TOP 10

While Pakistan only became a solar country in 2012 when its first on-grid PV plant came online , the Southern Asian country has high ambitions . Central to its solar strategy is the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park billed for completion this year which , once fully operational , will have a 1GW capacity and will be the largest of its kind in the world . Due to the recent fall in global tariffs , Pakistan is set to adopt power auctions which could further push down solar energy prices .

With a strong economy and welldeveloped energy sector , it is little wonder that solar took off in France . In 2016 , French President François Hollande stood with India ’ s Narendra Modi to lay the foundation stone for the headquarters of the International Solar Alliance ( ISA ) in India . The institution aims to develop solar capabilities in countries between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn .

Since 2009 , Australia ’ s solar presence has snowballed , with its cumulative PV capacity of a few hundred megawatts growing to a healthy 5.7GW in 2015 . To date , the country has nearly 20 solar projects ( with a capacity exceeding 1MW ) at various stages of completion . But these promising results don ’ t show the full picture . Despite high levels of sunshine and economic development , many have criticised the country ’ s relatively low global ranking and are demanding that the government do more to encourage the industry

22 May 2017