1. 2012-2020 outlook for solar a new dawnby Noelle Lim, Asia Journalism Fellowship 2012, Nanyang Technological University

2. Why solar?State of playOutlook 2012-2020 seven points 3. Fossil fuel, an environment hazardBP oil spill, Gulf of Mexico in 2010, damage cost $8 billion, image: The Daily Green 4. Geopolitical tension, unstable regimes affect oil supplyEgypt protests in 2011, still a long road to democracy, image: Daily Mail Reporter, EPA 5. Sanctions on Iran for nuclearOil imports from Iran curbed, all major economies will be affected, image: IBN 6. Oil prices are volatileOil price peaks no. 4) Iran-Iraq war 11) Global financial crisis 12) Opec cuts production 7. The alternative, nuclear is unpopular Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011, image: Sydney Morning Herald 8. Solar is free, clean and renewableImage: allaboutsolarenergy.net 9. Solar democratises energy production, empowers villagersSolar engineers at work in India, image: Action Mag 10. Why solar?State of playOutlook 2012-2020 seven points 11. Tackling Eurozone debt a biggerpriority than funding clean energyProtests in Greece over pension and salary cuts, image: Wall Street Journal 12. Politicians oppose more funding for clean energy in US 13. Major solar firms went bankruptSolyndra was a beneficiary of US government funding, image: Associated Press 14. Despite lower costs, Chinese solarfirms also sufferedSuntech, worlds largest solar firms shares fell over the past five years, chart: Yahoo Finance 15. In 2012, US raises import duties onsolar panels from ChinaUS firms unable to compete with Chinese firms, lobbies for restrictions 16. Solar is attracting investorstypically ahead of the curveWarren Buffet bought MidAmerican, owner of a $2 billion solar farm in California 17. Solar PV prices are dropping, cheaper to use solar energy 18. Payback can be two years for solar, depending on location Source: New Renewable Energy Laboratory 19. Grid parity achieved soon as prices of PV falls 20. Why solar?State of playOutlook 2012-2020 seven points 21. 1. Growth in solar will outpace wind, a major renewable, to 2020Annual value of renewable energy capacity installed, 2005-30 ($billion)Chart: Bloomberg New Energy Finance 22. 2. China will lead the growth indemand for renewables to 2020Annual value of renewable energy capacity installed, 2005-30 ($billion), chart: Bloomberg NEFRoW = rest of the world, MENA = Middle East North Africa 23. 3. Off-grid market, another driverSolar installation by Grameen Shakti in remote village of Bangladesh, image: Action Mag 24. 3. Remote areas are energy hungrySolar home system installations by Grameen Shakti, image: Grameen Shakti 25. 4. Solar REITs and solar panels as advertisement billboardsMore investment and financing products will unleash market development and innovationImage: Poco Solar Energy 26. 5. More applications commercialiseddue to thin film developmentTrain (Desisolar France); road (Solar Roadways US); car (Panasonic); window (KVArch/MIT) 27. 6. Retail and energy products bundled togetherConsumer gadgets could produce energy or control energy supply, image: Apple iPad 28. 7. A norm to buy green electricityand install solar panelsIntel solar processor; charging station for electric cars; Wal-Mart; United Church in Canada 29. Go clean, the next generation willthank you for itJonathan Sophat Lilienfein and his mother, Botumroath Keo Lebun from Cambodia 30. By Noelle Limnoelle@ajf.sgAsia Journalism Fellow 2012Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and InformationNanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeAdviser: Nilesh Jadhav, Energy Research Institute @ NTUSponsor: Temasek FoundationMarch 2012Image on front cover in Nadi, FijiCopyright by Noelle Lim