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Technology Stocks : The *NEW* Frank Coluccio Technology Forum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: axial who wrote (27631)	8/1/2008 6:31:28 PM
From: Frank A. Coluccio	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 46821

From The McKinsey Quarterly: The Economics of Solar Power Don’t be fooled by technological uncertainty and the continued importance of regulation; solar will become more economically attractive. Peter Lorenz, Dickon Pinner, and Thomas Seitz - McKinsey Staffers All June 2008 A new era for solar power is approaching. Long derided as uneconomic, it is gaining ground as technologies improve and the cost of traditional energy sources rises. Within three to seven years, unsubsidized solar power could cost no more to end customers in many markets, such as California and Italy, than electricity generated by fossil fuels or by renewable alternatives to solar. By 2020, global installed solar capacity could be 20 to 40 times its level today. But make no mistake, the sector is still in its infancy. Even if all of the forecast growth occurs, solar energy will represent only about 3 to 6 percent of installed electricity generation capacity, or 1.5 to 3 percent of output in 2020. While solar power can certainly help to satisfy the desire for more electricity and lower carbon emissions, it is just one piece of the puzzle. [ ... ] But the sector’s economics are changing. Over the last two decades, the cost of manufacturing and installing a photovoltaic solar-power system has decreased by about 20 percent with every doubling of installed capacity. The cost of generating electricity from conventional sources, by contrast, has been rising along with the price of natural gas, which heavily influences electricity prices in regions that have large numbers of gas-fired power plants. These regions include California, the Northeast, and Texas (in the United States), as well as Italy, Japan, and Spain. [ ... ] Complete article: mckinseyquarterly.com [may require registration; not sure if subscription-only; you can always PM me, and I can anoint you honorary member of staff] ------