Jul022008
Korea making steady gains in solar energy technology
Posted under News by Iskandar Makhmudov at 11:00 on Jul 02 2008
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said that Korea has had all the necessary technology to produce quality solar electricity since 2006.
Solar energy is gaining popularity as a source of clean, reusable energy, as many industrialized countries are under pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are blamed for global warming.
In 2010, 1 billion gigawatts of solar electric power will be generated worldwide, with the global market reaching $50 billion, reports predicted.
The ministry said that while Korean technology levels stood at 70 percent of industry leaders like Sharp, Q-Cells and Kyocera in 2007, the country is making gains as more companies pour greater resources into research and development.
“In 2006, 61.0 percent of solar panels used in homes and 85.4 percent procured for larger commercial and industrial generation were imports, but in less than a year, Korean manufacturers replaced foreign competition to a noticeable extent,” said a ministry official. In July 2007, the market share of foreign products for home solar generation dropped to 45.0 percent.
Figures for larger commercial solar energy production facilities edged down to 85.2 percent.
Exports of solar power-related equipment, meanwhile, rose from $45 million in 2006 to $180 million last year.
It said at the present pace, and with the right amount of state support, Korea will be able to generate 4 gigawatts of electricity through solar power in 2020, and increase this to 18 gigawatts in 2030. Exports will correspondingly go up to 1.4 trillion won ($1.48 billion) in 2020 and over 6 trillion won in 2030.
The ministry, meanwhile, said the opening of a more productive solar cell factory by Millinet Solar in Daegu is a promising indication that local companies are pushing to produce key components more effectively.
It added that Seoul plans to provide continued incentives, provide more loans to finance research, and remove administrative obstacles that could hinder solar energy generation.
Source: Korea.net
