Australia scientist Martin Green, known as the "father of solar energy", accepted an exclusive interview with our reporter during the "2013 Nobel Prize Winners Beijing Forum." He predicted that in the next 20 years,"optoelectronic" transmission from western China to Poland, 6000 kilometers away. He also called on countries to cancel the unfair and unwise practice of "anti-dumping" on China's solar photovoltaic products.
Green said that the main constraints on the promotion and application of solar power are technical bottlenecks in electrical energy storage and power transmission. Due to the failure to connect to the power grid, many independent solar power generation equipment (such as street lights) and electrical energy storage equipment are easily damaged, which also leads to an increase in the cost of using solar energy. He revealed that in Germany, where solar power accounts for 14% of total power generation, it has begun to adopt "water storage" methods-excess solar power during the day is used to lift water to heights, and water is washed down at night to complete power generation. "This could keep solar equipment from being replaced for hundreds of years."
The interconnection of solar power generation and public power grids can allow solar energy to further play its role. "The solar energy resources owned by western China can be transported to eastern China long distances in the future." Having solved the problems of long-distance transmission and international networking, Green predicts that solar power from western China can be transported to Poland within 20 years, which will be twice the current long-distance transmission distance.
"With the global solar power generation network, the sunshine area can supply power to the night area. This is a good trend in the development of solar energy technology." Green said that by 2050, solar power generation will account for 25% of global power generation, and by 2100 it will reach more than two-thirds. At that time, solar power will provide electricity. Solar power will also enter the homes of more and more residents. At present, about 1 million of the 8 million residents in Australia have installed solar rooftop power generation equipment, which will become routine equipment in the future. Green also said that China is already the world's producer of solar photovoltaic power generation products and is expected to become the largest solar power generation area from 2015 to 2016.
Regarding the "anti-dumping" encountered by China's photovoltaic products in Europe, Green was blunt: "This is unwise and technically and legally unreasonable." Being familiar with China's photovoltaic market, he made it clear that there is no problem of low-price dumping for China's photovoltaic products. The main reasons for low prices are technological progress and overcapacity. He also revealed that India is currently considering implementing "anti-dumping" on China's photovoltaic products, and he is worried that "the situation will escalate further."
