ABSTRACT
The case studies discussed in Part II, in which the feasibility of introducing very large-scale PV systems into desert areas in terms of economics, life-cycle assessment (LCA) and technology transfer are examined, suggest that VLS-PV systems may be an attractive energy source in the 21st century. However, its financial aspect should not be ignored; that is, a great deal of funds must be raised to install a VLS-PV system even though the average generation cost of a system can be cheap. Furthermore, problems may exist that have not been investigated at the actual development stage. Therefore a step-by-step enlargement of the PV system might be an effective way to prevent financial, technological and environmental risks caused by its rapid development. Moreover, the long-term sustainable operation of a VLS-PV system must be discussed in consideration of the local benefits that the introduction and expansion of a VLS-PV system will produce. In this chapter, some scenario studies to realize VLS-PV are discussed.
