By Paolo von Schirach
August 9, 2013
WASHINGTON – The FT published a big spread on solar power, (A rising power, August 9, 2013), accompanied by this intriguing subtitle: “Plunging prices are finally making solar power competitive with conventional sources of energy…” Now, if it were really so, this would be the announcement of a major breakthrough, both technological and economic. This would mean that finally a key component of the renewable energy sector can actually make it on its own, without mandates, rebates or other subsidies, that is.
Mostly subsidized
Well, reading the long article was rather disappointing. True enough, the cost of solar panels has gone down, in fact it has plummeted in the last decade –by 80% in the last five years alone. This is truly remarkable. And certainly, in specific markets where there is a lot of sun and high electricity prices, solar power is becoming a viable alternative. But while this may be the case here and there, it is not true worldwide. Most of the installed solar power in place today is there only thanks to subsidies or mandates.
In fact, the very same FT story tells us that only 0.1% of total solar installations are unsubsidized. So what happened to the headline of solar power having finally become competitive? Well, we are moving in that direction; but we are not quite there, yet.
Solar technology will improve
Look, solar technology has improved and I have confidence that it will keep getting better. Costs have come down rapidly. And soon enough we shall get to a point in which people will place inexpensive solar panels on their roofs in order to generate their own low-cost electricity, because it is the smart thing to do. I am looking forward to this new era.
But we are not quite there yet. For the moment, amidst overcapacity, bankruptcies, industry consolidation, Chinese dumping, murky regulations, political pressures and what not, renewable energy is still not capable of making it on its own.