The Nexus of Energy For Free and World Society

Abstract

Recent price cuts made photovoltaic solar energy conversion the cheapest energy source for electricity production at least in sun-rich African countries. The price drops are achieved by traditional photovoltaic modules based on crystalline silicon wafers; and still important potential for price reduction exists for this technology. In addition a large number of alternative PV technologies have been developed to different stages of maturity promising even higher potential for price reduction. Thereby the electricity price may drop to values even lower than at times in the past when the energy price had already been basically negligible in calculating production costs. This leads to the question of the impact of basically cost-free electricity. The technological development is clear; the social and political implications are not even discussed so far. Here conceptualizations of World Society are used to highlight possible future scenarios. This paper should provide a first collection of thoughts on possible threats, chances and other consequences of this development.