Photovoltaic market

Whereas ca. 3000 t of ultrapure silicon ( electronic grade ) was produced in 1980 for the manufacture of electronic components markets, the booming electronic industry in the meantime has led to an explosive expansion in production capacity to ca. 20 10 t/a, of which 40% is in the USA, 30% is in Japan and ca. 30% is in Europe. Due to the strongly growing electronics market and the emerging photovoltaic market (solar cells on the basis of crystalline silicon), a strongly expanding demand for ultrapure silicon is expected in the future. 

Wafers grown by the Czochralski process " " dominate the monocrystalline fraction of the photovoltaic market. The process has a purifying effect with respect to several important metallic impurities, to the extent that even poor quality starting material can produce good solar cells. The polysilicon source material is melted in a crucible under vacuum or inert... 

The solar photovoltaic market has been an area of high growth for the past nine years culminating in a 27% increase in 2005 when the world solar cell market was estimated to be worth around five billion dollars. The world s major solar cell producers include BP Solar, Deutsche Cell/SolarWorld, Isofoton, Kyocera, Mitsubishi Electric, Q-Cell, RWE Short, Sanyo, Sharp, Shell Solar and Suntech Power. It is significant that the world s major oil companies are heavily involved in solar power. In a recent statement Norm Taffe, the Executive Vice-President of the Consumer and Computation Division of Suntech Power s Cypress Semiconductor parent company, predicted that solar power could be competitive with mainstream electricity generation in five years time. 

Perhaps the most familiar example in the specialty items category is the consumer electronics market which consists primarily of solar-powered calculators and watches. Although volumes are large in terms of units sold, the revenues are relatively small. Further, the competition is fierce for any photovoltaics manufacturer who seeks to sell commodity solar cells to the consumer goods producer. 

Since the first photovoltaic (PV) cells were fabricated for the U.S. space program in 1958, PV technology has evolved from once being a very high cost but essential and effective space power source to later becoming a small but diversified and enduring worldwide industry (1 6). Led by firms based in the United States, Japan, and Germany, this industry serves multiple markets (see Photovoltaic cells). 

The U S. photovoltaics industry serves more than 100 different countries. Major competition comes from Japan and, to a limited extent, from Europe. U.S. firms have a dominant position in the power module market (devices with photovoltaic areas greater than 0.5 m ) while Japanese firms have dominated the consumer market for small-photovoltaic goods (e.g., calculators, watches, and radios). 

The key is a reduction of costs. Solar panels are expensive since photovoltaic technology is still in its infancy. Although the price of PV cells has fallen significantly, PV electricity is still not without a subsidy. As more PV systems are built and installed, the market should result in solar electricity becoming more and more competitive. 

Brahec CJ (2004) Organic photovoltaics technology and market. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells 83 273... 

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