PV materials market worth US$6.5 billion in 2010, says SEMI and Linx-AEI report

A joint report issued by SEMI and Linx-AEI Consulting reveals that the market for advanced chemicals and materials used in PV solar cell and module manufacturing grew by 114% in 2010 to US$6.5 billion. Continued capacity expansions and more advanced cell designs could see the PV materials market reach US$16.9 billion in 2015, according to the report, which includes silicon, slurries, gases, wet chemicals, precursors, dopants, and other critical materials for both crystalline and thin-film technologies.

However, the outlook for materials sales in 2011 is expected to slow from the significant rise seen last year. The report cites PV module demand in Germany slowing as it adjusts to new incentive policies and module prices decline.

Growth is expected to return next year as new markets emerge, according to the industry report.