Report: Manufacturing equipment sector to top 35GWp by 2017

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

A recent report by market analysts Yole Développement has predicted that the PV equipment and materials markets will drive manufacturing cost reduction, leading to the purchase of in the region of 35GWp of new equipment by 2017. The report, “Crystalline Silicon PV: Technology, Equipment & Materials”, singles out the c-Si sector as facing a period of change whereby the low-efficiency portion of manufacturing capacity will be shut down in order to concentrate on the higher-yielding technologies.

Yole Développement has, in this report, confirmed what most savvy analysts have suggested as the industry finds itself mired in a situation of consolidation. Higher cell efficiency will be the main driver for cost reduction, thus providing a chance for PV equipment manufacturers to secure new customers despite existing production overcapacities.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Opportunities for both c-Si and thin-film PV manufacturers are presented as both sectors strive to increase cell and module efficiency norms past 19% and 16%, respectively. New technologies, materials (like quasi-mono silicon wafers) and processes will be required, leading to a need for higher-tech equipment such as ion implant tools and amorphous silicon deposition tools.
 
Milan Rosina, technology and market analyst for photovoltaics at Yole Développement and author of the report, provides an in-depth analysis of the various technologies and equipment types in use in c-Si (and thin-film, to a lesser degree) solar cell and module manufacturing. Figures, trends and details of the likely major players are predicted for the period from 2011–2017, as are the likely pitfalls, obstacles and opportunities that will emerge for PV equipment manufacturers.

“Today, the key objective of PV manufacturers is no longer to increase their production capacities, but to differentiate themselves from their competitors in an overcrowded market thanks to added value products (with lower price, higher efficiency…),” explains Milan Rosina.

Read Next

June 27, 2025
Indian solar manufacturer Premier Energies has commissioned its 1.2GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing line at Fab City, Hyderabad, Telangana.
June 27, 2025
The UK government has decided it will not sign a Contract for Difference (CfD) with Xlinks for the 11.5GW Morroco-UK interconnector project.
June 27, 2025
Renewables investment platform Nexwell Power has signed a round of power purchase agreements (PPAs) with “one of the largest” US tech companies for solar PV capacity to be built in Spain.
June 27, 2025
Statkraft has signed PPAs with Better Energy to purchase energy from two solar power plants in Poland with a total capacity of 64GWh.
June 27, 2025
Solar developer Lightsource bp has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with a subsidiary of Taiwanese energy firm HD Renewable Energy (HDRE).
June 27, 2025
PV Tech spoke to Monika Paplaczyk about recent changes in the UK energy mix and opportunities for investors in the solar sector.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
June 30, 2025
10am PST / 6pm BST
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
July 2, 2025
Bangkok, Thailand
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico