Solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation has grown rapidly, from less than 1 gigawatt (GW) in 2000 to about 300 GW worldwide in 2017. Solar PV’s competitiveness against other sources of electricity has also continued evolving.
To track these crucial market trends, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has developed Cost and Competitiveness Indicators for rooftop solar PV, based on the trends witnessed in key electricity markets.
Spurred by innovation, increased competition, and policy support in a growing number of countries, renewable energy technologies have achieved massive technological advances and sharp cost reductions. Renewables have come to the forefront of the global energy transition, with nearly every country adopting a renewable energy target. Yet progress has been uneven in different countries and sectors. Technology and financial risks still hamper the expansion of renewables into new markets. As the power sector develops further, the increased adoption of variable renewables like solar and wind requires more flexible systems. Compared to power generation, the regulatory framework for end-use sectors lags behind.
Water Use in India’s Power Generation: Impact of renewables and improved cooling technologies to 2030 analyses the prospective impact of renewable energy deployment, along with recently mandated changes to power plant cooling systems, on water use in India’s electricity sector. Looking at the expected freshwater intensity of non-hydro power generation under different scenarios, the analysis aims to quantify the impact of India’s energy transition on freshwater use. The findings highlight the need to incorporate water considerations into energy planning.
The World Resources Institute and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) conducted the analysis using data compiled from various sources on water withdrawal and consumption. The study considers the impact on water use in the context of IRENA’s REmap India analysis as well as power-sector scenarios from India’s Central Electricity Authority (CEA). The resulting brief focuses on India’s power generation at the national level.
Informal economic activities across much of sub-Saharan Africa provide crucial cash income and employment for both rural and urban populations. Governing the informal economy is recognised as a key policy challenge due to its contribution to local livelihoods and its common association with illegality, tax evasion and negative environmental impacts. In addition, because of the increasingly globalised trade in commodities, parts of the informal economy can also be supported by global sources of capital. This ‘globalised’ rural informal economy urgently calls for innovative policies, which maximise the benefits of global capital flowing directly to rural populations, while minimising the negative impacts associated with the environment, revenue losses and resource governance.