Overview of the Solar Energy Market (excerpt)
How does the $23-billion solar energy industry fit in the context of the $300-billion global climate change industry? First it is neither the largest nor fastest growing segment, but clearly it intersects or even competes with a number of segments and subcategories like other forms of renewable energy and low-carbon sources of power. Prospects for solar energy will also be impacted by developments in carbon capture & storage, energy storage, energy efficiency, green buildings, carbon trading and other renewable energy options. Nonetheless, the future for solar energy is indeed bright. Overall growth is forecast at 20-30% from 2008-2011 and 15-20% from 2012-2014. In 2007, sales of all solar systems & equipment, including integration & installation equipment and services, accounted for 72% of the $23-billion global solar energy industry (see table on p.1). The value of power generated by solar energy worldwide in 2007 is estimated by CCBJ at...
This overview article includes sales estimates and growth forecasts for six solar energy subcategories: Photovoltaic Systems & Manufacturing, Concentrated Solar Power Systems, Solar Hot Water, and the electricity value for each.
Look inside other CCBJ Editions
Also available from Climate Change Business Journal are recent editions on carbon trading, the solar energy industry, the wind energy industry, the biofuels business, the bioenergy industry, and the green building business. Each issue includes trend analysis and market size and growth estimates. Facets of the cleantech industry to be covered by CCBJ research in the coming months include an Overview of the Climate Change Industry and its nine business segments as defined by CCBJ, in addition to the energy efficiency business, the clean energy business, the energy storage business, the renewable energy business, and the greenhouse gas market.
Read more excerpts from the Solar Energy Edition
Can Concentrating Photovoltaic Finally Make a Market On Earth?
By using lenses and mirrors to concentrate sunlight, concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems can deliver more power with much less solar cell material and in much less space than conventional PV modules. These capabilities have made CPV’s high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells a favorite choice for generating power in space. Concentrating photovoltaic advocates promise that it will soon be price-competitive with PV here on earth—a promise that has been a long time coming...
Integrators Ease Large Capital Cost of Photovoltaics
The key market barrier for solar photovoltaic systems in the United States is the upfront cost. Even with generous state rebates and a 30% federal tax credit, installed photovoltaic systems remain expensive for the vast majority of homeowners and businesses. This market reality was illustrated vividly at the September 2007 Solar Power Conference and Expo in Long Beach, Calif.…
Venture Capitalists Take a Shine to Solar Investments
With favorable government policies and rapidly evolving technology, the solar energy space has attracted a great deal of equity financing in the last year. According to Greentech Media, total venture capital invested in solar exceeded $1.2 billion in 2007, up from less than $400 million in 2006 and average deal sizes increased from $11 million in 2005 to $17 million in 2007. To provide investor perspective, CCBJ interviewed partners in two venture capital firms actively investing in each Segment...
Solar Water Market Heats Up in U.S., Europe and Canada
Installed for lower capital costs and delivering faster payback on energy savings than solar photovoltaic (PV), solar water heating (SWH) has long been considered by experts to be the most cost-effective technology to deploy in most regions of the world. But to the ongoing frustration of solar water heating advocates, these humble collectors of solar thermal energy haven’t generated the investment and buzz of their electron-exciting solar photovoltaic relatives…
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