Solar electricity could represent up to 20％ to 25％ of global electricity production by 2050. This important finding emerges from two new IEA studies: the solar Photovoltaic (PV) and Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) roadmaps launched by IEA Executive Director Nobuo Tanaka in Valencia, Spain during the Mediterranean Solar Plan Conference hosted by the Spanish presidency of the EU.

The combination of solar photovoltaics and concentrating solar power offers considerable prospects for enhancing energy security while reducing energy-related CO2 emissions by almost six billion tonnes per year by 2050.

The roadmaps detail the technology milestones that would make this possible, highlighting that the two technologies will deploy in different yet complementary ways: PV mostly for on-grid distributed generation in many regions and CSP largely providing dispatchable electricity at utility scale from regions with brightest sun and clearest skies. PV also helps provide energy access off grid in rural areas. Together, PV and CSP could generate 9 000 Terawatt hours of power in 2050.