Solar PV energy conversion and the 21st century's civilization

A review is given on some important roles of the solar PV technology to contribute to the sustainable developments of the 21st century civilization. Firstly, motivations of the industrial developments by energy revolutions since James Watt on steam engine in the 18th century are discussed. The transitions of natural resources from solid (coal) and liquid (oil) to gas (Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG)) are closely related to not only the economy of mass production, storage and transportation but also environmental issues. Secondly, a brief discussion is given on "the 3E-Trilemma" which is the most important issue for the 21st century's civilization life. Thirdly, a new strategy for the renewable energy promotion-the so-called Fundamental Principle to promote New Energy Developments and Utilization-and its action planning for PV technology up to the year of 2010 are introduced. In the final part of this paper, a prospect of future industrializations of the photovoltaics is discussed, then the possible new roles to contribute to the global environmental issues by the PV system developments are introduced. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.