Photovoltaic solar power will be fully established as a viable and competitive form of electricity by 2020, claims a new report from the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA). In a study conducted in conjunction with management consultancy A T Kearney, the association says that photovoltaic power should supply between 4% and 6% of Europe’s electricity needs by 2020. This however could be as high as 12% if more favourable conditions for solar power were to be established. Under this 12% scenario, EPIA claims that photovoltaic electricity would be competitive with other power sources in as much as 75% of Europe’s electricity market by 2020, without any form of external price support or subsidy. Photovoltaic electricity is Europe’s fastest-growing renewable energy technology, and costs are expected to drop faster than those of other electricity sources.