Abstract
Although Germany' s geographical position on the world map does not make it an
ideal location for solar energy due to it receiving only moderate levels of
solar radiation, it ranks second place in the photovoltaic (PV) market,
generating about one quarter of the total world market.
While PV generating capacity is set to increase, there is some uncertainty
regarding the pace of growth in Germany given the current economic crisis.
What is clear, however, is that the recent expansion of capacity at all stages
in the German PV value chain is resulting in an increase in the availability
of modules. Consequently, the industry is observing a significant reduction
in prices and a shift from a seller' s market to a buyer' s market.
The strength of this report therefore lies in the analysis of German PV value
chain, providing detailed company specific information on manufacturers of
silicon, wafers, cells, modules, Poly-Si, a-Si, CIS, CIGS, CdTe and CPV-based
photovoltaic technologies. It shows how recent economic changes and political
support for the solar PV market is resulting in a new era of competition
heading toward grid parity.
Introduction
With about US$1 trillion in annual global revenues, the electric power
industry is one of the world' s largest industries. Furthermore, electric power
accounts for a growing share of overall energy use. According to the US
Department of Energy, total electricity sales are predicted to increase by 29%
from 3,659 billion kilowatt hours in 2006 to 4,705 billion in 2030, at an
average rate of 1.1% per year.
While the majority of the world' s current electricity supply is generated from
fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, these traditional energy
sources face a number of challenges including rising prices, security concerns
over dependence on imports from a limited number of countries, which have
significant fossil fuel supplies and growing environmental concerns over the
climate change risks associated with power generation using fossil fuels. As a
result of these and other challenges facing traditional energy sources,
governments, businesses and consumers are increasingly supporting the
development of alternative energy sources, including solar energy. Despite the
rapid growth, solar energy constitutes only a small fraction of the world' s
energy output and therefore may have significant growth potential.
Solar power is one of the cleanest electric generation sources, capable of
generating electricity without air or water emissions, noise, vibration,
habitat impact or waste generation. In particular, solar power does not
generate greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change or other
pollutants, as power generation based on fossil fuel combustion does, and does
not generate radioactive or other wastes as nuclear power and coal combustion
do. It is anticipated that greenhouse gas regulation internationally will
increase the costs and constrain the development of fossil fuel based on
electric generation and increase the attractiveness of solar power as a
renewable electricity source.
From tiny solar cells powering a hand-held calculator, to an array of rooftop
panels powering an entire home, to acres of panels on a commercial building
roof or field, solar power products can be deployed in many sizes and
configurations and can be installed almost anywhere in the world. Solar power
is among the best technologies for power generation in urban areas,
environmentally sensitive areas and geographically remote areas in both
developing and developed countries.
Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and the United States presently account for the
majority of world market demand for solar power systems. Government policies
in these countries, in the form of both regulation and incentives, have
accelerated the adoption of solar technologies by businesses and consumers.
Typical government incentives include capital cost rebates, feed-in tariffsi,
tax credits and net metering.
As a result of solar power' s benefits and government support, the solar power
market has seen sustained and rapid growth. More specifically, photovoltaic
panel shipments have increased over 20% per year on average for the past 20
years and over 40% per year for the past five years. Photovoltaics -- the
conversion of light into electrical power - provides us with a technology
that delivers an endless source of environmentally-friendly energy. In future,
according to the opinion of most experts, photovoltaics will be the most
important of all energy sources.
Companies mentioned in this report include:
- Advanced Technology & Materials
- AGF Private Equity
- Aleo Solar AG
- Algatec Solar AG
- Archimedes Solar GmbH
- Arise Technologies Corp
- Ascent Solar
- ASi Industries
- Avancis
- avim solar production Co Ltd
- BASF SE
- Bayer MaterialScience AG
- Blue Chip Energy GmbH
- Bosch
- Calyxo
- Centrosolar Group
- Centrotherm Photovoltaics AG
- Centrsolar Glas GmbH & Co KG
- CIS-Solartechnik
- Climate Change Capital
- Cogentrix Energy LLC
- Colexon Energy AG
- Concentrix Solar GmbH
- Conergy AG
- CSG Solar AG
- Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures
- E.ON AG
- Enerpoint SpA
- Ersol Solar Energy AG
- Estelux srl
- EverQ
- Evonik Degussa GmbH
- First Solar
- Flexcell
- Global Expertise Wafer Division Ltd
- Global Solar Energy Inc
- Good Energies
- GP Solar GmbH
- GSS Gebaude- Solarsysteme GmbH
- Heckert Solar GmbH
- Hypervolt Energy SA
- IBC Solar AG
- Intel Corp
- Intico Solar
- Inventux Technologies AG
- JA Solar Holdings Co Ltd
- Johanna Solar Technology GmbH
- Juwi Holding AG
- Kyocera Corp
- LDK Solar Co Ltd
- Malibu GmbH
- Manz Automation AG
- Masdar PV GmbH
- Meinl International Power Ltd
- MHH France SAS
- MHH Solartechnik GmbH
- Mitsubishi Electric Corp
- ml&s GmbH & Co KG
- Mola Solaire International GmbH
- Motech Industries Inc
- Mubadala Development Company
- Nanosolar
- Norsun
- Odersun AG
- Parabel AG
- PCG Clean Energy & Technology Fund
- Poseidon Solar Services Ltd
- PV Crystallox Solar
- PVflex Solar GmbH
- Q Cells
- Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc
- Ralos Vertriebs GmbH
- Renewable Energy Corp
- Rofin-Sinar Technologies Inc
- SAG Solarstrom AG
- Saint Gobain
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