India's panel price crash could spark solar revolution

Les villageois de Gunthawada, dans le district de Banaskantha, regardent des panneaux solaires qui viennent d'être installés dans leur village © AFP PHOTO/Sam PANTHAKY


06/02/2012 7:41 pm

SOLAR power has always had a reputation for being expensive, but not for much longer. In India, electricity from solar is now cheaper than that from diesel generators. The news - which will boost India's "Solar Mission" to install 20,000 megawatts of solar power by 2022 - could have implications for other developing nations too.

Recent figures from market analysts Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) show that the price of solar panels fell by almost 50 per cent in 2011. They are now just one-quarter of what they were in 2008. That makes them a cost-effective option for many people in developing countries.

New Scientist.

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