CdTe grid-connected photovoltaic system at energy commission Malaysia: Performance and sustainability issues

Commissioned in November 2009, Malaysia´s Energy Commission headquarters utilizes a 71.4kWp rated grid-connected Cadmium-Telluride (CdTe) thin-film photovoltaic system which meets approximately 10% of the building´s average electrical power demand. As of June 2011, the photovoltaic panel performance degradation rate is about 3.4% over 1.67 years, i.e. 2% per annum. The system´s economic sustainability may be represented by an estimated payback period of 21 years at an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 2-4%. Once a higher feed-in tariff supported by the Renewable Energy Act 2010 takes effect, IRR will increase and payback time will fall. Environmental sustainability is supported by the panel manufacturer´s written policy that it will collect and recycle panels free of charge.