HIT PV Module
- Winner: Sanyo Solar Industries
- Features:An amorphous silicon layer is built on and adhered to the crystalline silicon substrate of the solar cell at low temperature. The adherence with low temperature realizes the thin substrate of cell, thus reducing the silicon used by 17.5%. The originality of making the most of the both merits of the single crystal silicon and amorphous silicon, and high technological development ability which helped realize the industry's top conversion efficiency for the cell and module (17.3% and 15.2% respectively) are highly acclaimed.
Example of Installation
- Winner: Sharp Corp.
- Features:The PV module has been designed using single crystal cells with a high conversion efficiency of 17%. With the distance between the cells increased, the sun beam entering the inter-cellular space is reflected by the film at the back of the cell, and this beam is further reflected at the cover glass to increase the solar light entering the cell so as to improve the power generation output by 4%. This technological development has helped reduce the number of cells per module from 54 to 48, reducing costs, and the silicon used for the cell. The integrated fanless structure improved its reliability and safety of the inverter. This is high frequency insulation, transformer-less, connecting box built-in type inverter, realizing low-noise features and reducing costs by a sharp 53%.
”New Energy System Application category
1. Solar Arcade of Fushimi-Otesuji Shopping Malls
Installation of See-Through Solar Panels
- Winner: Fushimi-Otesuji Mall Promotion Association, Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
- Features:Solar panels with a total output of 31 kW have been installed in four shopping malls of Otesuji, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto City. They are used for the lighting of the arcades, air-conditioning, and driving two monuments. The malls adopt different kind of cell; single crystal, polycrystal, and amorphous silicon respectively, and the difference can be shown easily. The current output of the system is displayed digitally at three locations of the arcades. This unconventional and daring step taken by the shopping malls to install solar cells have brought major ripple effects in other commercial facilities.
2. Dual Effect Power Generation Using Heat from Waste Incineration
Gas Turbine and Steam Turbine System
- Winner: Sakai City, Kubota, Osaka Gas Co., Ltd.
- Features:A waste power generator which combines a 4,100 kW gas turbine and 12,400 kW steam turbine, with a total output of 16,500 kW. From the beginning, it was designed as an integrated power generation system for a refuse incineration plant, and made rational and compact. The amount of dioxin discharged is considerably below the limit. The gas turbine has a DSS (Daily Start and Stop) function which enables the power generated in the day and at night to be adjusted to 2:1. The ratio can be adjusted, in addition to the DSS system, to up to 3.5:1 according to the changes in the waste disposed during the daytime and at night. Also, it can deal with the changes in daytime and nighttime demands of commercial-use power triggered by power sales.
Award Program in 1997
Award Program in 1996
New Energy Vanguard21
