Everything Energy The future of solar power
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Nov 27, 2025 Brent Wanner, Head of the IEA’s Power Supply Unit, and Anthony Vautrin, an energy modeller specializing in electricity demand projections, dive into the future of solar power. They discuss how solar has dramatically improved in cost and efficiency since 2010, making it the cheapest electricity source. The duo highlights the potential for solar to meet growing electricity demands in sunny regions, particularly in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. They also address challenges like grid modernization and the need for diverse energy sources to ensure stable, secure electricity systems.
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Solar Leads Renewables In All Scenarios
- In all WEO scenarios renewables grow fastest and solar leads the expansion, becoming the largest electricity source by 2040 in some cases.
- Under a net-zero-by-2050 pathway, solar plays a huge role in decarbonizing electricity and the wider system.
Anticipate Policy-Driven Market Turbulence
- Expect short-term market turbulence from policy shifts like China's pricing change and US tax-credit phase-outs.
- Brent Wanner advises viewing these shifts as temporary rebalancing toward more market-oriented frameworks.
China Dominates Manufacturing And Deployment
- China accounts for ~60% of global deployment and over 80% of solar PV manufacturing, creating oversupply and profitability risks.
- Brent Wanner warns underutilized manufacturing can depress prices and strain producers' profits.
