Decorative
Decorative The world may have crossed a "tipping point" that will inevitably make solar power our main source of energy, finds a new study by researchers at UCL and the University of Exeter. The study, published this week in Nature Communications , modelled technology and economic trends and found that solar photovoltaics are likely to become the dominant power source before 2050 - even without support from more ambitious climate policies. However, it warns four "barriers" could hamper this: creation of stable power grids, financing solar in developing economies, capacity of supply chains, and political resistance from regions that lose jobs. The researchers say policies resolving these barriers may be more effective than price instruments such as carbon taxes in accelerating the clean energy transition. In addition, the researchers warn that solar-dominated electricity systems could become locked into configurations that are neither resilient nor sustainable, with a reliance on fossil fuel for dispatchable power. Co-author, Dr Nadia Ameli (UCL Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources), said: "There is a growing belief that, with the dramatic decline in the global average cost of renewables, it will be much easier for the developing world to decarbonise. Our study reveals persistent hurdles, especially considering the challenges these nations face in accessing capital under equitable conditions.
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