Global Solar Energy

Introduction

In the collective effort to wean the world energy demand from fossil fuels, solar energy has become an increasingly attractive substitute. Countries around the world are building solar panels to satisfy energy demand on large and small scales. There are multiple reasons why solar energy output has been allowed to  grow during the recent past, and we can see the impact of each reason when discussing examples of their success. The first and most potent reason I would argue is the advance in the technology of solar energy production. The second most powerful reason is an increase in political will to utilize solar power. The third reason I would argue is improved integration in solar energy production. After discussing the impacts of these three factors specifically, the exponential rise of the graph above will seem more realistic. We will start first by discussing the technological improvements in the solar industry.

New Technology

Technological advancement is the force that drives the cost of energy production down, and the efficiency of production up. With solar energy, this force is critical in order to give energy producers and consumers more of an incentive than just “being green” to use solar panels. Research and development of photovoltaics has been part of the reason why solar energy is making progress in solving the renewable energy problem.

One potential improvement in photovoltaics is the Perovskite solar cell. These cells can complement, or substitute for the silicon semiconductor within the panel. The materials that would take its place are lead, ammonia and iodine. These materials are used to construct a crystalline layer that would take the place of the silicon cell. The benefit of this method is significant. First, the cost of the materials, and the construction of the crystalline perovskite cell is much less costly than the processing of silicon. This allows for cheaper production and lower prices for solar panels. Second, the perovskite cell can absorb higher frequency radiation than silicon, and is transparent to normal solar rays. So when used as a complement to the silicon layer, a solar panels absorption range is increased, therefore increasing its efficiency by about 5.6%. This would increase the benefit of buying solar panels, for commercial and residential use.

Political Will

Germany is an excellent example of success in solar energy production driven by political will. Today, they satisfy about half of their energy demand with photovoltaics. For this to be achieved, all that was required was an early start, and the political power to create market incentives to back the solar energy production. German politicians passed a Renewable Energy Sources Act in 1991. Under this act, government policies were fitted to promote the expansion of renewable energy. Solar providers were able to sell their energy utilities to consumers just as easily as oil. It also required government to ensure the financial stability of the solar industry, which in turn encouraged more investment in solar. So, after 25 years of government protection and incubation in the marketplace, solar energy has thrived in a country where relative sunshine is low. This example of success should prompt other nations to follow suit.

Integration

The US Department of Energy’s SunShot initiative is a project aimed at introducing solar power into the energy grid through efficient integration. This also would allow for solar power to be a part of the utilities market, expanding its production. This efficient integration would in turn achieve something similar to Germany’s initiative, as far as breaking cost barriers. By the cooperation of utilities companies, and government to dissolve fees and regulations for solar energy transmission, they can provide the solar option to a wider range of consumers. The main part however is actually building infrastructure that incorporates solar plants into the grid. These improved additions would benefit by their more advanced technology, such as information exchange similar to a smart grid, and improved reliability that can compete with non-renewables. If SunShot can achieve these goals, then solar energy will be a viable option for a majority of consumers in the US, which is a big step in reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions.

Sources

“Systems Integration.” Energy.gov. US Department of Energy, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.

3pcontributor. “How Germany Became a Solar Superpower.” Triple Pundit People Planet Profit. N.p., 12 Aug. 2015. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.

Gilpin, Lyndsey. “8 Crazy New Solar Research Breakthroughs – TechRepublic.” TechRepublic. N.p., 25 Feb. 2015. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.

Tran, Kevin. “Perovskite Solar Cells.” Stanford University, 7 Dec. 2015. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.