Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

kristopher

(29,798 posts)
Wed Feb 13, 2013, 04:42 PM Feb 2013

World Solar PV Capacity Surpasses 100 Gigawatts In 2012

World Solar PV Capacity Surpasses 100 Gigawatts In 2012
February 12, 2013
Cynthia Shahan

This bright news below brings the message that people are changing, things are changing. From a statement released in Brussels yesterday we find that the world’s cumulative solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity capacity surpassed 100 gigawatts (GW) in 2012, achieving just over 101 GW. This is according to new market figures from the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA). “A landmark year,” EPIA called it. Indeed!

Wonderful to find that it’s not just speeches and pleas for change, that there is change in the works. The sun is the source of energy the world is harnessing without depletion or toxicity to a greater and greater extent. And 2012 was another strong year for the solar industry (following a very strong in in 2011). More than 30 GW of PV were connected to the electricity grid in 2012, EPIA added. And there was a sort of balancing out in where that solar power was installed. Non-European markets increased their installations and accounted for more than 13 GW of the worldwide total.

Harnessing the Power of the Sun

“This global capacity to harness the power of the sun produces as much electricity energy in a year as 16 coal power plants or nuclear reactors of 1 GW each. Each year, the world’s PV installations reduce CO2 emissions by 53 million tons,” EPIA wrote.
The surpassing of the 100-GW mark occurred in yet another year of strong global PV development, with an estimated 30 GW connected to the grid and made operational in 2012 – roughly the same as the record-setting level of 2011. These results are preliminary, and the 30 GW figure could be increased by an additional 1 or 2 GW when final numbers come in. Final results for the year will be published in May, in EPIA’s annual “Global Market Outlook for Photovoltaics 2013-2017.”


Clean Technica (http://s.tt/1zG16)

Read more at http://cleantechnica.com/2013/02/12/world-solar-pv-capacity-surpasses-100-gigawatts-in-2012/#uVvTSX1zjAtcI7yJ.99
7 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

rightsideout

(978 posts)
1. That's terrific. Let's shoot for 1000 GigaWatts by the end of 2013!
Wed Feb 13, 2013, 04:58 PM
Feb 2013

1000 may be an optimistic goal.

We added 5.8 kWs in 2012. Every little bit helps.

FBaggins

(26,732 posts)
3. French Solar Power Generation Advances by 67% in 2012
Wed Feb 13, 2013, 05:24 PM
Feb 2013

CLEANTECHNICA - French solar energy generation in 2012 saw some big gains. According to the 2012 French Electricity Report, 4 terrawatt hours (Twh) of solar energy came from photovoltaic systems, making up for 0.79% of France’s energy demand last year.

Meanwhile 1.022 gigawatts (GW) of solar energy was installed, boosting the overall solar capacity to 3.5 GW.

http://cleantechnica.com/2013/02/11/french-solar-power-generation-advances-by-67-in-2012/

RickFromMN

(478 posts)
5. Excess electrical power will need to be stored. Please google search: Norway hydro storage
Wed Feb 13, 2013, 05:46 PM
Feb 2013

When the wind isn't blowing or the sun isn't shining, we can tap power stored in hydro storage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumped-storage_hydroelectricity


kristopher

(29,798 posts)
6. Yes, we'll need some storage, but not as much as you might think
Wed Feb 13, 2013, 06:21 PM
Feb 2013

The part most people don't pick up on properly is the fact that the system is the sum of the parts. They tend to look at the way the parts function and then imagine that entire system is generally the same.

This study took a detailed look at the resources in a large region of the US and matched the recorded sun/wind data over 4 years with the power production profiles of wind and solar technologies. The results are interesting. It is published in an open access journal so you can read the entire thing.

Cost-minimized combinations of wind power, solar power and electrochemical storage, powering the grid up to 99.9% of the time
Open Access Article
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378775312014759

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Environment & Energy»World Solar PV Capacity S...