Solar energy study highlights technical, policy challenges
The report – The Future of Solar Energy – assesses the technology’s "current and potential competitive position" in the U.S., as well as identifies policies that could "more efficiently and effectively support [solar energy’s] massive deployment over the long term." The study finds that to achieve this the focus should be on shifting toward new technologies along with implementing policies that can make solar a more compelling economic option.
The report focuses on three main challenges:
- reducing the cost of installed solar capacity
- availability of technologies that support very large scale expansion at low cost
- and facilitating the integration of solar generation into existing systems
Looking at solar energy’s technical potential, the report considers both photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar (or solar thermal) power (CSP) systems. In the former case, it recommends more research and development into emerging thin-film technologies that are based on Earth-abundant materials and which have the potential to achieve significant cost reductions in the future; in the latter, research into advances in system design, underlying materials science, and solar collection systems are suggested.
Policy recommendations include federal R&D support to advance low-cost, large-scale electricity storage technologies, and the need to shift federal and state subsidy programs away from encouraging investment in solar systems and toward rewarding solar energy production. The report also recommends unifying state renewable portfolio standards under a national program.
For more, visit MIT Energy Initiative.
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