This case study examines the progress being made by 12 least developed countries (LDCs) in their effort to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) – access to clean and sustainable energy for all. Focusing on solar photovoltaics (PV), the authors look at what can be done to further the spread of renewable energy, and the role various actors have to playing in helping these countries to meet SDG7. Furthermore, with countries on the cusp of submitting their revised contributions under the Paris Agreement, they look at the role solar PV can play in helping LDCs to participate in taking action against climate change. After outlining the current policy landscape, and efforts being made within these countries, they look at the obstacles, opportunities, and the role of solar PV going forward. They also look at the steps that policymakers, both national and international, can take to encourage the rapid uptake of renewable energy in developing nations.
The role of input assumptions and model structures in projections of variable renewable energy: A multi-model perspective of the U.S. electricity system