Periodically the PVPS Information Exchange Group undertakes various Special Information Activities (SIAs) focussing on specific issues affecting PV market deployment, not addressed elsewhere under the PVPS programme:

Innovative Financing & Marketing of PV

For many would-be PV users, affordability is a big barrier. PV systems tend to have high up-front costs which can put owning a PV system beyond the means of many people. A variety of initiatives are underway around the world which aim to address this problem. These include mainstream measures such as capital subsidy schemes (mainly government-driven) and preferential buy-back tariffs for PV electricity fed into the distibution network (government/utility), as well as novel approaches such as bulk procurement, solar stock-exchanges, green mortgages, etc. The Information Exchange group is monitoring examples of such mechanisms and periodically reporting them via the PV Power Newsletter.

Added Values of PV Power Systems

The most recent SIA to be completed concerned the 'Added Value of PV Power Systems'. This study documents the wide range of energy and non-energy benefits that PV can offer to utilities, architects, policy makers and other users, demonstrating that there is more to energy service delivery than simple kWh cost comparisons between alternative energy sources.

More information is provided on the PVPS main website. A few hard copies of the report are available for distribution within the UK from the UK Contact for PVPS Information Exchange. Alternatively the report can be downloaded as a PDF here (370kB)

Environmental Aspects of PV Power Systems

The report summarises the conclusions of a PVPS special workshop into the 'state-of-the-art' of research on issues such as health, safety and environmental aspects of different cell technologies, energy payback time and CO2 mitigation potential, and environmental life cycle assessment of PV modules and systems. Click here for more information (provided on the PVPS main website).

Photovoltaics in Competitive Electricity Markets

This activity was established to identify emerging trends and associated PV support strategies, particularly for use by countries and organisations preparing for implementation of competitive electricity markets. Click here for more information (provided on the PVPS main website)