A new market survey paper from Reportlinker.com is available in its catalogue titled, ‘Global and China Thin-film Solar Cell Industry Report, 2010’, and is also available online.
Global thin-film solar cell production, according to the market analyst, increased to 62.8% in 2010 to represent 13.5% of the total market. Over the five year period 2006-2010, the growth rate remained high.
The products can be categorized into amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film solar cells, CdTe thin-film solar cells, and CIGS thin-film solar cells. They are cost-efficient and display good faint-light, but exhibit low conversion efficiency and do not last long.
The established and time-tested technology and user friendliness render the a-Si thin-film solar cells easy to develop by companies manufacturing Energy Conversion Devices, Sharp, and Trony. The low conversion rate causes these cost- efficient products to display reduced sales.
According to the report, First Solar, with its advanced technology of CdTe thin-film solar cells, gained second place globally by outputting 1400MW in 2010, with an estimated output of 2700MW in 2012.
The report says CIGS thin-film solar cells have exhibited high theoretical conversion capability and sustained rate of volume manufacture, rendering the solar cells with the most potential. However, this technology is yet in its infancy, so volume manufacture has not yet commenced. Germany's Q-Cells, which can produce around 100MW and Chinese companies such as Sunvim Group, have been listed as key players.
The report has also provided in-depth analysis of major developers of thin-film solar cell devices, including Switzerland's Oerlikon and Japan's ULVAC. Market trends and forecasts have also been provided.
Source: http://www.reportlinker.com