Generally the world PV market in 2013 seems to be playing out according to our early expectations, as covered by this report http://mercomcapital.com/global-solar-forecast-a-brighter-outlook-for-global-pv-installations1

Europe is diminishing while China and Japan are aggressively growing their domestic consumption. China in particular has decided to support its PV industry, while looking good politically on the green front for a relatively small investment.  Japan's generous FIT subsidy has increased their demand substantially. Overall the effect is to keep world demand at a pretty constant level of around 30-35GWp while prices stabilize and the industry restructures down from it's overbuilt 60GWp capacity. In the US, the fall in PV prices to around $0.70/Wp together with the existing subsidies has made PV projects profitable in sunny locations. This has produced some reasonable market growth, though many projects based on expectations of prices falling lower have been cancelled. US subsidies may not last as the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) will reduce significantly in 2016 unless there is significant change in Congress.

Prices will probably stay at this level or higher for several years as industry profitability is restored. It is hard to see a rapid growth in PV volume or prices reducing for several years from this price level and world subsidy regime, though there are several optimistic market boosters forecasting robust PV growth. http://reneweconomy.com.au/2013/deutsche-bank-says-us-solar-boom-to-reach-50gw-by-2016-18298

Citigroup and Bloomberg are equally optimistic.  

On the overall energy front the US seems committed to increasing natural gas and reducing coal consumption. Nuclear is dying a natural death from high costs and competition from natural gas as some existing plants are closed and new construction projects are cancelled. Solar and wind seem like minor sideshows as the country looks forward to energy independence as the worlds biggest oil producer. Concern about CO2 emissions seems to be yesterdays problem.

By Edmund Kelly

I have written previous posts pointing out the benefits of StratoSolar for Japan and the UK, two very densely populated countries with few indigenous energy sources and a desire for clean energy. 

Though China is not as committed to clean energy the potential benefits of StratoSolar for China seem even more compelling, though for different reasons.

In general, solar and other renewables solve three problems:

1)      Fossil fuels are a finite resource.

2)      Burning fossil fuels damages the environment and is causing climate change.

3)      Energy security. Dependence on imported energy threatens national and economic security.

Interestingly, for the US, none of these problems are currently regarded as particularly serious, and the environmental argument 2)  is the only one propping up alternative energy.

China is the inverse of the US. For China 1) and 3) are already a problem today, and at China's rapid rate of economic growth the problem is only getting worse. China is now the world's biggest oil importer, but its oil consumption is set to a least triple by 2040, 75% of which will be imports.  This puts the Chinese economy at huge risk from oil price volatility and/or supply constraints. China has a lot of coal so coal is not in as precarious a situation, but China currently imports a lot of coal from Indonesia and Australia.

An unlimited local source of cheap energy solves these problems.  Not only does it remove the resource and security problem, it also potentially provides an economic  competitive advantage.  China has leveraged cheap coal energy into dominance of energy intensive industries like steel, aluminum and chemicals. If StratoSolar provides cheaper energy it can continue that strategy, with the added benefit of no pollution.  It also puts China in a leadership position in a technology of world significance. Following the PV cost reduction path and investing in fuel synthesis technology could cement and enhance this leadership position.

A quick short term benefit is StratoSolar deployment in China  would help some specific industries that China has overbuilt; aluminum and PV silicon. StratoSolar systems consume a lot of aluminum for the structure, and clearly use PV panels.  StratoSolar systems deployed on a large scale would rapidly become the world's  biggest aluminum and PV consumer.

Food for thought.
By Edmund Kelly