The increasing penetration of PV systems raises several issues with regard to grid management and especially the balancing of load and supply. This new challenge, arising from the variable nature of PV production has lead IEA PVPS to identify whether PV should continue to be considered as an intermittent source of electricity production and how it should be managed in order to keep a stable and balanced power grid.

In parallel, IEA PVPS continues to detail the elements making PV a reliable and sustainable energy source. In that respect the production of PV electricity in the residential sector in Europe has been assessed from a life-cycle point of view.

The first report released today discusses the reasons why managing large fleets of PV systems transforms the production intermittency into a variable and foreseeable production curve. It explains why the traditional belief about the intermittent nature of PV production should be revised, and proposes a simple global model for modelling the variability of PV fleets. This report from IEA PVPS Task 14 shows a pathway for preparing the current and future electricity systems along the way towards PV as a major electricity source.

The second report officially released today discusses the environmental performance of key PV technologies in the residential system in Europe through a complete life-cycle assessment. This report from IEA PVPS Task 12 aims at providing accurate information about the sustainability aspects of PV development, using scientific methods to assess the impact it could have at thee horizons 2030 ad 2050.