Solar

In a new report, BP states that wind, solar and biofuel consumption will outpace demand for fossil fuels over the next 20 years, rising from 1 percent to 6 percent of total energy output. It states that, through 2030, global renewables consumption will grow at 8.2 percent per year versus a 2.1 percent annual gain for natural gas.

This McKinsey article describes five technologies that could start arriving in earnest by 2020 or so: grid-scale storage, digital-power conversion, compressorless air conditioning and electrochromic windows, clean coal, and electrofuels and new biofuels.

Because of its tariff incentives, Germany has become the world’s largest solar market by installations.

Warren Buffett’s energy company, MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., made a strong push into solar this past December.

Google is spending $94 million and teaming up with KKR to develop four solar energy farms.

The Department of the Interior has approved solar farms in Arizona and California and is also pushing for offshore wind farms on the Atlantic coast.

U.S. developers added 449.2 megawatts of solar power in the third quarter. That’s up 140 percent from the 187.3 megawatts in the same quarter last year.

After 40 years, BP is shutting down its solar business.

Serious questions are arising around the future outlook for the solar industry in light of recent bankruptcies, falling stock prices and high debt loads.

At the end of September, the U.S. Department of Energy closed deals with four start-ups to the tune of $4.7 billion in loan guarantees for solar projects.