A team of international scientists has found that roof-top solar panels could power a quarter or half of the world by 2050. The study marks the first comprehensive global assessment of the energy-producing potential of roof-top photovoltaic solar energy (RTSPV) technology .
Researchers from MaREI, the SFI Research Center for Energy, Climate and Marine at University College Cork (UCC), collaborated on the study. Other international research partners also contributed. The results were published in the journal Nature Communications.
THE solar energy continues to be the fastest growing sustainable energy sector due to improvements in installation capabilities and cost reductions. Private homes, commercial and industrial buildings invested in solar panels for roofs. Researchers estimate that solar-powered panels will provide 25-49% of the world’s energy needs by mid-century. Despite these predictions, the researchers had trouble accurately assessing the costs and generation of electricity from solar panels.
To provide better assessments, the international investigation team tackled the problem head-on. The research team included lead author Siddharth Joshi and UCC colleagues Professor Brian Ó Gallachioir and Dr Paul Holloway. Colleagues from Imperial College London, Columbia University and Ahmedabad University also helped with the study.
SOLAR PANELS ON ROOFS CAN HELP CLIMATE CHANGE ACCORDING TO SCIENCE
The authors mapped 130 million km2 of the earth’s global surface for research using a revolutionary machine learning algorithm. Using this technology, they identified 0.2 million km2 of footprint, which they analyzed to estimate the power generation potential of the RTSPV.
The analysis revealed that roof solar panels could provide a potential of 27 petawatt-hours per year worldwide. This investment would cost around $40-280 per megawatt-hour, with the most significant energy production potential in Asia, North America and Europe. In addition, they noted that generating clean energy from RTSPV would cost less in India ($66 per megawatt hour) and China ($68 per megawatt hour). On the other hand, the United Kingdom and the United States remain the most expensive countries to install solar panels on roofs on a large scale.
Today, roof solar panels represent almost 40% of the world’s photovoltaic solar energy. They represent 25% of total renewable energy additions in 2018, outpacing the combined new coal and nuclear capacities installed.
Since the late 1950s, the popularity of roof solar panels and other solar installations has exploded. Between 2006 and 2018, RTSPV power generation expanded from 2.5 GW to 213 GW, a global increase of 85 times. During this same period, the installation costs of RTSPV technology dropped dramatically. From 2010 to 2019, solar energy prices have fallen between 42 and 79%, now ranging between $63 and 265 MWh.
Dr Shivika Mittal, Research Associate in Energy and Integrated Assessment Model at the Grantham Institute, Imperial College London, said:
“THE COST OF GENERATING ELECTRICITY FOR ROOF SOLAR PANELS HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE IN THE LAST DECADE. OUR NEW DATA SET WILL HELP GOVERNMENTS OR ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESS OWNERS, IDENTIFY SOLAR ENERGY HOT SPOTS WHERE THEY CAN MOBILIZE NEW INVESTMENTS AND THIS WOULD HELP SPEED UP SOLAR ADOPTION”.
As the world shifts from fossil fuels to clean energy, we have a chance to overcome climate change. Researchers estimate that the installation of photovoltaic solar energy will add 15 million jobs to the global economy between 2018 and 2050. However, the potential of solar panels on roofs will depend largely on international development and storage cost in the future.
INDIVIDUAL OWNERS CAN HELP CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE WORLD
Many people feel that they are powerless to make changes in the world. However, this study shows that people can help the world’s transition to a clean energy future. Rooftop solar panels can provide sustainable electricity for all homeowners around the world. This would not only help mitigate climate change, it would also save money in the long run.
Co-author Professor Brian Ó Gallachadoir said: “This potential of 27 PWh per year of solar energy on roofs is very significant. For comparison, our total electricity consumption in all households worldwide was 6 PWh in 2019. These results are very timely in the context of next month’s global climate change conference in the UK. Solar photovoltaics on the roof not only help to reduce emissions, but also directly involve homeowners in the energy transition. “
Obviously, most of the power generation potential lies in densely populated areas in Asia, Europe and North America. However, rural populations desperately need any form of electricity; In 2018, 800 million people around the world lived in darkness. The researchers say their findings have important implications for mitigating climate change through the use of solar panels on roofs. Hopefully, all citizens will soon have clean energy to power their homes.
Lead author Dr. James Glynn commented:
“THE OPEN DATA GENERATED IN THIS SURVEY HELPS TO QUANTIFY, LOCATE AND PRIORITIZE INVESTMENTS IN ZERO CARBON ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. BY MAPPING THE POTENTIAL OF THE SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC ROOF IN HIGH WORLD RESOLUTION, DEVELOPMENT BANKS AND ENERGY AGENCIES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ARE BETTER INFORMED ABOUT THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN ALLOWING DEVELOPMENT AND CLIMATE STIMULATION.”
“For the first time, we can analyze the spatial and temporal characteristics of global roof PV with greater precision using a combination of big data, machine learning and GIS. This study can help improve the representation of roof-top photovoltaic solar energy in global energy systems,” said UCC researcher Siddharth Joshi.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON HOW SOLAR ROOF PANELS CAN SUPPLY ENERGY FOR HALF THE WORLD BY 2050
All over the world, solar roof panels and other solar-powered technologies have gained traction. Decades ago, solar energy was very expensive. Because of this cost, only large corporations and organizations have installed it. However, installing solar panels has never been cheaper. In fact, around 40% of homes and businesses already have them. One study found that by 2050, solar panels could provide between a quarter and half of the world’s energy demands.
So don’t let negative news about climate change get you down. Indeed, governments, businesses and homeowners have been working towards a carbon-free future. We have monumental work ahead of us, but roof solar panels have already made a big difference.
By Kristen Lawrence. Article in English
