Chapter 1.03: Solar Photovoltaics Technology: No Longer an Outlier

The status and future technology, market, and industry opportunities for solar photovoltaics (PV) are examined and discussed. The co-importance of both ‘policy’ and ‘technology’ investments for the future markets and competitiveness of this solar approach is emphasized. This chapter underscores the ‘technology’ side, with a comprehensive overview and insights to technical, policy, market, industry, and other investments needed to tip PV to its next level of contribution as a significant clean energy partner in the world energy economy. The requirement to venture from ‘near-term’ and ‘evolutionary’ approaches into ‘disruptive’ and ‘revolutionary’ technology pathways is argued for our needs in the midterm (the next 10–15 years) and the long term (beyond the first quarter of this century).