by Brianna Crandall — October 5, 2012—The continent of Europe is leading the way in solar power installations, accounting for two-thirds of the worldwide newly installed photovoltaic (PV) solar capacity in 2011, with 18.5 Gigawatts (GW), according to a new report published by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. The 2012 Photovoltaics Status Report summarizes and evaluates the current activities regarding manufacturing, policies and market implementation worldwide.
In other findings, Europe’s overall PV capacity totaled 52 GW. The yearly electricity produced by solar photovoltaic systems could reportedly power a country with the electricity demand of Austria, which corresponds to 2% of the EU’s electricity needs.
Over the past ten years, the PV industry grew in Europe by an average of over 40% per year, and the production costs have decreased by around 60%, according to the report. Underlying this progress is the EU commitment towards PV systems as a means to achieve the goal of using 20% of renewable energy by 2020.
Germany, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom are the leaders in installed PV capacity in Europe. In fact, Germany installed roughly 320 MWp of solar power in August, bumping Germany past 30 GWp, the first country in the world to reach this level of photovoltaic capacity, according to a Germany Trade & Invest report. German solar installations reportedly make up more than the rest of Europe combined.
Since 2000, total PV production worldwide had growth rates of between 40 and 90%, continues the PV report. The most rapid growth in annual production over the last five years was observed in Asia, where China alone accounts for more than 50% of the world’s PV production. In addition, for the second year in a row, solar power was the renewable energy that attracted most investment, with a total of 98.5 billion euros worldwide, of which two-thirds were concentrated in Europe, adds the report.
A challenge for the European industry in this field is said to be China’s massive investment in PV manufacturing, which has led to an economy of scale in manufacturing in that country. However, the delivery of manufacturing equipment from Europe to Asia is still felt to be beneficial, as Europe still has the lead in PV research and development, thereby innovating the European PV manufacturing equipment industry.
The report highlights that PV technology and its deployment is a global business and considers that future generations of PV technologies could spring from international cooperation on eco-innovation, in partnership with Asia and the United States.
In addition, the study highlights that there is a large scope for PV innovation in the achievement of both energy efficiency and improved design in buildings. PV modules can be incorporated and specifically designed as building materials, functioning as an insulation material and fostering a new “European PV-architecture,” while at the same time providing one of the key technologies required to achieve zero-emissions buildings.
