Solar Energy Perspectives - IEA

Solar Energy Perspectives: Rationale for harnessing the solar resource
makers struggle to reduce incentive levels as fast as PV costs fall, policy makers in Algeria, Chile,
China, India, Japan, Morocco, South Africa and others set up new policy targets and implement
new policy tools to deploy renewables faster, develop competitive clean-energy industries and
ultimately “green their growth”. The politically optimal mix of options to ensure energy security
and reduce greenhouse gas may not exactly coincide with the economically optimal, least-cost
mix that models suggest. Yet, renewable energy appears, well beyond Kyoto, as the most secure
means to stabilise the climate, and solar energy might become the prime contributor.
Structure of the book
Besides its Executive Summary and the current chapter, this book is divided into three sections.
Part A considers markets and outlook for solar energy from a demand-side point of view, for
electricity generation, buildings, industry and transport. Part B assesses in more detail the state
of the art of mature and emerging solar technologies. Part C offers insights into the way forward.
Part A. Markets and outlook
Chapter 2 considers the huge solar resource and its distribution over time and space. It briefly
introduces the technologies that capture and use energy from the sun.
Chapter 3 examines the forthcoming role of solar in generating electricity – in a world that is
likely to need ever more of it. Solar electricity from photovoltaic and solar thermal could
equal hydro power and wind power by 2050 or before, and surpass them in the second half
of this century. Furthermore, solar technologies could improve the lives of hundreds
of millions of people currently lacking access to electricity.
The following chapters (4 and 5) consider how various forms of solar energy (electricity, heat
and fuels) can be combined to match the needs of the large energy consuming sectors
(buildings, industry and transportation).
Part B. Solar technologies
The next four chapters will more precisely assess the state of the art of solar energy
technologies, possible improvements and research, development and demonstration needs.
Photovoltaics come first in Chapter 6, followed by solar heat in Chapter 7. As they derive
from collecting solar energy as heat, analyses of solar thermal electricity and solar fuels
follow in Chapters 8 and 9.
Part C. The way forward
Chapter 10 elaborates on the costs of the incentive systems, and how they distinguish
themselves from the bulk of investment costs in solar energy technologies. It then investigates
the advantages and possible downsides of the various support schemes.
Chapter 11 looks farther into the future, considering whether a global economy entirely based
on solar and other renewable energy resources is possible – and what are the likely limits.
A brief conclusion summarises the results and defines areas for future work.
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© OECD/IEA, 2011