Solar PV market doubled to 6 Gigawatts in 2008 — U.S. left in dust, having invented the technology

[bananas]

Some good information about the political history of PV in this post at Climate Progress:

Solar PV market doubled to 6 Gigawatts in 2008 — U.S. left in dust, having invented the technology

After growing 19% in 2006 and 62% in 2007, world solar photovoltaic (PV) market installations exploded by 110% last year to a staggering 5.95 GW, according to Solarbuzz’s Annual Report, Marketbuzz 2009:

Europe accounted for 82% of world demand in 2008. Spain’s 285% growth pushed Germany into second place in the market ranking, while the US advanced to number three. Rapid growth in Korea allowed it to become the fourth largest market, closely followed by Italy and Japan.

And who is the leading producer of PV cells?

China and Taiwan continued to increase their share of global solar cell production, rising to 44% in 2008 from 35% in 2007.

Yes, the United States created the solar cell industry and literally launched it into space 50 years ago. And, yes, solar PV is going to be one of the largest job-creating industries of the century, projected to grow “from a $20 billion industry in 2007 to $74 billion by 2017.”

<snip>

But don’t get all friggin’ sentimental on me. Think of the few billion dollars U.S. taxpayers saved because:

* President Reagan gutted Jimmy Carter’s renewable energy program (see “Who got us in this energy mess? Start with Ronald Reagan“).

* Newt Gingrich blocked President Clinton’s effort to boost funding for solar PV research and deployment programs.

* Conservatives in general like John McCain and George Bush Judd Gregg opposed the kind of funding and incentives that countries like Japan and Germany embraced (see “The greenwasher from Arizona has a record as dirty as the denier from Oklahoma” and “Is a possible 60th Senate seat worth a not-very-green GOP Commerce Secretary?“).

<snip>

[wroberts189]

1. The pubs ..they are always wrong and ruin everything. knr nt

[madokie]

2. Always and I do mean

ALWAYS

[phantom power]

3. Yeah, but we're going to leapfrog them all with Clean Coal(tm)

Did I just say that out loud?