PV solar electricity: From a niche market to one of the most important mainstream markets for electricity

Abstract

PV solar electricity is seen as one of the few booming markets, today and in the coming decades. This market has grown globally at a rate of about 40% per year over the past 10 years. Related industries have realized a two-digit, billion-dollar (U.S.) turnover worldwide. PV solar electricity is a high-tech industry with high performance potential in the coming decades, leaving even the electronics industries behind and approaching the automotive industry. Our sector still needs market support for the coming 5 to 10 years, best in form of feed-in tariff programs for on-grid applications. The development of liberalized utility markets worldwide with the establishment of differentiated price tariffs which are in most countries high in the summer afternoon at peak times, well matched by most kWhs produced in a PV system near to the needs, will make PV kWhs competitive in the time scaled mentioned. The increase of conventional electricity process due to CO2 sequestration and storage and increase of fuel prices will accelerate their competitiveness. Generation cost of PV kWhs will then soon be below grid parity. © 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.