Abstract
Description
PV industry Status & Trends C-Si PV equipment: How to turn challenges into
opportunities
EQUIPMENT MARKET IS MAINLY DRIVEN BY HIGH PV EFFICIENCY
In the years to come, the manufacturing cost reduction in the PV industry will
be led by equipment and material innovations. As only a part of the whole
existing crystalline silicon manufacturing capacity is suited to the
production of very high efficiency solar cells and modules, Yole Developpement
assumes that a part of the manufacturing capacity will be shut down or used at
low utilization rates, and new capacities suited for very high efficiency
products will be added. This provides an opportunity for PV equipment
manufacturers to find customers despite existing production overcapacities.
Yole Developpement forecasts that about 35 GWp of new solar cell manufacturing
equipment will be purchased by 2017. In this part of the report the main
technologies and corresponding equipment used in c-Si solar cell and module
manufacturing are analyzed in detail. For each equipment its description, main
characteristics, innovations and market trends, 2011-2017 market figures and
main suppliers are given. The challenges and opportunities for equipment
manufacturers are also provided.
HIGH PV EFFICIENCY IS A KEY DRIVER FOR COSTS DECREASE
Current technology and market consolidation are revealing an increased
interest in high-efficiency cell and module approaches. We provide details on
how high PV efficiency enables product differentiation and cuts on
manufacturing and system costs and Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE).
Different very high cell and module efficiency approaches are reviewed,
showing the opportunities for crystalline silicon as well as for some
thin-film PV manufacturers.
In order to reach very high cell and module efficiency (respectively over 19%
and 16%), specific technology approaches, new materials and new equipment are
required. Materials such as quasi-mono silicon wafers and new equipment (ion
implant tools, amorphous silicon deposition tools) are reviewed and their
potential is analyzed. The factors that have to be taken into consideration
during the development of new equipment for very high efficiency solar cells
are also discussed.
HOW TO STAY PROFITABLE IN THE PHOTOVOLTAIC BUSINESS
Thanks to incentive policies, in the past the photovoltaic market experienced
double digit average annual growth rates, and more than 27GWp were installed
during the year 2011. This resulted in a massive increase of the manufacturing
capacities to cover the increasing demand. However, recently, lowered
incentive mechanisms resulted in a market demand lower than expected. In
consequence, high manufacturing overcapacities and module inventory result in
a strong price pressure on the PV market and finally leads to technology and
market consolidation. PV cell and module manufacturers as well as PV material
and equipment suppliers are facing hard times and are trying to find a
solution on how to keep their business profitable. Different manufacturers and
suppliers strategies are reviewed in this part of the report. 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,...). Innovations in the field of PV equipment, materials &
manufacturing processes are thus more important than ever.
WHY CRYSTALLINE SILICON REMAINS A LEADING PV TECHNOLOGY?
As photovoltaics becomes a commodity market and many different PV products are
commercially available, the old vision of a PV technology development in which
thin-film PV technologies would progressively increase their market shares has
become obsolete. Through the last years, the technology progress in
crystalline silicon (c-Si) technology has surpassed all expectations. Today,
the c-Si modules are available at prices close or even lower than $1 per Wp,
comparable with those of the thin-film PV modules, while their efficiency is
significantly higher, providing the system level a premium value. The main
advantages of c-Si as well as the potential for further improvement of c-Si
manufacturing costs and performances are discussed here in detail. The
technology performance and applications are compared with thin-film PV
technologies (amorphous silicon, CdTe, CIGS).
KEY FEATURES OF THE REPORT
Comprehensive overview of the current situation on the PV market allowing
better understanding of the customer needs and proper evaluation of the
strategies to be chosen by equipment suppliers and cell and module
manufacturers to keep their business running. 2011-2017 figures for PV
installations and market shares for different PV technologies. Deep analysis
of the current market and technology consolidation with a focus on the
competitive position of the crystalline silicon against thin-film PV
(amorphous silicon, CIGS and CdTe) and on the importance of the high
efficiency in the market differentiation and costs decrease. Detailed overview
of the different processes, equipment and materials used in the solar cell and
module manufacturing. 2011-2017 market figures for the key equipment for the
crystalline silicon solar cell and module manufacturing (in number of units
and in M$).
REPORT OUTLINE
- Publication type: Technology, Applications, Industry & Market Report
- Released date: April 2012
- Number of slides: 244 slides
- Format: PDF + Excel files
WHO SHOULD BUY THIS REPORT?
Equipment, Material and Component Suppliers
- Evaluate the market potential and best time-to-market for your products.
- Find how to turn the challenges into opportunities.
- Strength your market position by focusing on the winning technology
approaches.
- Re-think your technology and market strategy to best fit the market needs.
PV cell and module manufacturer
- Understand the potential of crystalline silicon PV and its improving
position2 against thin-film PV modules.
- Learn about the best technology approaches, equipment and materials in the
crystalline silicon cell and module manufacturing.
- Cross-check your strategic decision before making investment decision for
equipment purchase.
COMPANY INDEX
2BG, 3S Swiss Solar Systems, 48th Research Institute, Akron Systems, Apollon
Solar, Applied Materials, ASYS Solar, BASF, Burkle, BTU, Canadian Solar,
Centrotherm, Cermet Materials, Chimet, Coherent, CSUN, Day4Energy, DelSolar,
Despatch Industries, Dow Corning, DuPont, ECN, Ecoprogetti, ET Solar,
Eurotron, Fraunhofer ISE, Ferro, Gorosabel, Hanwha Solar One, Heraeus, IMEC,
IMT, INES, Innolas, JA Solar, Jinko Solar, Jusung, KANEKA, Komax Solar, LDK
Solar, Machines Dubuit, Manz, Meco, Micro-Tec, Monocrystal, Nisshinbo
Industries, NPC, OTB Solar, P.Energy, Panasonic, Pemco, Q-Cells, RENA, Reis
Robotics, Renesola, Robert Meier, Rofin, Roth&Rau, Sandwik Thermal Process,
Sanyo, Schiller, Schmid, SEMCO Engineering, Sevenstar, Schott Solar,
Sierratherm, Singulus, Spire Corporation, Suniva, Suntech Power, Stangl,
Sunpower, SVCS, Tecnofimes, Teknisolar, Tempress, Trina Solar, Trumpf, Vincent
Industrie, VSEA, Wemhoner Systems Technologies, Yingli Green Energy,...
Benefits
WHO SHOULD BUY THIS REPORT?
Equipment, Material and Component Suppliers
- Evaluate the market potential and best time-to-market for your products.
- Find how to turn the challenges into opportunities.
- Strength your market position by focusing on the winning technology
approaches.
- Re-think your technology and market strategy to best fit the market needs.
PV cell and module manufacturer
- Understand the potential of crystalline silicon PV and its improving
position2 against thin-film PV modules.
- Learn about the best technology approaches, equipment and materials in the
crystalline silicon cell and module manufacturing.
- Cross-check your strategic decision before making investment decision for
equipment purchase.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Content of the report
What's changed compared to the 2009 report?
Executive summary
PV industry status and Trends
- Market & technology consolidation
- Crystalline silicon PV equipment market 2011-2017
- Race for higher cell and module efficiencies
C-Si amongst other PV technologies
- Technology Comparison
- Crystalline Silicon
Equipment technology and market
- Introduction
- Why to purchase new equipment if there is already a manufacturing
overcapacity?
- Our methodology
- Saw damage removal & Texturing
- P-n junction formation
- Junction isolation
- PSG removal
- SiNx antireflection coating
- Metallization
- Contact Firing
- Cell Testing & Sorting
- C-Si module manufacturing
- Module lamination
- Conclusion
General conclusion
Crystalline Silicon PV Technology, Equipment and Materials published by Yole Developpement in April 30, 2012. This report price starts from US $ 5390.
