Solar Power Use_ Top 10 Countries - Rediff

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Solar power use: Top 10 countriesLast updated on: September 16, 2011 10:46 IST

Solar power is of immense importance inmodern times. With pollution breathing heavy onthe present civilisation, it just cannot do withoutwind and solar energy. Countries across theworld have geared up to develop alternativeenergy sources for better living.India is densely populated and has high solarinsolation, an ideal combination for using solarpower. However, on the world map, India lags farbehind other countries as far as generationof solar power is concerned, although the countryhas made significant progress in wind energygeneration.In July 2009, India unveiled a $19-bill ion plan toproduce 20 GW of solar power by 2020.

Under the plan, the use of solar-poweredequipment and applications would be madecompulsory in all government buildings, as wellas hospitals and hotels.Let us take a look at the top 10 countries using

solar power.Click NEXT to read on . . .


1. GermanyTotal use: 10,000 megawatts

Germany is the world leader in solar energy.Germany is expected to stay the top buyer of solar panels through 2011.Germany has a goal of 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050.In 2009 alone, Germany installed 3,806 megawatts of photovoltaics solar energy capacity, which is more than Spain'stotal capacity and almost eight times more than what the US installed recently.Click NEXT to read further. . .


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2. Spain

Total use: 3,500 MW

Spain was the world leader in newly installedPV solar energy (2,605 MW) in 2008 but its newinstalled capacity decreased tremendously (tojust 69 MW) in 2009.

The reasons for this drop are attributed tocomplexity and delays related to a newgovernment subsidy programme and a decreasein energy demand due to the economic crisis.With expectations that both of these wil l improvein and considering i ts excellent sun irradiationand PV potential, Spain is expected to bump upits solar energy capacity again this year.Click NEXT to read further. . .


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3. JapanTotal use: 2,700 MW

Japan has high national solar energy goal's toachieve 28 GW by 2020 and 53 GW by 2030.Japan invested $9 billion in stimulus money insolar energy in 2009, and the prime minister alsoannounced a plan to install solar power at 32,000

public schools that year.Click NEXT to read further. . .


4. United StatesTotal use: 1,800 MW

Supportive state-level policies are a majordriver of growth of solar energy in the US.With many large ground-mounted solar projects

in the pipeline, installed capacity in the US isexpected to grow significantly in coming years.The cap on the federal solar tax credit was liftedin 2009, promoting growth in this industry.Click NEXT to read further. . .


5. ItalyTotal use: 1,300 MW

In 2009, Italy had experienced the second-largest solar energy growth in the world.Every two months, Italians install more solar power than California does in an entire year.Click NEXT to read further. . .


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6. Czech RepublicTotal use: 600 MW

A generous FiT and simple administrativeprocedures have put the Czech Republic on this

list.The market growth has probably boomedunsustainably, however, and if appropriatepolicies aren't put in place to slow i t, the nascentsolar bubble is expected to bust in the comingyears.Click NEXT to read further. . .


7. BelgiumTotal use: 450 MW


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Belgium is a bit of a 2011 solar energy surprise.Belgium's success was from 'a well-designedGreen Certificates scheme (which actually worksas a Feed-in Tariff), combined with additional taxrebates and electricity self-consumption.'Click NEXT to read further. . .


8. China

Total use: 400 MW

China gets a lot of attention these days for itsclean energy push, and for good reason.China is a major solar panel manufacturer buthasn't installed a ton of PV itself yet.However, it now has 12 Gigawatts of largeprojects in the pipeline and if those projects are

implemented China is expected to jump closer tothe top of the list.According to China's national energy plan, it isexpected to reach a total of 20 GW by 2020.According to a recent PTI report, China ismarching well ahead of all of them when it comesto capturing the solar market.China's solar energy budget still stands roughly20 times larger than America's investment in thesame period, Jonathan Silver, executive director,Department of Energy told US lawmakersrecently.Click NEXT to read further. . .


9. France

Total use: 350 MW

France has a well-designed FiT for building-integrated photovoltaics, so BIPV dominates the market there.They've put protections in place to help avoid abuse of the system, and may revise the tariffs to accompany price


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speculations.One key issue of concern in France is thatalthough many MW of solar energy have beeninstalled, a lot of them have not been connectedto the grid. In 2009, 285 MW of capacity wasinstalled but only 185 MW connected to the grid.This is a major issue that needs to be resolved.Click NEXT to read further. . .


10. India

Total use: 200 MW

India has fast-increasingelectricity demand and it has veryhigh sun irradiation levels. Itsgovernment has also been movingforward strongly on clean energy.The country has a goal to reach 20GW by 2020 as well.India could quickly rise higher onthis list with proper governmentstrategies.

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Solar Power Use_ Top 10 Countries - Rediff