Solar PV Atlas: Solar Power in Harmony with Nature - WWF

Solar PV Atlas
LESS THAN ONE
PER CENT OF EACH
REGION’S LAND COVER
WOULD BE REQUIRED
TO HOST SOLAR
PV GENERATION IN
ORDER TO MEET 100
PER CENT OF THAT
REGION’S PROJECTED
ELECTRICITY NEEDS
IN 2050.
As we look at the “solar boxes” drawn on the
maps and think about different land uses, we
shouldn’t forget that other human activity and
conventional energy also require land. The
built environment–buildings and roads–has
already claimed much land that now has roofs,
awnings, and other potential for shade strutures
that could host PV. No additional land is
required for such co-location of PV with these
existing structures. New ground-mounted PV
systems often offer remarkable economy of
land for the value of electricity they produce.
As comparison, ground-mounted PV systems
in areas of high insolation require less land
than the coal-fuel cycle coupled with surface
mining to produce the same amount of electricity.
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“GROUND-MOUNT PV SYSTEMS IN AREAS OF HIGH
INSOLATION REQUIRE LESS LAND THAN THE COAL-
FUEL CYCLE COUPLED WITH SURFACE MINING”
In each of the selected regions, ground-mounted
solar photovoltaic plants hold huge potential
but need to be carefully sited. Given the
very limited amount of total land (and/or roof
space) required for even 100 per cent of total
electricity needs from PV, it is clear that there
is enough space for solar PV in each of the
selected regions without developing large-scale
plants in protected areas or other areas that are
not suitable for social, economic, technical or
environmental reasons. In those zones, solar
PV would be limited to small applications for
local needs. Indeed, well-sited solar energy installations
of all sizes can go hand in hand with
protection of biodiversity.
Each region selected for this atlas holds great
solar resource. Resource availability alone,
however, does not define markets. Policy also
shapes a nation’s energy supply, and despite
considerable obstacles to overcome, here too
we found reason for optimism in the selected
regions. From bold targets to tiny first steps,
the policies noted in this atlas show potential
for large and sustainable solar market development
if expanded and enacted well.
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