TABLE OF CONTENTS Recent analysis by the Department of Energy (DOE) shows that by year 2025, one-half of new U.S. electricity generation could come from the sun.
In 2005 the United States generated only 4 GW (1 GW is 1000 MW) of solar power. By the year 2030, it is estimated to be 200 GW.
A typical nuclear power plant generates about 1 GW of electric power, which is equal to 5 GW of solar power (daily power generation is limited to an average of 5 to 6 hours per day).
Global sales of solar power systems have been growing at a rate of 35 percent in the past few years.
It is projected that by the year 2020, the United States will be producing about 7.2 GW of solar power per year.
The shipment of U.S. solar power systems has fallen by 10 percent annually, but has increased by 45 percent throughout Europe.
In the past 4 years the annual sales growth globally has been 35 percent.
Present cost of solar power modules on the average is $2.33/W. By 2030 it should be about $0.38/W.
World production of solar power is 1 GW/year.
Germany has a $0.50/W grid feed incentive that will be valid for the next 20 years. The incentive is to be decreased by 5 percent per year.
In the past few years, Germany installed 130 MW of solar power per year.
Japan has a 50 percent subsidy for solar power installations...
