Photovoltaic

The solar PV industry will create 94,000 new jobs in Europe between 2016 and 2021, says an EY report commissioned from industry association SolarPower Europe. At the beginning of the next decade, the sector will employ 174,700 full-time equivalents, a growth of 145% from 81,000 in 2016 but still a lower amount than 250,000 in 2008.

The newly installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity worldwide will exceed 95 gigawatts (GW) in 2017, according to the latest forecast of Bernreuter Research. "Supply of the feedstock polysilicon would even allow PV installations to reach 100 GW if inventories were strongly reduced," says Johannes Bernreuter, head of the market research firm and author of the Polysilicon Market Outlook 2020.

Iran is aiming to boost its renewables sector. The current installed capacity of 240 MW is planned to increase to 5,000 MW by the end of 2020. Companies that are investing in renewables make it onto a shortlist to receive a tax incentive, assuming they fulfill conditions relating to the specific location and an output purchase agreement with the government. Despite the attractive tax incentives, the solar market in Iran remains challenging.