Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems use an array of cells to convert solar radiation into direct current (DC) electricity. In utility-scale generation, an inverter is used to convert the DC power to AC for evacuation into the power grid.

Driven by steady cost decreases, global solar PV capacity has grown exponentially over the last decade from around 1GW in 1998 to 15GW in 2008. With further technology improvements and expanded supply driving PV costs down to grid parity, global capacity is expected to hit 280GW by 2020, making it the world’s fastest growing energy technology. There are a variety of solar PV cell technologies, including crystalline and thin-film, which differ in design, efficiency and cost. Astonfield has strategic relationships with top-tier technical providers across each key technology to provide the best solution for a given location.