From a Technology Push to a Market Pull: Lessons for Crossing the Valley of Death in Solar Photovoltaic Diffusion from Germany, Italy and Switzerland

With costs for solar photovoltaic modules having declined by the factor of five and for the solar systems by the factor of three from 2008 to 2012 (IEA, 2014), a technology that used to be far more expensive than other forms of electricity has finally become a serious competitor to conventional power generation. However, the contribution of the solar energy to the electricity mix remains marginal in most countries of the world. This paper aims to identify crucial factors for the diffusion of solar photovoltaic installations based on the cross-case study analysis of the German, Italian and Swiss solar photovoltaic markets.