Flat-Plate Solar Array Project: Final report: Volume 1, Executive summary

In 1975, the US government contracted the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to develop, by 1985, in conjunction with industry, the photovoltaics (PV) module and array technology required for widespread use of photovoltaics as a significant terrestrial energy source. As a result, a project that eventually became known as the Flat-Plate Solar Array (FSA) Project was formed to manage an industry, university, and government team to perform the necessary research and development. The original goals were to achieve widespread commercial use of PV modules and arrays through the development of technology that would allow them to be profitably sold for $1.07/W/sub p/ (1985 dollars). A 10% module conversion efficiency and a 20-year lifetime were also goals of the Project. It is intended that this Executive Summary provide the means by which the reader can gain a perspective on 11 years of terrestrial photovoltaic research and development conducted by the FSA Project.