Abstract:

Solar photovoltaics (PV) stands as the foremost renewable energy technology, offering a cost-optimized solution for mitigating climate change. Meeting the ambitious goals of a climate-neutral economy necessitates substantial PV installations, ranging from 20 to 80 terawatt-peak (TWp) by 2050, with further expansion to 170 TWp by 2100 in progressive global energy scenarios.

The EU Commission, through the EU’s 2030 Climate Target Plan, has advocated heightened ambition across the EU, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55% below 1990 levels by 2030. However, achieving such scale poses significant challenges, encompassing resource constraints, technological limitations, integration into existing energy systems and grids, and ensuring reliability, security, and flexibility under diverse operating conditions.

Despite surpassing the remarkable milestone of 1 TWp of global installed PV capacity in 2022 and continuous cost reductions, PV accounts for only a small fraction (4%–5%) of global electricity generation. Accelerated PV deployment, coupled with deep electrification, has the potential to yield substantial CO₂ emission reductions—approximately 21% or nearly 4.9 Gt annually by 2050. This underscores the urgency of pushing the boundaries of PV technology and implementation.

To manage this demand surge and ensure a smooth transition, strategic planning and coordinated efforts are imperative. The escalating statistics underscore the need for a significant surge in PV installations, marked by gigawatt-power capacity and vast electricity generation in terawatt hours (TWh). This workshop aims to present Solar PV technologies, from solar cells to PV systems, and explore innovative approaches to address the aforementioned challenges to accelerate the Energy Transition.