Photovoltaic, born towards the sun, will be the leader in renewable energy power in 2050!

The 2023 Sixth China International Photovoltaic Industry Conference with the theme of "Dual Carbon New Era, Green New Future" was held in Chengdu, Sichuan on November 14, with a total contract amount exceeding 50 billion yuan.

As the global demand for renewable energy continues to increase, the photovoltaic industry is developing rapidly and gradually becoming an important part of the global energy structure. In the past 10 years, China's photovoltaic industry has developed rapidly and has now become the world's most complete industrial chain, maintaining a global lead in all links.

my country's installed capacity of renewable energy power generation has achieved a new breakthrough. As of the end of June this year, it has reached 1.322 billion kilowatts, accounting for about 48.8% of the total installed capacity, historically surpassing coal-fired power. Among them, the national photovoltaic power generation capacity has reached 470 million kilowatts.

Source: Tuchong Creative

Photovoltaic conversion efficiency continues to improve

The photoelectric effect was first discovered by German physicist Heinrich Hertz in 1887, and Einstein explained it in 1905. In 1954, scientists at Bell Labs in the United States developed the first practical solar cell, which can convert 6% of the incident solar energy into electricity. As research and development progresses, the conversion efficiency of photovoltaic devices continues to improve.

Solar photovoltaic power generation system is a new type of power generation system that directly converts solar energy into electrical energy by using the photoelectric effect of semiconductor materials, referred to as "photovoltaic". There are two main types of solar photovoltaic power generation systems: one is distributed rooftop photovoltaics, such as photovoltaic power generation systems on the roofs of industrial and commercial enterprise factories and residential buildings. In recent years, photovoltaic panels have also been used on the surfaces of some buildings. The other is centralized ground photovoltaics, generally called photovoltaic power stations. In addition, photovoltaics can also be applied to a variety of scenarios, such as agriculture, fisheries, landscape construction, as well as power supply for nomadic families, residents on isolated islands, and navigation lighthouses.

As a "sun-facing" photovoltaic power generation, it is reliable, noise-free, long-life, and low-maintenance. Especially in areas with high altitudes and strong sunshine, it can increase the output power of the system. Some composite and cross-border models that make efficient and intensive use of space can help new energy development projects obtain the land resources needed for construction, and enable photovoltaic construction projects to balance economic development and ecological protection while generating electricity.

By 2050, solar energy will account for 30% of global renewable energy electricity

As sustainable development awareness becomes more deeply rooted in people's minds around the world, the scale of comprehensive utilization of photovoltaic power generation is expanding rapidly, technology is constantly developing, and costs are significantly reduced, showing a good development prospect. Many countries regard photovoltaic power generation as a key emerging industry and obtain more extensive applications.

The photovoltaic industry has developed at an astonishing speed between 2001 and 2017. The International Energy Agency believes that by 2050, renewable energy will account for 85% of the world's total electricity structure, of which solar power will account for one-third.

Four more "Three Gorges Power Stations" will be added in three years

my country is one of the countries rich in solar energy resources and has unique advantages in developing the use of solar energy.

In 1998, the Chinese government began to pay attention to solar power generation. In 2001, Suntech in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province successfully established a 10-megawatt solar cell production line, which was officially put into operation in September 2002. The production capacity was equivalent to the total national solar cell production in the previous four years, shortening the gap between my country and the international photovoltaic industry by 15 years.

In the period thereafter, my country's photovoltaic industry developed rapidly and formed a relatively complete industrial chain. In particular, with the support of a series of policies on the development of new energy from the Chinese government, this industry has achieved a transformation from rapid start-up and industrial upgrading to absolute global leading position, allowing my country's photovoltaic industry to finally stand at the forefront of the world.

From 2022 to 2025, my country's annual new photovoltaic installed capacity will reach 85 million kilowatts to 101.25 million kilowatts, equivalent to the installed capacity of about four Three Gorges power stations. Therefore, my country's photovoltaic industry has a bright future.

(The author Li Gengtuo is a member of the Hunan Science Writers Association)