After inaugurating the interim Secretariat of the International Solar Alliance in Gurgaon, India on Monday, French President Francois Hollande committed 300 million euros over five years towards the development of solar energy.

The International Solar Alliance, an initiative announced by India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, at the COP 21 Summit in Paris back in November, was initiated to help developing countries produce electricity and other vital energy resources.

The Alliance is made up of more than 100 solar-resource-rich nations.  Its main objective is to  increase the use and development of clean solar energy globally. The 122 countries taking part in the initiative all lie within the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so they all have over 300 days of bright sunlight in a year.

The Alliance has three main areas of focus. The first objective is locating the right candidates. The second is securing adequate resources (capital) to reduce the cost of investment. The third area of focus is getting the technology and “know-how” from developed countries to the developing world.

However, despite France’s commitment to financially back the Alliance, one of the main challenges may lie in finding willing investors. The estimated cost for the entire project is more than $1 trillion.

Solar Roadways

France has also announced plans to introduce some 621 miles of solar roadway over the next five years. The roadway project in France will make use of special solar panels that can be attached to regular pavement. In addition to creating a massive new source of solar power generation, the panels, which are manufactured by Wattway, are capable of withstanding regular traffic and even heavy trucks.

UK’s Solar Dilemma

In contrast to the diverse boom solar energy is seeing in France, solar is facing a slightly cloudier future across the English Channel.

Last year, the UK’s  Department of Energy and Climate Change stopped providing a series of government subsidies to residential and business customers who made the switch to solar energy. Subsequently, four major UK solar companies  closed down, all blaming the clean energy subsidies cuts. The closures of these companies  – Zep Solar UK,  Southern Solar, Mark Group, and Climate Energy – resulted in a loss of over 1,000 jobs.

Without the backing of government subsidies, the expense involved in solar energy can be prohibitive in the UK. This reality is made tougher by the breaks fossil fuel energy companies continue to receive.

An example of this is the 30-percent break The UK’s chancellor, George Osborne, gave shale gas production companies. Like in many countries, the solar energy industry in the UK still relies on support from the government. No subsidies result in a higher cost for consumers.  

Conclusion

While France’s 300 million euro pledge is a welcomed push to the further development of solar energy, much is still needed to give the energy source a solid backing. If solar energy companies receive tax breaks and incentives like the gas and oil industry, it can thrust upwards as a cost-effective, clean energy alternate.

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