How Much Solar Energy Can We Use? Can It Power the Future?

The solar radiation received by the Earth surface can satisfy global energy demand 10,000 times over. The average annual radiation received per square meter of the surface ranges from about 1000 to 2000 kWh depending on the region. International energy data show that installing solar PV systems on just 4% of the world deserts would be enough to meet global energy demand. Solar PV has broad development space (roofs, building surfaces, open land and deserts, etc.), and its potential is enormous.

According to preliminary statistics, in China alone, installing distributed PV generation on existing building roofs has a market potential of over 300 GW, and adding the vast Gobi deserts in the west, the market potential of PV power generation reaches tens of billions of kilowatts (tens of terawatts) or more. With technological progress and large-scale application of PV power generation, its generation cost will further decrease, making it a more competitive energy supply option that can gradually move from a supplementary energy to a substitute energy, with excellent prospects of becoming the dominant energy of the future.