Photovoltaic energy conversion has been widely used for over three decades in the space program to power satellites and in the last two decades has also found widespread use in remote applications such as powering microwave communication repeaters, providing cathodic protection for wells and pipelines, pumping water in remote locations, etc. With continued improvements in performance and ongoing reductions in manufacturing costs, PV systems are expected to become cost effective for grid-connected applications in the next few years. While crystalline silicon technology accounts for the majority of the present PV business, new thin film PV technologies such as multijunction amorphous silicon, copper-indium-diselenide and cadmium telluride have progressed to a point where several companies are building multi-megawatt production facilities. High efficiency concentrator arrays may also prove to be cost effective for grid-connected applications in regions of the world with significant direct sunlight.
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