies between
2
800 and 1800 kWh/m , while in Germany the
yearly irradiance varies from 900 to 1400
2
kWh/m . Despite this relatively low irradiance
level, Germany has become the leading country
Figure.1. The growth of the world PV cell production
Education in the field of photovoltaics in Czech Republic
Benda
in photovoltaic installation due to introduction of a feed-in tariff for on-grid systems in 2000. The target
for cumulative photovoltaic system capacity installed in the European Union by 2010 is 3 GW p. The
real growth rate is much higher than the planned rate, and 3 GW p will probably be reached before the
end of 2007. A level of 6 GW p may be
reached by 2010 (Jäger-Waldau).
The Czech Republic has a well developed
utility grid (the last villages were connected
to the grid in the 1950s). The yearly
irradiance in the Czech Republic varies from
2
900 to 1200 kWh/m (similar to Germany).
In combination, these conditions do not give
much space for the development of grid-off
photovoltaic systems. The power of the PV
systems installed before 2000 was therefore
relatively low. Nevertheless, in the Czech
Republic have been relatively high PV
Figure 2. PV installations in the Czech Republic
industry activities – two companies
producing CZ monocrystalline silicon, one
company producing Si-c solar cells, three companies producing PV modules, more then 10 companies
producing controllers, inverters, solar trackers and PV system installations, and also relatively high
R&D potential in the field of photovoltaics. To increase the PV system installed power, EU policy on
developing renewable energy sources had to be followed also in the development on-grid photovoltaic
systems. Therefore, demonstration PV systems gradually began to be built after 2000, mostly in
connection with the Sun into Schools programme. Feed-in tariff conditions comparable to those in
Germany and other European countries were introduced since January 2006, and then the number of
photovoltaic installations began to increase rapidly, as indicated in Fig.2 (Fig.2 also shows the target
of 28.5 MW p to be installed by 2010).
The growth of photovoltaics is connected with an increased demand for new specialists. In Europe,
several tens of thousands of new jobs are likely to be created in the field of photovoltaics in the next
five years (Jäger-Waldau). It is not only the photovoltaics industry that will require people to be
educated in photovoltaics. It will also be necessary to ensure that the general public knows about the
nature, application and dissemination of photovoltaic systems..
2. ASPECTS OF EDUCATION IN PHOTOVOLTAICS
To ensure successful implementation of photovoltaic systems, a strong effort is required at all levels in
the field of education and training (from installation technicians to PhD students). A broadly-based
education system needs to be introduced to increase knowledge about photovoltaics. The education
system must combine appropriate information with the relationship between this knowledge and
everyday life. Apart from the universities, many other institutions can contribute to studies of
photovoltaics at various levels. Implementation of the education programme clearly requires teachers
with extended knowledge, and for this reason teacher education should be an important aspect of the
programme.
Photovoltaics is a broad, interdisciplinary field of study. On the one hand, students need a good
knowledge of materials physics and interactions with incident light, optimisation of cell structures, and
anti-reflection coatings, in order to understand the physical structure of different types of solar cells.
Many technological processes are used in the fabrication of solar cells and photovoltaic modules.
Applications of photovoltaics involve a good knowledge of the characteristics, the relations between
load and maximum power output, and the influence on cell efficiency of operating conditions,
especially cell temperature. Students should have a sound knowledge of power and control
electronics. As the output power of photovoltaic systems depends on temporary solar irradiation, some
basic knowledge of solar physics and meteorology are very important, along with an understanding of
problems of local shading, etc.
There is a danger that the individual aspects of photovoltaics may be studied separately and in
isolation. Photovoltaic materials, cell physics, cell and module technology are studied by physicists,
chemists and technologists, converters are studied by electrical engineers. Architects, designers and
utility engineers take a special interest in PV system applications, but are less interested in problems
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Education in the field of photovoltaics in Czech Republic
Benda
of materials and technology. However, each of these topics forms parts of a single system, in which
the economic aspects of the individual disciplines must be taken into account.
Isolated aspects of a general course on renewable energy sources will not provide a sufficient
understanding of the range of interconnected problems in this field. The education system must
combine the appropriate information and bring out the relationship between scientific knowledge and
everyday life. Apart from the universities, many other institutions can contribute to studies of
photovoltaics, at various levels. Such an education programme requires teachers with extended
knowledge. Teachers need to be specially educated to deliver courses and classes that will meet the
economic and social demands of the development of photovoltaics.
3. EDUCATION IN PHOTOVOLTAICS IN CZECH REPUBLIC
The education system in the Czech Republic is basically divided into non-compulsory pre-schooling,
followed by 9-year primary schools, followed by 3 or 4 years of secondary education of various forms
and types. Secondary school graduates can proceed to university studies.
3.1.
Education in PV at primary and secondary schools
In both primary and secondary schools, classes on the enviroment were introduced in the early 1990s.
In these classes, renewable energy sources, including photovoltaics, were mentioned, giving
schoolchildren some very elementary information. Some information about the photovoltaic effect
were also included in the physics syllabus. However, this information needed to be connected with a
demonstration of the real function of photovoltaic systems.
In order to demonstrate photovoltaics to young people and to the general public, the state-supported
programme Sun into Schools ran from 2000 until 2006. In the framework of this programme, schools
could apply for a grant from the State Environmental Fund to build an on-grid connected PV system
for demonstration purposes. The size of the PV system supported by the programme depended on the
type of school. This programme has involved not only demonstration systems but also a teacher
education programme. Textbooks and other materials have been prepared for teachers taking part in
this project.
At primary schools, the aim was to provide information on how to generate electrical energy using a
PV system, in order to generate general awareness. Small (200 W p) on-grid connected PV
demonstration systems have been built at several hundred schools, and very basic information is
included in the physics curriculum. Even only a drop of primary schools has taken part in this
programme, it increased both a general knowledge of schoolchildren about photovoltaics and the
general public interest.
At secondary school level, larger (1200 W p) systems with data collection were built at specialised
schools. More detailed information about photovoltaics is now included in the physics syllabus.
Systems of this types have been built at several dozen technically-oriented secondary schools.
Education sets for laboratory practce were developed, too.
More powerful PV systems have been built in the framework of the Sun into Schools programmes at
the technical universities (one 3 kWp, six 20 kWp and two 40 kW p) to support the taught courses and
to initiate and support research and development activities.
Within the framework of the Sun into Schools programme, 676 systems have been implemented, with
a total power of 380 kW p. The systems are also used for collecting data from PV systems to the
common webside, 31 photovoltaic systems have been conected on-line in an interactive map that can
be used for education as a virtual laboratory.
Very important there may be also after-school activities. For example, a programme and a Czech
championship under the title Powered by the Sun were introduced to motivate schoolchildren.
Students or teams of students study a problem in the field of photovoltaic system, build a simple small
2
car, powered robotically by a 1dm photovoltaic panel, and then adjust the parameters of the control
electronics to achieve as much speed as they can.
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Education in the field of photovoltaics in Czech Republic
3.2
Benda
Education in PV at universities
Practically all universities include courses on the environment in their study programmes. However,
programmes directly aimed at educating specialists in photovoltaics have been developed only at the
Czech Technical University in Prague.
At the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, CTU in Prague, research on producing silicon solar cells first
became a subject for student research projects in 1985 - 1988. The technology developed at the
faculty was introduced into industrial production at Tesla Vrchlabi in 1991. With the aim of raising the
interest of students, a course on Solar Energy Exploitation Systems, mostly dealing with photovoltaics,
was introduced in 1995 as an optional course. This course was developed to introduce
undergraduates to the main issues in photovoltaics, from photovoltaic effect theory, cell construction
and technology to applications, including operating conditions and economic and environmental
problems (Benda, 2005). Since that time, about 30 students per year have chosen this course as a
part of their study programme.
To meet the increasing demand for photovoltaics, a course in Photovoltaic Systems, dealing with PV
system technology (28 hours of lectures, 28 hours of exercises) now forms part of the master study
programme in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology.
In the field of photovoltaics, materials science and solar cell fabrication technology seem be of special
importance, the projected progress in photovoltaic applications calls for a decrease in solar cell (or
module) costs to 20% of present-day prices. The main features of significant materials therefore need
to be introduced and explained.
The characteristic features of solar cells should be discussed in detail, and solar cell construction and
technology should be presented, emphasizing efficiency and low production costs. Information about
module construction and technology in connection with final parameters is also very important
For practical applications, information about basic types of photovoltaic systems, including structures
and energy storage systems are key electrical engineering information for optimising conversion from
solar to electrical energy. It is also necessary to provide detailed information about the basic power
and control electronic circuits used in photovoltaic applications.
When working on photovoltaic system projects, it is very important to know about
meteorological and other operating conditions, and also about the economic aspects of photovoltaics.
In an attempt to cover all the main aspects of photovoltaic systems and to give due prominence to the
various important factors, the classes have been structures as shown in Table 1. Applications-oriented
exercises form a very important part of the course.
Table 1. Synopsis of lectures on Photovoltaic Systems
Week
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Content
Solar energy (spectra, geographic position and influence of climate).
Photovoltaic effect
Solar cells, basic structure and characteristics
Single-crystalline, polycrystalline and thin film solar cells
Construction and technology of highly-efficient solar cells
Construction and technology of PV modules
Modules with concentrators, hybrid systems
Photovoltaic systems – basic types
Stand-alone systems. Grid-connected systems
Energy storage for photovoltaic systems
Applications of photovoltaic systems
Operating conditions of photovoltaic systems
Economic and environmental aspects of photovoltaics
Present trends in the field of photovoltaics.
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Education in the field of photovoltaics in Czech Republic
Benda
The laboratory exercises deal with photovoltaic system applications, and are adapted to the
requirements of electrical engineers. The exercises have been divided into three blocks.
The first block deals with detailed measurements of cell characteristics and the influence of important
external parameters (light intensity and temperature) and internal parameters (series and parallel
resistance) on the shape of these characteristics and on cell efficiency.
The second block consists of three exercises concerned with measuring the characteristics of PV
modules
• measurements on a solar module – dc load system
• measurements on a solar module – regulator – battery – dc load system
• measurements on a solar module – dc/dc – dc/ac system
The third block analyses data obtained from an on-grid demonstration PV system, and includes a
small, simple photovoltaic system project (both off-grid and on-grid)
A synopsis of the practical exercises is shown in Table 2.
Table 2. Synopsis of practical exercises
The solar cell measurements are performed on standard square (102 mm x 102 mm) silicon cells
(single-crystalline and polycrystalline), and 26 W p monocrystalline Si modules are used for the module
measurements. In both cases, illumination with halogen bulbs is used. To demonstrate the function of
photovoltaic systems in real operating conditions, a 3 kW p on-grid connected photovoltaic system
situated on the roof of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering can be used. Input and output data (dc
voltage, dc current, ac voltage, ac current, instant power and energy produced) supplemented by PV
field temperature and intensity of solar radiation are available online at http://andrea.feld.cvut.cz/fvs.
Another course of simliar length on Photovoltaic Systems has been included in the master study
programme in Intelligent Buildings, which will be opened at the Czech Technical University in the
2007/2008 academic year. This course concentrates on practical photovoltaics applications in energy
efficient buildings (on-roof and façade installations of PV systems).
There are cooperation links with some other European Universities. Lectures on Photovoltaic systems
are given also in English for stuents coming to study at the Czech Technical University in the
framework of ERASMUS programme. Teachers from the CTU Prague participate also in preparing
lectures at European Summer School on Solar Energy in Patra (Greece), PhD. course on
Photovolaics in Aalbg (Denmark) and in using ICT tools for education in the field of potovoltaics.
Czech Technical University is followed by some other technical universities in activities in techning
photovoltaics. Courses on photovoltaics included into a regular study programme are being prepared
also at VUT Brno.
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Education in the field of photovoltaics in Czech Republic
3.3
Benda
Short courses and training
Besides education on an university level, short courses and trainings are being prepared for engineers
and technicians. Courses are organised by both universities (e.g. Czech Technical university has
developed a short course on Renewable Energy Sources for energy producing company CEZ) and
private companies (such courses should be university acredited). Some courses and workshops are
organised also by professional organisations and by companies producing or selling PV technology.
These courses are usually oriented on a particular areas or products and a relatively high level of
general knowledge of participants, that they can obtain in the above described public education
system, is desirable.
4. CONCLUSIONS
The Czech education system is developing in a synergy with increasing demand for building
photovoltaic systems in Czech Republic. A big progress has been done in education at primary and
secondary schools, where local initiatives were supported by the programme “Sun into schools”.
At the university level, the leader in the field is Czech Technical University in Prague. Specialised
courses on photovoltaics have been developed for preparing specialists for very quickly growing
segment of photovoltaic industry and for energy generation by photovoltaic applications. The course
developed for the field of electrical engineering gives information on both device and application
approach with application oriented laboratory measurement tasks. New course on photovoltaics as
part of curricula of the MSc study in a branch “Intelligent buildings” has been developed, to increase
knowledge of civil engineers. Also other technical universities in Czech Republic (Brno, Pilsen) are
preparing introduction of a broader education in the field of photovoltaics into study plans.
This way, specialist for very quickly developing field of photovoltaic industry and applications are
prepared.
5. REFERENCES
Benda, V.(2004) Development of a Course on Photovoltaic Systems. Solid State Phenomena. no. 9798, pp. 133-138
Hirshman W., Herring G. and Schmels M. (2007) Gigawarts – the measure of things to come, Photon
International, No.3, 136 – 166
Jäger-Waldau A. (2006), PV Status Report 2006 (Research, Solar Cell Production and
Market Implementation of Photovoltaics), Office for Official Publications of the European Communities,
Luxembourg
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