EDITORSVIEW
Industry drivers T
he continued introduction of renewable sources of energy into the mainstream should be a fairly logical concept and process. The introduction of renewable energy is based on a long term vision recognising the dependancies on energy supplies that are economically too prone to political and economic wrangling and the reality that the Earth is a planet of finite resources. The desire to develop and introduce renewables now is based on providing options to a future that may not have the luxury of transition. The desire may be clear but the economic expectations are all about the short term and this conflict tends to put up barriers to such long term altruistic goals.
Of course companies must make profits and this is the reason governments around the world have taken the opportunity to incentivise the process to ensure profitability until a sustainable industry can emerge. Again it all seems so simple but a quick glance at world headlines on the topic shows a steady progression of negative reports about renewable energies and the short term returns from their introductions. In fact you need to dig rather deep to discover many positive tales at present.
There is plenty of opportunity to read about financial institutions spreading fearful declarations on the impact of Europe’s subsidy readjustments currently occurring. There is much to read about the inefficiencies and cost implications of renewables. One report suggests that every renewable job created in the UK came at a cost of 3.7 jobs elsewhere. This seems a remarkable figure but more remarkable is the excited discussion on these figures. A great deal seems to be made about the study but very little about the fact that the methodology, equations and summation were all based on figures before the current UK FiT review. Any potential discrepancy or change in outcome is ignored as the negative industry figures are latched onto.
The sadder part of this conflict of interests is that the PV and solar industry seems to be doing very little to address this problem. In fact the industry often creates the very divisions based on misleading information I am referring to. Governments can only respond to the advice given and there is doubt that the long term initial desire for renewables has been involved in industry and policy discussion as much as the short term economic factors.
David Ridsdale Editor-in-Chief
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www.solar-pv-management.com Issue IV 2011
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