The Japanese Photovoltaic Energy Association (JPEA) announced figures for Q4 and fiscal 2011, finding that total quarterly shipments fell 23% to 554.2MW from Q3, while shipments of PV cells and modules increased by a small percentage point during Q4. Domestic and import sales of thin-film also took a hit, falling by 68% while import of PV materials for the period went up 3%. Monocrystalline products increased 16% while multicrystalline products dropped 13%.
Fiscal year results saw the domestic market up by 32% to 1.4GW, including 302MW of imports. Shipments of imported materials for the fiscal year rose 80.4%, over fiscal 2010 numbers while exports were 1.2GW, a 13.2% reduction. Overall, total shipments for the 2011 fiscal year were 2.6GW.
JPEA advised that exports to the US had declined by 14% to 276MW and in Europe by 22% to 730MW; exports to the rest of the world improved by 26% for a total of 276MW. Monocrystalline shipments were up 23.5% to 1.02GW and multicrystalline shipments were down 22% to 1.02GW. Thin-film shipment also saw a steady increase, growing 64% to 636MW.
