Global Solar PV Demand Passes 150 GW

[ScienceRocks]

Global Solar PV Demand Passes 150 GW

Like an inexorable tide, the global solar PV industry continues to grow from strength to strength, pushing past the cumulative total of 150 GW of solar PV installed by the middle of 2014.

Writing on behalf of NPD Solarbuzz, senior analyst Michael Barker notes that the solar PV industry has “steadily grown over the past several years, increasing from an installed base of only 5 GW in 2005 to almost 200 GW forecast by the end of 2014.”

The figures come from the latest Solarbuzz Quarterly published in June, coming hot on the heels of figures showing European solar PV demand dropping for the third consecutive year, and estimates suggesting the US solar PV industry could reach 20 GW by the end of the year.

Europe accounted for a large share of the early growth, but as political uncertainty in the European Union countries has increased, and production in second- and third-world countries has made solar PV a more achievable and affordable prospect for more countries, the focus has slipped away from the European behemoths.

“The last few years have seen steadily declining demand shares in Europe however,” writes Barker, “and in 2014 annual European demand is forecast to account for less than 25% of global demand while demand from the major Asian countries (China, India, Australia, Thailand, and Japan) is projected to account for over half of worldwide solar PV demand (up from 10% demand share in 2010).”

Global Solar PV Demand Passes 150 GW | CleanTechnica

 

[ScienceRocks]

US Solar Installations In 2014 Expected To Double Solar Installations Of 2012

US Solar Installations In 2014 Expected To Double Solar Installations Of 2012 | CleanTechnica

The US solar market is surging. Installations for 2014 are expected to jump to 6.6GW in 2014, a rise of more than one third from 2013, and double the rate of 2012. According to Greentech Media, that rate is expected to nearly double gain by 2016. (see graph to the right)

GTM say the solar PV is expected to rise by one third, with the fastest growth (61 per cent) in the residential sector, with California and New York performing particularly well. GTM says that in 2014 there will be a completed solar installation every 2.4 minutes in the US.

Another notable statistic is the surge in concentrated solar thermal, which is poised to have its strongest year on record. And, as this graph below illustrates, the idea that natural gas will displace renewables is something of a myth – only 4 per cent of new installation came from the shale gas industry – 95 per cent of total installations came from solar, wind and geothermal.

The U.S. installed 1,330 MWdc of solar PV in Q1 2014, up 79% over Q1 2013, making it the second-largest quarter for solar installations in the history of the market.
Cumulative operating PV capacity stood at 13,395 MWdc, with 482,000 individual systems on-line as of the end of Q1 2014.
Growth was driven primarily by the utility solar market, which installed 873 MWdc in Q1 2014, up from 322 MWdc in Q1 2013.
Q1 2014 was the first time residential PV installations exceeded non-residential (commercial) installations nationally since 2002.
For the first time ever, more than 1/3 of residential PV installations came on-line without any state incentive in Q1 2014.
Q1 2014 saw school, government, and nonprofit PV installations add more than 100 MWdc for the second straight quarter.
74% of new electric generating capacity in the U.S. in Q1 2014 came from solar.
We forecast that PV installations will reach 6.6 GWdc in 2014, up 39% over 2013 and nearly double the market size in 2012.
Q1 2014 was the largest quarter ever for concentrating solar power due to the completion of the 392 MWac Ivanpah project and Genesis Solar project’s second 125 MWac phase. With a total of 857 MWac expected to be completed by year’s end, 2014 will likely be the largest year for CSP in history.
Cumulative operating CSP capacity was 1,435 MWac as of the end of Q1 2014.

US solar since 85! Pretty nice, ha?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar...ewer/File:US_Solar_Electricity_Production.svg

 

[ScienceRocks]

There's no stopping solar. Can't say the same for wind, but as prices drop I'd expect the market to start speeding up solars adoption.

Capitalism will demand it. Solar is just too damn good of an energy source to not to.

 

[ScienceRocks]

There's a lot of good reasons for solar other than global warming.

1. Much Cheaper infastructure cost for the third world. Set up = all you do...Africa, middle east and central America could easily raise their standards of living with solar. Coal and oil are expensive as you have to get it out of the ground.

2. Solar is unlimited!

3. Solar is the solution that will allow the rest of humanity to catch up with the west with energy. No one can tell me with solar that humanity can't all enjoy what the west has. Coal, oil and natural gas on the other hand doesn't have this privilege.

 

[Zander]

I'm a fan of solar. Always have been. But the industry is wholly reliant upon government subsidies and policies. Otherwise the payback period is too long.

That is why Obama and his team of anti-coal goons at the EPA are on a quest to increase the cost of electricity. It will help the solar industry whom they've gifted with Billion$ in handouts..... If they get electricity prices high enough, they can then say "See!! Solyndra was a good idea".

The big question is when, if ever, will solar stand on its own?

 

[Political Junky]

Why Buffett, Apple, Google love solar power

The $100 billion solar power industry is gaining a lot of attention both globally and domestically, attracting high-profile investment from Wall Street giants such as Apple, Google and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.

The United States is the world's third-largest solar market, right behind China and Japan, and it's growing rapidly not just because of private investment, but also because of the Obama Administration's efforts to make progress against global climate change.

One of the most desirable locations for building domestic solar facilities is in the Mojave Desert—25,000 square miles of sun-baked terrain spanning southeastern California, plus portions of Nevada, Arizona and Utah. It's no surprise that some of the world's most sophisticated solar plants are popping up there, showcasing the latest developments in the industry.
<more>

 

[ScienceRocks]

I expect globally, we will hit 500,000gw by 2018. America will make 20gw by the end of 2015 and 40gw by 2018!

 

[ScienceRocks]

I'm a fan of solar. Always have been. But the industry is wholly reliant upon government subsidies and policies. Otherwise the payback period is too long.

That is why Obama and his team of anti-coal goons at the EPA are on a quest to increase the cost of electricity. It will help the solar industry whom they've gifted with Billion$ in handouts..... If they get electricity prices high enough, they can then say "See!! Solyndra was a good idea".

The big question is when, if ever, will solar stand on its own?

I believe within the next 5-6 years we will have wide spread grid parity with other energy resources. Some really sunny places already are...

 

[Old Rocks]

There is a great deal of room for improvement on the efficiency of solar panels. As the costs of production continue to come down, the efficiency will also continue to improve. Coal in on the opposite cost curve. As we try to make coal less deadly, it will continue to cost more to process. And the byproducts, fly ass, and arsenic and other heavy metals introduced into the atmosphere and soil, will cost even more to remove.

 

[sameech]

There is a great deal of room for improvement on the efficiency of solar panels. As the costs of production continue to come down, the efficiency will also continue to improve. Coal in on the opposite cost curve. As we try to make coal less deadly, it will continue to cost more to process. And the byproducts, fly ass, and arsenic and other heavy metals introduced into the atmosphere and soil, will cost even more to remove.

But see here is the problem--we should let China buy all the coal it wants instead of trying to completely kill the industry in the US just to keep us or anybody else from using it. It brings good paying jobs to areas where any jobs tend to be few and far between. It isn't like companies are screaming to buy land in WV or KY where the site prep cost of carving and leveling out a flat piece of land on a side of a mountain would make it too expensive to do business. Let these areas work with the resources they have for pete's sake instead of destining them for a life on welfare.

 

[ScienceRocks]

I believe we will make 1tw of solar by 2022.

 

[Old Rocks]

There is a great deal of room for improvement on the efficiency of solar panels. As the costs of production continue to come down, the efficiency will also continue to improve. Coal in on the opposite cost curve. As we try to make coal less deadly, it will continue to cost more to process. And the byproducts, fly ass, and arsenic and other heavy metals introduced into the atmosphere and soil, will cost even more to remove.

But see here is the problem--we should let China buy all the coal it wants instead of trying to completely kill the industry in the US just to keep us or anybody else from using it. It brings good paying jobs to areas where any jobs tend to be few and far between. It isn't like companies are screaming to buy land in WV or KY where the site prep cost of carving and leveling out a flat piece of land on a side of a mountain would make it too expensive to do business. Let these areas work with the resources they have for pete's sake instead of destining them for a life on welfare.

No, we should definately not sell coal to anyone. Leave the damned stuff in the ground. Right now, 1/4 of the mercury pollution in the atmosphere on the West Coast is from China. China now produces more CO2 and other GHGs than we do, but those gases sure don't stay in China. No, we should not sell any coal to anyone.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Watch solar start increasing at a mind blowing rate now that Obama is killing coal!

 

[sameech]

There is a great deal of room for improvement on the efficiency of solar panels. As the costs of production continue to come down, the efficiency will also continue to improve. Coal in on the opposite cost curve. As we try to make coal less deadly, it will continue to cost more to process. And the byproducts, fly ass, and arsenic and other heavy metals introduced into the atmosphere and soil, will cost even more to remove.

But see here is the problem--we should let China buy all the coal it wants instead of trying to completely kill the industry in the US just to keep us or anybody else from using it. It brings good paying jobs to areas where any jobs tend to be few and far between. It isn't like companies are screaming to buy land in WV or KY where the site prep cost of carving and leveling out a flat piece of land on a side of a mountain would make it too expensive to do business. Let these areas work with the resources they have for pete's sake instead of destining them for a life on welfare.

No, we should definately not sell coal to anyone. Leave the damned stuff in the ground. Right now, 1/4 of the mercury pollution in the atmosphere on the West Coast is from China. China now produces more CO2 and other GHGs than we do, but those gases sure don't stay in China. No, we should not sell any coal to anyone.

Well I suppose we could give it to them, but that sounds more socialistic than free market