Commenting on recent analysis from a Government-linked Chinese think-tank that solar could match the price of coal by 2015, Howard Johns, Chairman of the Solar Trade Association said:
“The news that Chinese researchers anticipate solar could be as cheap as coal power by 2015 follows many reports this year predicting solar is set to achieve a major cost breakthrough with sustained investment today.
“The STA urge the UK government to take notice of mounting evidence about the potential of solar, and to reconsider their assumptions that solar is a technology that is too expensive to deploy in the UK.
“Clearly some people in China believe solar could be cheaper than coal by the end of this Parliament. This is not a technology anyone can afford to ignore, particularly given the UK does have some major manufacturing opportunities.
“Solar technology has the potential to readily generate 30% of the UK’s electricity needs, and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs.”
The STA are responding to analysis that was covered by Reuters News “China to double solar capacity by year end: report”
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This may be of interest:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13424
In one, more recent, issue of New Scientist, it is reported that thermoelectric materials can be combined with traditional PV technology to improve the efficiency of Solar arrays from ~20% up to around 50%, making them a more plausible alternative to fossil fuels in terms of efficiency.