Which Countries Use Solar Electricity?
A number of countries use solar electricity to help support growing energy needs of their populations. Each megawatt of energy powers 800 homes for a year. Combined with other renewable sources, solar electricity has the potential to help offset the costly consumption of fossil fuels. Photovoltaic solar cells have also become a highly profitable industry for many of these countries. However, the implementation of the method has been erratic in industrialized countries and nearly non-existent in third world nations.
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United States
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Despite being the largest available energy source for the country, the United States uses solar electricity for only 0.1 percent of its energy needs. The government, however, has instituted a 30 percent solar tax credit for individuals and businesses until 2016. This is expected to produce 28,000 megawatts of power, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, powering 22.4 million homes.
Europe
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Europe is the world leader in the production of solar-based electricity with 3.42 gigawatts, according to a 2006 study by the EurObserv'ER. Germany leads the European Union and continent in general by producing 3,063 megawatts itself, powering 2.4 million homes.
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Israel
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Israel has a strained relationship with many of the fossil fuel-producing Middle Eastern countries. This has prompted the country to focus heavily on solar electricity options, including adding solar water heating technology to 90 percent of the country's homes, according to a BusinessWeek article from March 26, 2008, by Neal Sandler.
India
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Many of India's rural areas do not have a modern electric grid. This has created a focus on solar electricity to pump water. Production began in the early 21st century to accomplish this.
China
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China produced approximately 18 percent of the world's photovoltaic products as of 2007, according to an Earth Policy Institute report by Jonathan G. Dorn. Due to the country's 400 solar module companies, it produced 1,700 megawatts that same year.
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- Photo Credit Anna Regelsberger
