Environment Counts | Photovoltaic Electricity
Author: Wendy Aritenang – Published At: 2012-03-17 10:24 – (922 Reads)
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Total installed PV capacity world-wide reached over 67.4 GW at the end of 2011. PV is now, after hydro and wind power, the third most important renewable energy in terms of globally installed capacity. The growth rate of PV during 2011 reached almost 70%, an outstanding level among all renewable technologies. The total energy output of the world’s PV capacity run over a calendar year is equal to some 80 billion kWh. This energy volume is sufficient to cover the annual power supply needs of over 20 million households in the world.
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Globally, PV systems connected to the grid rose from 16.6 GW in 2010 to 27.7 GW in 2011. The number of markets reaching more than 1 GW of additional capacity during 2011 rose from 3 to 6. In 2010 the top 3 markets were Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic; in 2011 Italy leads the ranks and Germany, China, the USA, France and Japan follow, each with over 1 GW of new capacity.
The European share in the global PV arena still remains predominant with more than 75% of all new capacity in 2011. The 2 biggest markets, Italy and Germany, account for nearly 60% of global market growth during last year. In Europe, over 50 GW of PV systems were installed at the end of 2011. With growing contributions from Southern European countries, the average load factor of this capacity is increasing and will produce some 60 billion kWh on an annual basis, enough energy to supply over 15 million European households.
Increasing the PV momentum by adding additional markets of important growth can be considered the single most important achievement on the continued growth track of world-wide PV development. And yet, many of the cited markets, in particular China, the USA and Japan, but also Australia and India, have addressed only a very small part of their enormous potential; several countries from large sunbelt regions like Africa, the Middle East, Asia and South America are on the brink of starting their development.
source : EPIA Market Report 2011
