Complete kit to evaluate your own opportunity in the photovoltaic market
The most important objective for today’s photovoltaic (PV) market is to reduce the ratio of manufacturing cost to power output, and more specifically for solar modules, the manufacturing cost per kWh. With this in mind, technical solutions are required to reach grid parity and make PV a competitive energy source.
Equipment and materials suppliers are partnering with cell manufacturers to cut cost down together. Investments in cell production capacity at an unprecedented level across multiple geographies will help manufacturers to benefit from learning and scale effects. However, innovation on equipment and material is a key parameter to sustain the growth of the PV industry.
Increase technical performances to provide more efficient and time stable cells is the solution to leverage manufacturing cost. Along the value chain, numerous solutions are expected by PV manufacturers.
PV industry has its own identity but can benefit from manufacturing solutions existing in various industry, semiconductor, display, printing, glass...
Since our last report, industry landscape has considerably changed:
- A large number of companies invested into polysilicon manufacturing established players Hemlock, MEMC… Wafer manufacturers, LDK, PV Crystalox… but also new entrants such as DC Chemical, Hoku…
- We observed how the entrance of Applied Materials, Oerlikon Solar and Ulvac impacted on a-Si based modules production capacity.
- CdTe technology driven by First Solar demonstrated its economical strenght and allowed the company to plan a GigaWatt factory.
- A large number of start up rose funds to build CIGS plants based on various patented manufacturing process. Centrotherm and Veeco were the first suppliers to provide solutions for CIGS large scale production.
This report provides a complete understanding of the PV industry.
- Raw materials
- Equipment
- Cells
- Modules
Our goal is to offer a full overview on technology and describe market mechanisms
Key features
Using our technology approach, we describe the industry providing our readers a technical dimension usually unmet in market reports. Technology innovation plays an important role in the development of the PV industry.
In order to provide an opportunity and risk evaluation, we clarify the situation and describe
- Market context
- 9 PV technologies
- Manufacturing process
- Description and market of 16 types of equipment
- …
Equipment and material manufacturers will find all needed elements for either a PV industry entrance or densification.
The report offers a full description of photovoltaic market, technologies, manufacturing processes, equipment and materials and it also includes key figures, analyses and useful tools for strategic decisions.
Scope of the report
Description of main technologies
- Wafer based,
- Thin wafer based,
- a-Si,
- Tandem: a-Si/µ-Si,
- III-V,
- CIS/CIGS,
- CdTe,
- Dye sensitized solar cells,
- Organic solar cells.
A large part of the report is exclusively focusing on market opportunities for main manufacturing equipment:
- PECVD (edge isolation, active layer deposition, antireflective coating)
- PVD (electrode deposition, antireflective coating)
- Lasers scribers (edge isolation, patterning)
- Screen printers
- Wet bench (saw damage and PSG removal)
- Diffusion and firing furnaces
- MOCVD
For each machine, we describe:
- Players with estimated market shares
- Technical challenges
- ASP and main technical parameters
- Innovative concepts
- …
We also screened turnkey equipment solution both in thin films and c-Si:
- 10 equipment solutions
- Technology and process
- Alliance of players
- Level of required investment
- ...
Objectives of the report
We understood from our customers that maturity level of different PV technologies needed to be clarified. Some reached mass production through standard or proprietary manufacturing process. Others are still in development for bringing innovation at low cost. We observed a strong variation on equipment and materials needed in production between the different technologies.
Yole’s objectives through this report, were to point out specific challenges and issues for each process, brings key answers and evaluates the potential market for equipment and material suppliers. Suppliers of lasers, screen printers, wet benches, furnaces, CVD and PVD systems… and all associated materials must all be aware of the photovoltaic market opportunities.
Companies in the report
Air Liquide, Akrion, ATV Technologie, Bürkle, Dow Corning, Evergreen, Honda, Kyocera, Motech, Pasan, Roth and Rau, Semco, Sulfurcell, Ulvac, Anwell, IHI, Sontor/B234, Antec Solar, Boostsolar, Denal, Elkem, Flisom, Kaneka, MEMC, Oerlikon Solar, REC, Schott Solar, SolarWorld, Tempress, Von Ardenne, GT Solar, Manz Automation, 3S Swiss Solar Systems, Applied Materials, BSI Bécancour Silicon, Despatch,Energosolar, Fraunhofer ISE, Komax Systems, Metalor, OTB Engineering, RENA,SCR Engineering, Spire, Thieme, Würth Solar, HALM, Rena, Altatech, Aurel Automation, Centrotherm, Dupont, Ever-Q, Innolas, Leybold Optics, Nanosolar, PVA tepla, Saint-Gobain, Sharp, Suntech, United Solar Ovonics, DC Chemicals, Wacker-Chemie, Analog JSC, Bakaert, DEK, Edwards, First Solar, Jusung, Meier, NREL, Q-Cells, Schmid, Solar Force, Tecnofimes, VHF-Technologies, GCL Silicon, LDK Solar, P.Energy, AMI Presco, Baccini, CSG Solar, Dyesol, Ferro, Isofoton, Machine Dubuit, NPC,PV Measurements, Sanyo, Sierratherm, SVCS, Veeco, Evatech, Konarka, Wacom, Aixtron, ASYS/EKRA, BTU, Deutsche Cell, ErSol, Heraeus, Koyo, Mitsubishi Electric, Pemco Euroinks, Rofin, Seishin, Stangl, Trumpf, XsunX, Hemlock, Schmid, Singulus…
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Complete kit to evaluate your own opportunity in the photovoltaic market.