South Africa has experienced an increase in the installation of solar PV since 1992. The low electricity offered by prior to 2010 has led to a recently rapid installation increase. The shift in installations can be seen across all segments of consumers including industrial, agricultural, commercial and residential. There are predictions that indicate that there would be a continuous decline in the cost of well beyond 2020.
The availability of abundant sunlight in most of the countries in the Global South offers rays of hope for the electrification of this region using solar energy . Despite the avalanche of sunlight, most countries in the Global South are not tapping into the technology of solar.
How does the solar energy revolution impact the Global South?
The solar energy revolution provides a transformative potential for employment generation and economic resilience in the Global South. The solar industry offers a spectrum of job opportunities, from manufacturing solar panels to installing systems, maintaining equipment, and offering technical support.
However, limited industrial growth in the Global South presents a significant challenge, hindering economic advancement and limiting sustainable development. Solar energy can help address these challenges by providing a reliable, sustainable, and decentralized energy source.
2.1.1. Electricity Inadequate access to electricity in the Global South hinders economic progress and human development [27, 28]. Energy issues or the lack of access to modern energy services is a significant problem in many regions, with vast populations lacking the benefits of electrification.
Solar energy has attracted significant attention as a prospective remedy for the multifaceted energy and development predicaments confronting the regions encompassed by the term "Global South” [, , ].
Is solar energy a sustainable resource?
Solar energy, as a renewable and abundant resource, offers a beacon of hope in these milieus of challenges. The premise of harnessing the sun's radiative potential to generate clean and sustainable power holds promise to address a spectrum of developmental disparities that persist in the Global South.