Editing Distributed generation (section)

=== Solar power ===
{{Further|Photovoltaic system}}

[[Photovoltaics]], by far the most important solar technology for distributed generation of [[solar power]], uses [[solar cell]]s assembled into [[solar panel]]s to convert sunlight into electricity. It is a [[growth of photovoltaics|fast-growing]] technology doubling its worldwide installed capacity every couple of years. [[PV system]]s range from distributed, residential, and commercial [[Rooftop photovoltaic power station|rooftop]] or [[Building-integrated photovoltaics|building integrated]] installations, to large, centralized utility-scale [[photovoltaic power station]]s.

The predominant PV technology is [[crystalline silicon]], while [[thin-film solar cell]] technology accounts for about 10 percent of global photovoltaic deployment.<ref name="Fraunhofer-PR-2014">
{{cite web |date=28 July 2014 |title=Photovoltaics Report |url=http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/downloads-englisch/pdf-files-englisch/photovoltaics-report-slides.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809192020/http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/downloads-englisch/pdf-files-englisch/photovoltaics-report-slides.pdf |archive-date=9 August 2014 |access-date=31 August 2014 |publisher=Fraunhofer ISE |pages=18–19}}
</ref> In recent years, PV technology has improved its sunlight to electricity [[Solar cell efficiency|conversion efficiency]], reduced the installation [[Price per watt|cost per watt]] as well as its [[energy payback time]] (EPBT) and [[levelised cost of electricity]] (LCOE), and has reached [[grid parity]] in at least 19 different markets in 2014.<ref>
{{cite web
 |last1=Parkinson
 |first1=Giles
 |title=Deutsche Bank predicts second solar "gold-rush"
 |url=http://reneweconomy.com.au/2014/deutsche-bank-predicts-second-solar-gold-rush-40084
 |work=REnewEconomy
 |access-date=14 September 2014
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628163703/http://reneweconomy.com.au/2014/deutsche-bank-predicts-second-solar-gold-rush-40084
 |archive-date=28 June 2014
 |date=7 January 2014
 |url-status=dead
}}</ref>

As most [[renewable energy]] sources and unlike coal and nuclear, solar PV is variable and non-[[Dispatchable generation|dispatchable]], but has no fuel costs, operating pollution, as well as greatly reduced mining-safety and operating-safety issues. It produces peak power around local noon each day and its [[capacity factor]] is around 20 percent.<ref>https://www.academia.edu, Janet Marsdon [https://www.academia.edu/446324/Distributed_Generation_Systems_A_New_Paradigm_for_Sustainable_Energy Distributed Generation Systems:A New Paradigm for Sustainable Energy]</ref>