PHOTOVOLTAIC MANUFACTURING, SYSTEM-DESIGN AND APPLICATION TREND IN IRAN

The application of PV systems in Iran has started since 1982, when a 1 710 Watt power generator was installed in Fars (south east of Iran) to supply a telecommunication site by AEG. Till 1993 more than one hundr ed PV systems with various capacity and purpose of use have been insta lled over the country. In 1993 a production line for multicrystalline silicon solar cells and modules was installed in Tehran by the ministr y of Post, Telegraph and Telephone (PTT). Since then the application o f photovoltaic energy is spreading in various fields in Iran. In this paper the present and future state of photovoltaic plants, solar cell fabrication technology and optimization in system design and power con ditioning are reported. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. Al l rights reserved.