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Energy Systems and Technologies for the Coming Century ...

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towards use of PV all over <strong>the</strong> world. According to IEA’s solar PV roadmap <strong>the</strong>competitive parity with <strong>the</strong> power grid will be achieved by 2020. PV power will provideby 2050 around 11% of global electricity production (IEA, 2010a). The global financialcrisis has put a hold to many planned projects which might endanger <strong>the</strong> fulfilment of <strong>the</strong>IEA targets. However, some countries are building up an industry to meet <strong>the</strong> futuredem<strong>and</strong>s <strong>for</strong> solar PV <strong>and</strong> at <strong>the</strong> same time achieve economic growth. Here China hasgained a strong position, fur<strong>the</strong>r streng<strong>the</strong>ned by <strong>the</strong> takeover of Norway’s Elkem Solar.Entrepreneurial experiments <strong>and</strong> demonstrations will help to turn new knowledge intobusiness opportunities <strong>and</strong> innovations. Policy instruments which support suchentrepreneurial activities, under <strong>the</strong> umbrella of Innovation Norway, have to bestreng<strong>the</strong>ned. Fur<strong>the</strong>r knowledge development <strong>and</strong> collaboration of important private <strong>and</strong>public R&D actors across national borders will help creating <strong>and</strong> diffusing knowledge.Here <strong>the</strong> cooperation with <strong>the</strong> Nordic countries (<strong>for</strong> ex. <strong>the</strong> Nordic Centre of Excellencein Photovoltaics) <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r European countries (activities under <strong>the</strong> auspice of <strong>the</strong>Strategic <strong>Energy</strong> Technology Plan <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Photovoltaic Industry Association,such as <strong>the</strong> Solar Europe Industry Initiative <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Photovoltaic TechnologyPlat<strong>for</strong>m) can turn out to be useful. It is <strong>the</strong> European industry’s vision that by 2020 PVwill be a mainstream <strong>and</strong> competitive energy technology providing up to 12% of <strong>the</strong>European electricity dem<strong>and</strong>. This is going to increase to 20% in 2030 <strong>and</strong> 30% in 2050.Priority setting by Norwegian, Nordic <strong>and</strong> European RD&D funders <strong>and</strong> governmentswill improve guidance of <strong>the</strong> search. Niche markets have to be created <strong>and</strong> entrepreneurshave to find <strong>the</strong>m also abroad.Expectations towards <strong>the</strong> deployment of solar PV are high in most of <strong>the</strong> countries, but<strong>the</strong>re are several actions needed: <strong>the</strong> development of st<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>for</strong> PV products, aregulatory framework <strong>for</strong> large-scale integration of PV into <strong>the</strong> European grid <strong>and</strong> ofinnovative business models <strong>for</strong> end-users <strong>and</strong> rural deployment. System integration hasto be addressed in cooperation with network operators, producers of electric automobiles<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> building sector. As soon as grid competitiveness is achieved, policy should bedirected on improving self-sustained markets, phasing-out economic incentives butmaintaining access to grids <strong>and</strong> R&D funding.Up-scaling of Norwegian industrial actors depend on global market conditions, marketincentives, access to financial capital <strong>and</strong> political framework conditions. Limited accessto financial capital was one of <strong>the</strong> reasons <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> takeover of Elkem by China’s Bluestar.Not all up-scaling will happen in Norway as some of <strong>the</strong>se developments have alreadyshown (REC’s activities in Singapore, Metallkraft’s activities in Singapore <strong>and</strong> China).Global challenges are not clear enough communicated: <strong>the</strong> financial crisis has put a holdon fur<strong>the</strong>r improvements <strong>and</strong> climate change critics doubt <strong>the</strong> necessity to rush <strong>for</strong>ward.Several technological solutions still compete: <strong>the</strong> fossil-based energy sector may chooseto invest more on carbon capture <strong>and</strong> storage than on renewable energy <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> atomicindustry has huge plans <strong>for</strong> building nuclear power plants although this may changerapidly because of <strong>the</strong> atomic energy catastrophe in Japan, after <strong>the</strong> March 2011 tsunami.4. DiscussionOur case studies show <strong>the</strong> importance of innovation policy strategies <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> successfuldevelopment of a competitive development <strong>and</strong> diffusion of renewable energy technologies.Public policies supporting such success stories are an intelligent combination ofenergy policy <strong>and</strong> innovation policy strategies. Both countries are small open economies,oriented towards <strong>the</strong> international markets.While <strong>the</strong> Norwegian PV case shows <strong>the</strong> dependence on <strong>the</strong> international marketconditions, <strong>the</strong> Danish offshore wind case shows <strong>the</strong> importance also of <strong>the</strong> home <strong>and</strong>neighbouring markets. However, <strong>the</strong> Danish case also shows <strong>the</strong> fierce competition <strong>and</strong>globalisation of <strong>the</strong> industry, <strong>the</strong> implications of <strong>the</strong> liberalised European energy marketsRisø International <strong>Energy</strong> Conference 2011 Proceedings Page 84

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