The ongoing debate today is whether solar photovoltaics (PV) will emerge from its niche position within the energy sector to become a larger part of our power generation portfolio.
Because solar PV has been in development for 60 years, you could easily assume that it might be another 60 years before it becomes a major energy source. But speaking from within a company that has supplied 25 percent of the world's power generation technology, that future could arrive sooner than many realize.
Right now, PV costs are higher than other solutions today -- including other renewables. But the overall trends and recent progress within the PV industry reveal that solar is poised for major growth.
More competition across the entire solar industry is accelerating the pace of technology development, overcoming bottlenecks and reducing costs. And as installed capacity increases, the solar industry is learning faster.
To put this progress in perspective, PV module costs are 10 times cheaper than what they were 30 years ago. Even more impressive is the greater than 30 percent reduction in installed PV systems costs in the U.S. and even deeper reductions in Germany where competition has become more fierce over the past decade.
Despite the financial crisis, investor interest in solar technology continues to be strong. Solar PV held the distinction of having more venture capital and private equity funding funneled into it than any other technology on the planet from 2006 to 2008.
These investments and others have borne advances such as cheaper, more efficient thin film PV modules, and micro inverters that enable safer, modular, scalable rooftop systems complete with built-in communications. Companies like GE and others are working to address the integration challenges of putting large amounts of variable resource onto the electrical grid through advanced controls and communications, as well as looking at important storage issues.
Future technology improvement and standardization will create new efficiencies in solar module design and system installation, making this clean energy source even more economically viable.
PV propaganda.
The misleading shorthand of 'solar' to indicate PV is long overdue for revision.
The solar thermal options are far more significant in efficacy and applicability than are deserving of such short shrift in the energy vernacular. Solar thermal systems have direct energy delivery and electrical generating potential which should surpass PV in extent of public exposure and awareness. Furthermore they help facilitate independent energy production and ween us away from dependence on utilities and the grid of limited energy infrastructure imagination.
Best wishes,
Haym S. Gross
A r c h i t e c t
41 BLEECKER STREET # 4
NEW YORK, NY 10012
Tel.: 212-420-9357
Cell: 917-576-4957
"No" emissions
While it's technically true that there are no direct emissions from PV, there are significant emissions and other pollutants associated with their manufacture. It's like calling an electric car "zero emissions". A more appropriate term would be "zero direct emissions".
I'm still all for solar, when appropriate, but I just wanted to clarify that.