Solar PV diffusion in Argentina: policy implications for a high penetration scenario until 2030

Abstract

This paper aims at proposing a methodological approach to identify the minimal contents for a future solar photovoltaic (PV) roadmap in Argentina, focusing on the actions required to reach a high penetration scenario until 2030. Argentina has been facing energy supply shortages caused by a combination of increasing in energy demand and government inability to meet the additional demand on time with the available resources (mainly fossil fuels). Although versatile and scalable, Solar PV technology has been receiving low incentives from Argentinean government. Two literature’s perspectives - the functional perspective of technological innovation systems and prospective studies (mainly normative scenarios and roadmaps as a planning tool) – were applied to set the proposed high penetration scenario up to 2030. Stakeholders and expert’s visions, global path of technology and a local prospective study made by local experts in 2012 were used to validate the proposed scenario. As main results, a way to build a future solar photovoltaic scenario in urban and suburban areas is described; minimal contents that can orient a local roadmap construction are defined, and the necessary improvements of solar PV framework in Argentina (both regulatory and promotion aspects) are pointed out.