Page 235 - ISES SWC50

9.3 PV 1990-1999

During the 1990’s the market for PV shifted from the off-grid systems to the grid connected systems. Rooftop
solar programs started in Japan and in the USA by Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). Pacific Gas
and Electric demonstrated the first large grid connect PV systems used for grid support. The International
Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems (IEA-PVPS) commenced to produce annual trend reports
providing information on installed capacity, manufacturing capacity, Research and Development expenditure,
pricing and the policies driving the growth of solar. In 1990’s these reports focussed just on IEA countries
where much of the production and installation occurred at that time but later the annual reports expanded to
cover non-IEA countries. MW started to replace kW when quoting PV installation capacity.

In accordance with the IEA-PVPS Trend reports during the 1990’s:
• Annual installations grew from 26MW in 1993 to over 120MW in 1999.
• Cumulative installed capacity grew from 110MW in 1992 to approximately 520MW in 1999.
• In 1993 off grid systems represented 62% of the annual installations and by 1999 this had decreased to
26%.
• Cumulative installed capacity off grid systems reduced from 70% in 1992 to 47% in 1999.

Table 14: Average Module Prices for Large and Small Orders
Year Small Module Order (USD/Wp) Large Module Order (USD/Wp)

1993 8.5 (less than 1kW ) 5.6
p
1995 5.5 (less than 1kW ) 4.9
p
1997 5.0 (less than 5kW ) 4.1
p

Source: IEA-PVPS PV Trends Report

Figure 66: Annual PV Installed Capacity (1993-1999)
Source: IEA PVPS 1999 Trends Report

ISES SWC50 - The Century of Solar-Stories and Visions | 217