For many years, photovoltaics was mainly used in an off-grid context. The advent of feed-in tariffs meant that this era came to an end and for the last decade the amount of installed off-grid capacity worldwide has remained stagnant while on-grid markets have soared. The conditions for on-grid markets, however, have notably depreciated over the last six months; the economic recession is biting, European promotion levels have fallen and a vast oversupply of modules takes its toll on an industry which was booming just one year ago.
In the light of the situation, it is unsurprising that component manufacturers, wholesalers and project developers from around the world are looking for new pastures. Off-grid photovoltaics, once representing over 90 percent of all installed capacity but now down to around seven percent, is being examined for its potential. And rightly so - off-grid photovoltaics could be part of the solution to the problem of providing electricity to some of the millions of people across the globe who do not have access to a conventional grid. Greenpeace estimate that in a moderate scenario, 2,023 million people will receive electricity from off-grid PV systems by 2030. But how realistic is that figure?
It is estimated that the total amount of off-grid PV installed in 2009, will be just shy of 400 MW, less than a tenth of the total on and off-grid capacity installed worldwide. In 2001, no one could have predicted the boom that was coming - between 2001 and 2008 the compound annual growth rate was 50% - and similarly, the uneasy economic situation at present was also sudden and unexpected. Similarly, it is impossible to know what will happen on the off-grid market. However, some markets are more promising than others, some conditions more favorable.
A study has been carried out, which focuses specifically on the continents of Africa, Asia and Latin America, which have by far the biggest off-grid potential. Within these continents, some countries are examined in greater depth, and overall information about the continent is provided. Furthermore, the companies active in the upstream part of the PV value chain were also briefly surveyed. Finally, the last section provides an outlook for the off-grid PV segment up to 2020.
Global Markets for Off-Grid Photovoltaics Key Topics Covered:
A. Introduction
B. Country Market Rating
C. Downstream Off-Grid Market
D. Africa
E. Asia
F. Latin America
G. Upstream Off-Grid Market
H. Outlook
Companies Mentioned:
* South Africa
* Uganda
* Botswana
* Morocco
* Thailand
* India
* Philippines
* China
* Mexico
* Chile
* Peru