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An explosive growth in solar power across the European Union (EU) is driving optimism as the bloc accelerates towards its 2030 renewable energy targets, Politico reports. New data reveals that most EU countries are on track to achieve these goals well ahead of schedule, buoying hopes for global emissions reduction.
The rapid growth of solar power has taken politicians and analysts by surprise, offering positive implications for global climate endeavors.
The EU witnessed an impressive addition of 41 gigawatts of new solar capacity in 2022, marking a 40 percent surge from the previous year. This momentum is predicted to rise, with expectations of over 50 GW added this year.
SolarPower Europe, a lobby group, based on the latest national targets, forecasts that around 23 countries are poised to attain their solar installation goals by 2027. This trend is mirrored globally, resulting in a greater reduction of greenhouse gas emissions than initially projected.
The rapid growth of solar energy can be attributed to a remarkable 90 percent drop in solar power costs per kilowatt-hour over the past decade. This has been primarily propelled by the mass production of affordable solar panels in China. Moreover, geopolitical factors like the conflict in Ukraine have incentivized nations to embrace solar energy and reduce their reliance on Russian energy.
However, this flourishing solar landscape is giving rise to concerns about its future trajectory. As solar power becomes more prevalent and electricity prices drop during peak sunlit hours, experts caution that the incentive for solar deployment could diminish. This emphasizes the critical importance of upgrading power grids and rapidly implementing storage technologies such as batteries, which are essential to accommodate the intermittent nature of solar energy. Notably, the EU is facing challenges in this domain.
The remarkable pace of solar growth has exceeded predictions, positively impacting climate efforts. The International Energy Agency's revised renewable energy deployment forecasts for the EU were escalated by 38 percent in June, largely due to heightened residential and commercial solar installations. However, such prediction errors might indicate that global climate change mitigation efforts are progressing better than anticipated.
While this solar surge presents numerous advantages, uncertainties loom. Some EU countries lack grid flexibility, leading to situations where solar plants are temporarily closed during periods of low demand, resulting in wasted electricity. A joint letter from 19 European solar and renewables associations to the European Commission expressed concerns about this practice, highlighting instances in countries like Poland and the Czech Republic.
Efforts to localize solar production in the EU could inadvertently introduce overly stringent import criteria, potentially hampering growth. Thus, the Commission's proposed Net Zero Industry Act, which outlines homegrown solar manufacturing targets by 2030, requires a balanced approach that includes enhanced EU subsidies.
For the EU, the focus is on scaling up 2030 solar targets, encouraging greater investments in the sector and promoting a cleaner energy system. Finding the right balance between ambition and attainability is vital for the evolution of the solar sector.
[Information sourced from Politico]
