Thin Film's Solar Share to Double by 2013
iSuppli Corp. (El Segundo, Calif.) reported that, with the price of polysilicon cut by more than half last year, thin-film photovoltaics has lost its edge against crystalline silicon technologies. Nonetheless, its share of the solar panel market is expected to grow from 14% last year to 31% in 2013, according to iSuppli.
For some time, analysts have been debating the possible growth of thin-film photovoltaics' popularity, with predictions taking various turns as the fallen price of polysilicon brings thin film's need into question. Although the contract price of polysilicon dropped by >50% last year, market analyst iSuppli Corp. contends that thin-film solar remains a promising market.
Thin-film solar cells are quickly taking market share away from the predominant crystalline technology, according to iSuppli's latest report, with thin film's portion of PV wattage expected to more than double by 2013.
However, despite the prediction, iSuppli admits that the prevailing crystalline technology currently has 80% market share and is expected to maintain its market predominance. The world's key polysilicon manufactures, Hemlock, Wacker, Tokuyama, MEMC, Mitsubishi will be setting the pace.
Russia is currently building its first large-capacity polysilicon plant in Usol'ye-Sibirskoye, Irkutsk region. The construction is based on the documentation developed by design institute Giprosintez (Volgograd).
Girposintez is one of the leading Russian design institutes whose long-term experience in silicon organics, proprietary patents and know-how have rightfully made it Russia's leader in the design of polysilicon production facilities.
