Solar photovoltaic energy policy and globalization: a multiperspective approach with case studies of Germany, Japan, and China

Abstract

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have experienced strong market growth over the last decade. Since the mid‐2000s, the increase in demand in line with policy supports in Europe has attracted the Chinese players into the PV manufacturing market. Chinese production soared in a short time and managed to quickly reduce the cost thanks to large‐scale supply with mass‐produced products. Faced with the global economic crisis, the European countries began reducing their policy supports that caused a decrease in the demand for PV installations. Despite such a market situation, Chinese PV manufacturers have continued to produce large quantities of solar PV products and thereby aggravated the global PV industry situation with a global supply–demand imbalance. China's rapid market expansion without domestic market development has brought unexpected results with an oversupply of PV materials and equipment in a global market and destabilized the PV market. It influenced the PV policy mechanisms of other countries. Many PV firms in the world have since gone into bankruptcy. China and Europe lately went through a trade dispute over the Chinese solar panel imports (dumping suspicion). In this context, this study aims to identify the PV policy mechanisms based on a multiperspective approach in Germany, Japan, and China. A systematic logical framework is proposed and then used to explain each country's PV policy strategy and results. Moreover, PV globalization impacts and interactions among them are studied using the international trade theory. At the end, this research also attempts to seek optimal strategies to improve the global PV mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Renewable Energy for Sustainable Growth and Development: An Evaluation of Law and Policy of Bangladesh

“…Solar PV provides approximately 7.8% of annual electricity creation in Italy, 5% in Germany and 6% in Greece [57]. Japan and China are the Asian driving nations creating around 13.6 GW and 20 GW sun-oriented power individually [58]. Similarly, modern technological advancement in solar home-system and solar-based innovations are progressively appealing and compelling in Bangladesh.…”

The adoption of green energy technologies: The role of policies in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland

“…Energy-intensive industries as well as firms with substantial own electricity production are partly exempted from the surcharge. For producers of renewable energy technologies, the legislation provided them with a home market advantage and led to the emergence of an innovative industry (Cantner et al 2016; Lauber and Jacobsson 2016; Welfens and Lutz 2012; Yu, Popiolek, and Geoffron 2016). For electricity-consuming firms, the renewable energy policy in Germany resulted in a constant increase in electricity prices and provided an incentive to invest into own electricity producing facilities based on renewable energy (particularly photovoltaic energy and biomass) (Frondel et al 2010, 2010; Lehr et al 2009; Lipp 2007).…”

Does Energy Policy Hurt International Competitiveness of Firms? A Comparative Study for Germany, Switzerland and Austria

“…Energy-intensive industries as well as firms with substantial own electricity production are partly exempted from the surcharge. For producers of renewable energy technologies, the legislation provided them with a home market advantage and led to the emergence of an innovative industry (Cantner et al 2016, Lauber and Jacobsson 2016, Yu et al 2016, Welfens and Lutz 2012. For electricity consuming firms, the renewable energy policy in Germany resulted in a constant increase in electricity prices and provided an incentive to invest into own electricity producing facilities based on renewable energy (particularly photovoltaic energy and biomass) (Lehr et al 2009, Lipp 2007, Frondel et al 2010.…”