The European Solar Energy Market Buchkatalog

Solar energy holds the highest potential among renewable energy sources and is thus a vital driver for a future shift in the primary energy mix. So far little research has been done which takes into account a truly interdisciplinary approach. The paper outlines the political and legal framework for the European solar energy market and analyses the implications for the linkage between environmental and social sustainability and profitability. Market analyses show the effect of certain policies, room for improvement as well as chances and risks from the exporter's point of view. They identify administrative hurdles which should be eliminated and show as well that feed-in tariffs are much more effective than direct investment subsidies. The argument for taking into account external costs is derived from life cycle analyses showing the high degree of sustainability as well as profitability for the society as a whole. Exporters will find a very promising and dynamic and therefore volatile market in some European as well as overseas countries.