19 September 2009

Solar Evolution — The beginning of a new era for solar power


"A new era for solar power is approaching. Long derided as uneconomic, it is gaining ground as technologies improve and the cost of traditional energy sources rises.Within three to seven years, unsubsidized solar power could cost no more to end customers in many markets, such as California and Italy, than electricity generated by fossil fuels or by renewable alternatives to solar. By 2020, global installed solar capacity could be 20 to 40 times its level today."

McKinsey & Company | Authors: Peter Lorenz, Dickon Pinner, and Thomas Seitz
Source: Climate Change Special Initiative and McKinsey Quarterly

Forecast — The growing competitiveness of solar power: McKinsey forecasts grid parity within the next three to seven years. This means that solar energy's unsubsidized cost to end users will approach the cost of conventional electricity in a number of markets, including parts of the United States (California and the Southwest), as well as Italy, Japan and Spain.

Outlook — The global solar market in 2020: According to McKinsey, the worldwide installed global solar capacity will grow by roughly 30 to 35 percent a year, from 10 gigawatts today to about 200 gigawatts in 2020.


TO READ THE FULL ARTICLES:
McKinsey Quarterly — The economics of solar power (LINK);
McKinsey Quarterly — Evaluating the potential of solar technologies (
LINK1, 2).

18 September 2009

Endless potential of the sun


"The total power needs of the humans on Earth is approximately 16 terawatts. In the year 2020 it is expected to grow to 20 terawatts. (Ed. A terawatt is a trillion watts.)
The sunshine on the solid part of the Earth is 120,000 terawatts. From this perspective, energy from the sun is virtually unlimited."

Eicke Weber, director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems,
in Freiburg (Germany)
Source: National Geographic Magazine | Author: George Johnson


TO READ THE FULL ARTICLES:
National Geographic — Plugging Into the Sun (LINK)
National Geographic — Ranking Renewables (LINK)
National Geographic — Renewable Futures (LINK)

08 September 2009

ON VACATION

BLOG on vacation - 8th of september until 17th of september.
PENSATO+PARTNERS CONSULTING will be back for you soon!

photovoltaik online

SolareNews.it

Pienosole.it

Rinnovabili.it

Solar Thermal Energy News - RenewableEnergyWorld.com

PV Tech - News

FTD.de - Schnellleser