Solar Energy: Mapping the Road Ahead
Executive Summary
The International Energy Agency (IEA) and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) have collaborated to create a comprehensive guide for policymakers aimed at planning and implementing national and regional solar energy roadmaps. Despite declining costs, solar energy expansion heavily relies on policy makers setting ambitious targets and implementing sound policies, market designs, and regulatory frameworks, including technological research, development, and deployment.
Key Components
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Solar Technologies
- Photovoltaic (PV) Electricity: Unique in its scalability, ranging from individual systems to large-scale power plants.
- Concentrating Solar Power (CSP): Can improve power system flexibility and stability, increasing solar integration and grid reliability.
- Solar Heating and Cooling (SHC): Offers a wide range of applications including domestic hot water, space heating, district heating, process heat, and cooling.
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Resource Analysis
- Radiative Energy: Analysis of direct and diffuse radiation across different time scales.
- Energy Demand: Considering electricity, heat, transport, and fuel requirements and their variations over time.
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Complementary Technologies
- PV and CSP: Both technologies are essential for generating electricity from sunshine, with CSP providing additional benefits through thermal storage.
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Applications
- Utility-Scale PV and CSP: Large-scale power generation.
- Distributed Generation: On- and off-grid electricity generation.
- Solar Thermal Water/Space Heating and Cooling: Providing heat and cooling solutions.
- Industrial Heat: Utilizing solar heat for industrial processes.
- Solar Cooking and Fuels: Innovations in cooking and fuel production.
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Roadmap Development
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Involving all relevant stakeholders in the process.
- Ministerial Level Engagement: Ensuring collaboration among multiple departments.
- Successive Deployment: Ensuring the continuous implementation of solar energy projects.
Highlights
- Resource Knowledge: Understanding solar energy resources and their variations is crucial.
- Complementary Technologies: PV and CSP should be considered as complementary technologies.
- Scalability of PV: PV technology offers extreme scalability, suitable for various applications.
- Thermal Storage in CSP: CSP with thermal storage improves power system flexibility and stability.
- Hydrogen Production: Solar power can be used to produce and export hydrogen-rich chemicals and fuels.
- SHC Options: A wide portfolio of SHC solutions, including domestic hot water, space heating, district heating, and process heat.
Process Importance
The process of developing and implementing roadmaps is as important as the content itself. It should involve all stakeholders and ensure high-level collaboration among ministerial departments to facilitate successful deployment.
This guide aims to provide policymakers with the necessary information and methodological tools to successfully map out the deployment of solar energy at all scales, ensuring improved access to energy, increased energy security and affordability, and cleaner air.
