13. Major solar firms went bankrupt
Solyndra was a beneficiary of US government funding, image: Associated Press
14. Despite lower costs, Chinese solar
firms also suffered
Suntech, world's largest solar firm's shares fell over the past five years, chart: Yahoo Finance
15. In 2012, US raises import duties on
solar panels from China
US firms unable to compete with Chinese firms, lobbies for restrictions
16. Solar is attracting investors
typically ahead of the curve
Warren Buffet bought MidAmerican, owner of a $2 billion solar farm in California
21. 1. Growth in solar will outpace wind,
a major renewable, to 2020
Annual value of renewable energy capacity installed, 2005-30 ($billion)
Chart: Bloomberg New Energy Finance
22. 2. China will lead the growth in
demand for renewables to 2020
Annual value of renewable energy capacity installed, 2005-30 ($billion), chart: Bloomberg NEF
RoW = rest of the world, MENA = Middle East North Africa
23. 3. Off-grid market, another driver
Solar installation by Grameen Shakti in remote village of Bangladesh, image: Action Mag
24. 3. Remote areas are energy hungry
Solar home system installations by Grameen Shakti, image: Grameen Shakti
25. 4. Solar REITs and solar panels as
advertisement billboards
More investment and financing products will unleash market development and innovation
Image: Poco Solar Energy
26. 5. More applications commercialised
due to thin film development
Train (Desisolar France); road (Solar Roadways US); car (Panasonic); window (KVArch/MIT)
27. 6. Retail and energy products
bundled together
Consumer gadgets could produce energy or control energy supply, image: Apple iPad
28. 7. A norm to buy green electricity
and install solar panels
Intel solar processor; charging station for electric cars; Wal-Mart; United Church in Canada
29. Go clean, the next generation will
thank you for it
Jonathan Sophat Lilienfein and his mother, Botumroath Keo Lebun from Cambodia
30. By Noelle Lim
noelle@ajf.sg
Asia Journalism Fellow 2012
Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore
Adviser: Nilesh Jadhav, Energy Research Institute @ NTU
Sponsor: Temasek Foundation
March 2012
Image on front cover in Nadi, Fiji
Copyright by Noelle Lim