|
Information
updated as of March 2009
|
| Solar
Energy Demand
(click
here
to
try our Solar Industry statistics section) |
| Worldwide
photovoltaic installations increased by 5,948
MW in 2008, up from 2,826 MW installed during the
previous year. In 1985, annual solar installation demand was only
21 Megawatts. |
| For
comparison purposes, total worldwide wind energy installations in
2000 were around 4000 Megawatts, growing at about 35% pa. |
| Cumulative
solar energy production accounts for less than 0.01% of total Global
Primary Energy demand. |
| Solar
Energy demand has grown at about 30% per annum over the past 15
years (hydrocarbon energy demand typically grows between 0-2% per
annum). |
| The
US market
grew to 357 megawatts in 2008. Japan's market is now the sixth largest
market. Spain was the largest market in 2008 |
| The
"Feed-in Law" has led to Germany
to become the second largest market in the world in 2008. |
| For
the Fiscal Year 2002, the Japanese solar roof top program received
applications from 42,838 households. |
| Jobs
in the solar and renewable energy industries may be found at greenjobs.com |
| Photovoltaic
Manufactured Solar Cells |
| On
the supply side, the amount of product manufactured by PV cell manufacturers
worldwide reached a consolidated 6.85 gigawatts in 2008. |
| Japan
has taken over from the United States as the largest net exporter
of PV cells and modules. |
| Japan
accounted for around 39% of total global cell production in 2006. |
| Click
here to find worldwide solar energy product manufacturers. |
| Solar
Energy Prices |
| Solar
Energy (photovoltaic) prices have declined on average 4% per annum
over the past 15 years. Progressive increase in conversion efficiencies
and manufacturing economies of scale are the underlying drivers. |
| The
Solarbuzz global
price survey on this site shows that prices have consistently
declined for over the last two years. A detailed analysis of the
worldwide PV Market is in our premier industry report, Marketbuzz
2008. The US Grid Connect Market is analyzed in detail
in this report.
|
| A
residential solar energy system typically costs about $8-10 per
Watt. Where government incentive programs exist, together with lower
prices secured through volume purchases, installed costs as low
as $3-4 watt - or some 10-12 cents per kilowatt hour can be achieved.
Without incentive programs, solar energy costs (in an average sunny
climate) range between 22-40
cents/kWh for very large PV systems. |
| Other
Solar Energy Facts |
| Did
you know that solar energy is dependent upon nuclear power? Solar
Energy's nuclear power plant, though, is 93 million miles away. |
| An
average crystalline silicon cell solar module has an efficiency
of 15%, an average thin film cell solar module has an efficiency
of 6%. Thin film manufacturing costs potentially are lower, though. |
| A
Megawatt is 1,000,000 Watts; a Gigawatt is 1000 Megawatts. |
| The
earth receives more energy from the sun in just one hour than the
world uses in a whole year. |
| Two
billion people in the world have no access to electricity. For most
of them, solar photovoltaics would be their cheapest electricity
source, but they cannot afford it. |
| Crystalline
Silicon cell technology forms about 90% of solar cell demand. The
balance comes from thin film technologies. |
| Approximately
45% of the cost of a silicon cell solar module is driven by the
cost of the silicon wafer, a further 35% is driven by the materials
required to assemble the solar module. |
| Global
Energy and Electricity Industry |
The
United States, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and Canada were the
world's five largest producers of energy in 1999, supplying 47.9
percent of the world's total energy. Worldwide oil consumption rose
by slightly less than 1 million barrels per day in 2000 (vs 1999).
Source: US DOE |
World
energy consumption is projected to increase by 59% from 1999 to
2020. Much of the growth in worldwide energy use is expected in
the developing world
Source: International Energy Outlook 2001,
EIA |
1999 World Production of Primary Energy (Quadrillion (10x15) Btu)
Source:
US DOE EIA
| Petroleum |
149.7
|
Hydroelectric |
27.10
|
| Natural
Gas |
87.31
|
Nuclear |
25.25
|
| Coal |
84.90
|
Geothermal,
solar, wind, wood, waste |
2.83
|
|
Renewable
energy use is expected to increaes 53% between 1999 and 2020. Much
of the growth is attributable to large scale hydroelectricity projects
in the developing world. Renewable Energy currently accounts for
9% of total energy consumption and is projected to decline to 8%.
Source: US
DOE EIA |
| A
conventional energy Power Plant can range in size from 500-3000
Megawatts. |
Total
USA Megawatt hour demand was 3,312,087,081 across 125,945,003 customers
in 1999.
Source: US DOE, 1999 |
| Total
European Union Megawatt hour demand is around 2,300,000,000. (1999)
|
| Electricity
Price tariffs by country can be found on this site by clicking
here. |
