The energy sector has likely reached a turning point marked by a self-propelled "virtuous cycle" set in motion by the use of solar technology and the way companies are learning how to make it more accessible, say researchers from the University of Exeter and University College London.

"The progress of renewable energies means that estimates dominated solely by fossil fuels are no longer realistic", said Femke Nijsse, from the Global Systems Institute in Exeter, in a press release.

There is a widely held perception that the increasingly reduced cost of renewable energy will greatly facilitate carbon emissions reduction in developing countries, according to the statement.

Although the path for solar energy to become the most significant energy source seems already established, even in the absence of support for more ambitious climate policies, researchers warn that there are "barriers" that could slow down the progress.

Researchers have identified four areas that could inhibit the transition to solar energy dominance: the availability of stable energy grids, funding for the solar energy sector in developing countries, supply chain capacity and political resistance in regions where many jobs are tied to fossil fuel-based industries.

Governments should, therefore, focus not only on transitioning to solar energy but also on addressing these four barriers, researchers recommended.

These include ensuring sources of energy when solar light is not available, like wind energy and transmission lines between regions.

African countries, in particular, would also need access to financing to coordinate the transition to solar energy. Supply chains, especially for critical raw materials, such as lithium and copper, needed for battery production must be strengthened.

The loss of jobs in the fossil fuel industry and related industries, which provide livelihoods for an estimated 13 million people worldwide, should be mitigated, added the study's authors.