BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 7. Meeting international energy and climate goals requires the global deployment of solar PV to grow on an unprecedented scale, Trend reports with reference to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
“This in turn demands a major additional expansion in manufacturing capacity, raising concerns about the world’s ability to rapidly develop resilient supply chains. Annual solar PV capacity additions need to more than quadruple to 630 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 to be on track with the IEA’s Roadmap to Net Zero Emissions by 2050. Global production capacity for polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells and modules would need to more than double by 2030 from today’s levels. As countries accelerate their efforts to reduce emissions, they need to ensure that their transition towards a sustainable energy system is built on secure foundations. For solar PV supply chains to be able to accommodate the requirements of a net zero pathway, they will need to be scaled up in a way that ensures they are resilient, affordable and sustainable,” reads the latest report released by IEA.
IEA notes that the world will almost completely rely on China for the supply of key building blocks for solar panel production through 2025.
“Based on manufacturing capacity under construction, China’s share of global polysilicon, ingot and wafer production will soon reach almost 95 percent. Today, China’s Xinjiang province accounts for 40 percent global polysilicon manufacturing. Moreover, one out of every seven panels produced worldwide is manufactured by a single facility. This level of concentration in any global supply chain would represent a considerable vulnerability; solar PV is no exception,” the report says.
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