Toward a Sunny Future? Global Integration in the Solar PV Industry

This research paper analyzes the global integration of the solar photovoltaic (PV) sector, examining growth patterns, cost structures, trade, investment, and employment. It argues that maintaining open global markets and providing predictable long-term support are essential for accelerating deployment and reducing costs, while cautioning against protectionist policies intended to create domestic jobs.

• To stimulate growth and local job creation without creating trade barriers, governments should provide predictable, long-term support for solar energy deployment to encourage innovation and cost reduction. Implementing a price on carbon emissions is suggested as a way to provide an additional long-term market signal to accelerate this process.
• The authors recommend that policymakers expand their focus beyond manufacturing jobs to include the total employment potential of the solar industry, specifically including roles in research, project development, installation, operations, and maintenance.
• Global solar PV market development is best supported by keeping markets open and reducing trade barriers, such as abolishing tariffs and harmonizing industry standards. Protectionist policies are viewed as a risk that could slow market development and lead to retaliatory actions in other sectors.
• Policymakers experience a trade-off between the goal of accelerating large-scale renewable energy deployment through global integration and the desire to protect domestic clean technology markets to generate local green jobs and secure political support for climate policies.

APA

Kirkegaard, J. F., Hanemann, T., Weischer, L., & Miller, M. (n.d.). Toward a Sunny Future? Global Integration in the Solar PV Industry. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/research/toward-sunny-future-global-integration-solar-pv-industry

Chicago

Kirkegaard, Jacob Funk, Thilo Hanemann, Lutz Weischer, and Matt Miller. Toward a Sunny Future? Global Integration in the Solar PV Industry. World Resources Institute, n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/toward-sunny-future-global-integration-solar-pv-industry.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kirkegaard |first1=Jacob Funk |last2=Hanemann |first2=Thilo |last3=Weischer |first3=Lutz |last4=Miller |first4=Matt |title=Toward a Sunny Future? Global Integration in the Solar PV Industry |publisher=World Resources Institute |url=https://www.wri.org/research/toward-sunny-future-global-integration-solar-pv-industry |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kirkegaardndtoward, author = {Kirkegaard, Jacob Funk and Hanemann, Thilo and Weischer, Lutz and Miller, Matt}, title = {{Toward a Sunny Future? Global Integration in the Solar PV Industry}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/toward-sunny-future-global-integration-solar-pv-industry}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }