We are about to enter the “second growth phase of the solar era,” says Vishal Shah, a Barclays analysts. This phase is driven by utility-scale purchases of solar panels. “We expect the U.S and Chinese solar markets to lead growth during the second growth phase of the solar era, primarily driven by development of large scale solar projects,” he notes.
How large? China is planning a 2 gigawatt solar facility, which is twice as much solar as the US generates now, and close to what two proposed nuclear reactors would output. With no worries about storing waste material.
Their point, utility-scale solar will be a reality within the next few years.