The future looks bright for solar energy
- Over the past decade, the cost of solar has fallen dramatically.
- New technologies promise to increase efficiency and lower costs further.
- Solar energy will soon be unbeatable compared to fossil fuels.
Solar energy has come a long way in a decade. Back in 2010, the global market was small and highly dependent on subsidy regimes in countries such as Germany and Italy. This year there will be more than 115 gigawatts (GW) of solar installed across the world, which is more than all other generation technologies put together. It is also increasingly low cost, especially in sunnier regions where it has already become the lowest-cost form of new electricity generation.