Solar Energy: Photovoltaics
By Staff -- EDN, September 18, 2008
The market drivers for photovoltaic energy are in place: Global energy requirements will increase by 3 to 4 times in the next 50 years while fossil fuel prices continue to rise. In addition, the EU countries are mandated to reduce CO2 production by the year 2020 by 20% and to generate 20% of their total energy from renewable energy sources. iSuppli senior director and principal analyst Dr. Henning Wicht estimates that the international production of photovoltaic cells will grow from 6B € in 2007 to 18B € in 2010.
However, for the next two years the photovoltaic industry will face continued shortages in silicon, a basic raw material for the industry. In addition, government subsidies continue to play an important role in solar energy end pricing. In Germany, the largest EU country user of solar energy, the current successful subsidies will start to decrease at 5% per year, forcing photovoltaic end prices to fall an equivalent amount to keep parity. In the US, tax incentives for investment in photovoltaic systems end in December 2008, and may or may not be extended. Japan directly supports new photovoltaics installations, but China has none at this time.
| Top 20 Photovoltaic Cell Producers | ||||
|
Rank |
Company | Country of origin |
Cell Technology |
Capacity 2008 (Announced) |
| (1) Plants are mostly crystalline, but also produce thin-film Source: iSuppli, analyst Dr. Henning Wicht, Senior Director and Principal Analyst Photovoltaics and MEMS |
||||
| 1 | Sharp Electronics | Japan | Crystalline (1) | 870 |
| 2 | Q-Cells | Germany | Crystalline (1) | 834 |
| 3 | Suntech Power Holdings Ltd | China | Crystalline (1) | 590 |
| 4 | First Solar | USA | Thin-Film | 484 |
| 5 | SolarWorld | Germany | Crystalline | 460 |
| 6 | Sanyo | Japan | Crystalline | 365 |
| 7 | BP Solar | UK | Crystalline | 480 |
| 8 | Kyocera | Japan | Crystalline | 300 |
| 9 | Motech Industries Inc. | Taiwan | Crystalline | 330 |
| 10 | Solarfun Power Holdings | China | Crystalline | 360 |
| 11 | SunPower Corp. | USA | Crystalline | 414 |
| 12 | Gintech Energy Corporation | Taiwan | Crystalline | 300 |
| 13 | E-TON SOLAR TECH | Taiwan | Crystalline | 320 |
| 14 | Yingli Green Energy | China | Crystalline | 400 |
| 15 | CEEG Nanjing PV Tech Co.Ltd. | China | Crystalline | 390 |
| 16 | China Sunergy Co. Ltd | China | Crystalline | 320 |
| 17 | Mitsubishi | Japan | Crystalline (1) | 280 |
| 18 | Ersol Solar Energy AG | Germany | Crystalline | 220 |
| 19 | Jing Ao Solar Co Ltd. | China | Crystalline | 175 |
| 20 | Moser Baer Photovoltaic | India | Crystalline (1) | 120 |
| Total (in MW) | 8012 | |||
| Total for Top 10 | 5073 | |||
