Systems descriptions, costs, technical and market readiness assessments are reported for ten solar technologies: solar heating and cooling of buildings (SHACOB), passive, agricultural and industrial process heat (A/IPH), biomass, ocean thermal (OTEC), wind (WECS), solar thermal electric, photovoltaics, satellite power station (SPS), and solar total energy systems (STES). Study objectives, scope, and methods. are presented. of Joint Task The cost and market analyses portion 5213/6103 will be used to make commercialization assessments in the conclusions of. the final report. xi
To review methods of economic assessment of intermittent solar technologies in applications that are connected to conventional utility systems. This report concentrates on research and development planning. More specifically, it concentrates on the problem of identifying solar electric technology cost goals-the system costs at which solar electric systems will compete with conventional technologies • Despite this technology assessment perspective, utility analysts and public utility commissions should find the information in this report useful because of recent changes in regulations affecting the utility industry. The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) and related rules governing its implementation require utilities and utility commissions to consider rate reform and establish rates for power purchased from solar and other qualifying facilities. The problems associated with assessing grid-connected solar technologies are inextricably related to the problems associated with establishing rate-design policies for solar customers •
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