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80 GW of new solar capacity could be added in 2017

According to European industry group SolarPower Europe (former EPIA), global solar installations should continue to grow in 2017 and 80 GW of new solar capacities could be added during the year (low scenario of 58.5 GW of capacity addition and high scenario of 103.6 GW).



New capacity additions would then range between 59 GW and 75 GW per year (2021) in the low scenario and between 104 GW and 162 GW (in 2021) in the high scenario. Global solar capacity should at least double by 2021 (623 GW in the low scenario) and could triple by this date (936 GW in the high scenario). In all scenarios, the growth would be pulled by the Asia-Pacific region, which should add between 54 and 67 GW per year over the 2017-2021 period. China's installed capacity could double from the current 78 GW (2016) to 160 GW in 2021 (low scenario of 88 GW), while India's capacity should rose from 9.5 GW in 2016 to 50-88 GW in 2021. Capacity additions in America should remain in line with historical trends, with around 20 GW installed each year through 2021, while Europe should add between 10 GW and 17 GW per year over this period.

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