Solar module shipments fall for the first time in two years

May 10, 2011
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

PV module shipments have declined for the first time in two years, according to the latest figures released by IMS Research. The quarter-to-quarter shipment figure fell by nearly 10%, a drop attributed to the uncertainty surrounding the announcement of Italy's new feed-in tariff (FiT).

Average prices, which had remained strong throughout 2010 thanks to high demand from major European markets, also fell sharply in Q1. This is a decline that is forecast to continue into Q2, with the prices of crystalline modules from Chinese Tier-2 suppliers falling the most dramatically.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

IMS analysts claim that the announcement of a revamp to Italy’s FiT saw demand on the peninsula come to a virtual standstill overnight, leading to high inventory levels and crashing end-market prices. “Suppliers that are dependent on the Italian market saw demand for their products quickly evaporate when the feed-in tariff was suspended,” IMS’s Sam Wilkinson said. “Many manufacturers rapidly adjusted production in an attempt to prevent stock from building. However, distributors were already stocking large amounts of product and the total worldwide PV module inventory has now reached a record amount of over 10GW in Q2 2011. Many companies have already begun dumping prices in order to clear it”.

Last Thursday, the Italian government finally unveiled the country’s new solar subsidy scheme, which is likely to revitalise the industry’s flagging fortunes by slowing down the rapid decrease in prices. However, IMS believes that the long-term damage to investor confidence inflicted by the Government’s indecision will prevent the Italian market from recovering to its 2010 size again before the end of the year.

Despite its pessimistic outlook on Italy, IMS is forecasting positive growth for the global PV module market in 2011; full-year shipments are predicted to grow by nearly 20% thanks to continued demand from new GW-scale markets, such as the USA, and continued demand from European countries.

Read Next

Premium
October 17, 2025
According to Ronak Maheshwari of CRC-IB, there has been a struggle for US renewable power projects to secure necessary equity .
October 17, 2025
Norwegian renewable energy firm Scatec has signed lease agreements for 64MW of solar PV and 10MWh of energy storage capacity in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
October 17, 2025
A group of over 20 US states are suing the Trump administration for the cancellation of the US$7 billion Solar For All Scheme.
October 16, 2025
Masdar and Turkey have entered the final stage of US$1 billion agreement to develop the 1.1GW plant in Bor, Niğde Province, central Turkey.
October 16, 2025
T1 Energy and Nextracker have agreed to use the latter’s steel module frames at the former’s new 5GW module manufacturing facility in Dallas.
October 16, 2025
US utility-scale solar additions grew by 56% in 2024, reaching 30GW from 2023’s 19GW and representing over 54% of all new electricity generation capacity added in the country last year.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK