Is Grid Parity for Solar Electricity Imminent?

This discussion webinar takes place on Friday, March 7th, from 14h30 to 15h30.

Content

Renewable energy technologies are going through a learning cycle. Their costs are going down as a long-term trend. Meanwhile, energy prices are going up. Another factor is the price of carbon.

Solar electricity was typically more than 5 times more expensive than conventional electricity, but last autumn, a few reports in the press announced that grid parity for solar electricity is not far off, and could be achieved as early as 2012 for sunny parts of the USA, Japan and Southern Europe.

Possible discussion points:

• The learning curve of renewable energy technologies
• Are we moving down the right learning curves?
• The cost of photovoltaics (PV), and its close alternatives such as concentrated solar power and concentrated PV
• Does PV even need to compete with grid electricity, and if so, does it compete at wholesale or retail level?
• Where does PV make sense?
• How does grid-coupled PV use the grid, and how should this be charged?

These topics are aimed to open discussion. We welcome participants who wish to raise their own questions and concerns for debate.

Presentation from the webinar