Solar energy grows by 50 per cent worldwide thanks to China and the United States
Environment — di Cecilia Bergamasco
In 2016, new photovoltaic capacity grew by 76.1 gigawatts worldwide. New solar installations in Europe are falling.
Solar energy grows by 50 per cent worldwide thanks to China and the United States
In 2016, new photovoltaic capacity grew by 76.1 gigawatts worldwide. New solar installations in Europe are falling.
In 2016, the solar capacity installed worldwide grew by 76.1 new gigawatts compared to the previous year. A growth equal to 50 per cent more than in 2015, when new installed capacity had been 51.2 gigawatts. The growth was driven above all by China and the United States, while Europe is slowing down. The data were presented by Solar Power Europe during the SolarPower Summit held in Brussels in March.
Solar growth slows in Europe
The total amount of solar energy installed in Europe surpassed the symbolic milestone of 100 gigawatts in the first months of 2016 and currently stands at 104 gigawatts. But of the 76.1 gigawatts installed worldwide last year, only 9 per cent – 6.9 gigawatts – can be attributed to the Old Continent. A decrease of almost 20 per cent compared to the 8.6 gigawatts installed in 2015.
The United Kingdom, despite the drop in installations caused by cuts to solar incentives, is the country that contributed most to European growth, accounting for 29 per cent of new installed capacity. In second place is Germany with 21 per cent, which, thanks to long-standing policies and investments in favour of the sector, maintains its primacy in total installed solar capacity. Third in terms of solar capacity installed in 2016 is France, which contributed 8.3 per cent.
Solar doubles in China and the United States
The world's largest solar market is China's, where 34.2 new gigawatts were installed in 2016, 125 per cent more than in 2015. In the Land of the Dragon, photovoltaics reached 77 gigawatts and it is likely that by the end of 2017 it will surpass 100 gigawatts, hitting three years ahead of schedule the target of 110 gigawatts that the Chinese government had set for 2020.
In the global rankings, the second fastest-growing market last year was the United States, which is estimated to have grown by 14 gigawatts, doubling the 7.3 gigawatts installed the previous year. Japan ranks third, with around 8.6 gigawatts, ahead of India, which added 4.5.
Global #solar installed capacity exceeded 300 GW in 2016, after 200 GW mark was surpassed in 2015 #SolarPowerSummit
Technology: a crucial factor for solar development
Globally, the solar energy capacity installed today amounts to 305 gigawatts. Growth that has taken place above all since 2010 and owes much to technological development, a fundamental element in fulfilling the commitments made in terms of expanding renewables to combat climate change. Thanks to innovations in the sector across different regions of the world, solar energy has become economically competitive, thereby enabling greater market penetration and expanding its percentage share in the energy mix. In Europe, solar provides on average only 4 per cent of electricity demand, a share that is still rather low, and it is for this reason that James Watson, CEO of SolarPower Europe, recommends the "need to drive the next cycle of investment in solar so that we can achieve the decarbonisation of the European energy sector." This process requires an adequate policy framework both at European and national level, and until the right regulatory conditions are created it will be difficult to meet energy demand with a substantial share of solar energy.