Solar industry groups release report in Copenhagen - LA Times

December 15, 2009

As the United Nations Climate Change Conference enters its second week in Copenhagen, several international solar organizations released a report today summarizing solar power goals around the world.

The report covers solar industry activity in several countries and regions, and includes data on job growth and carbon dioxide emissions offsets associated with solar targets.

By 2020, European Union countries are aiming to rely on renewable resources for 20% of energy consumed.  If the European photovoltaics industry is able to meet up to 12% of the region’s electricity demand by then, it could translate into 5.5 million jobs in Europe and the reduction of at least 220 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year by 2020, according to the report.

India hopes to install 20 gigawatts of solar facilities by 2020, while China is aiming to produce 20 gigawatts-peak, when the sun shines strongest.

The U.S. hopes to use solar technologies to offset 570 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions by 2020 while creating 882,000 related jobs, according to data provided by Solar Energy Industries Assn. (SEIA) in Washington, D.C. Read Full Article