Energy Matters have outlined their views on the Solar Generation V report. They are as follows:
According to a report published by Greenpeace and the European Photovoltaic Industry Association early this month, solar power could provide much of the energy needs for up to two-thirds of the world’s population as soon as 2030, meanwhile stimulating a massive growth in jobs in the clean tech sector.
By the end of 2007, the cumulative installed capacity of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems had exceeded 9,200MW compared to 1,200MW at the end of 2000. Installations of solar power systems globally have been growing at an average annual rate of more than 35% since 1998.
By 2030, the Solar Generation V report estimates that over 1800 GW of photovoltaic systems will have been commissioned globally, representing over 2600 terawatt-hours of annual electricity production.
A Greenpeace energy expert stated that this level of solar electricity production could cut up to 1.6bn tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2030, the equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions generated by 450 coal-fired power plants.
Furthermore, while almost 120,000 people are currently employed in the green collar sector, most of the new employment involves the sale of installation of photovoltaic systems, local jobs that boost local economies.
The Solar Generation report projects 2 million people to be employed in the renewable energy sector by 2020 and 10 million globally by 2030.
Solar power is expected become cost-competitive with conventional energy by 2015 in southern European countries and by 2020 across most of Europe.