A Review of Solar Energy : Markets, Economics and Policies

Timilsina, Govinda R. ; Kurdgelashvili, Lado ; Narbel, Patrick A.

关键词: AIR;    AIR POLLUTION;    AMORPHOUS SILICON;    APPROACH;    AVAILABILITY;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-5845
RP-ID  :  WPS5845

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Solar energy has experienced phenomenalgrowth in recent years due to both technologicalimprovements resulting in cost reductions and governmentpolicies supportive of renewable energy development andutilization. This study analyzes the technical, economic andpolicy aspects of solar energy development and deployment.While the cost of solar energy has declined rapidly in therecent past, it still remains much higher than the cost ofconventional energy technologies. Like other renewableenergy technologies, solar energy benefits from fiscal andregulatory incentives and mandates, including tax creditsand exemptions, feed-in-tariff, preferential interest rates,renewable portfolio standards and voluntary green powerprograms in many countries. Potential expansion of carboncredit markets also would provide additional incentives tosolar energy deployment; however, the scale of incentivesprovided by the existing carbon market instruments, such asthe Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol, islimited. Despite the huge technical potential, developmentand large-scale, market-driven deployment of solar energytechnologies world-wide still has to overcome a number oftechnical and financial barriers. Unless these barriers areovercome, maintaining and increasing electricity suppliesfrom solar energy will require continuation of potentiallycostly policy supports.