The Photovoltaic Thin Film Study - Market Overview out Now

Business Wire, June 27, 2008

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8f5a82/photovoltaic_thin has announced the addition of the "Photovoltaic Thin Film Study - Market Overview" report to their offering.

Everybody is talking about thin film photovoltaics (PV). EuPD Research delivers the first comprehensive analysis of this subsegment of the global solar industry that is based on a quantitative survey among all PV thin film producers and 20 percent of the market entrants. The study delivers practical guidelines and recommendations for decision-makers and analysts.

Some of the most striking study results:

* The global thin film production output will reach 3.5 GW in 2010.

* Only twenty percent of the 120 thin film entrants will be able to start commercial PV thin film production before 2010.

* The thin film technologies can be assumed to reach grid parity in Europe between 2012 and 2016.

* Crystalline and thin film modules are substitutes, according to the surveyed thin film companies.

* The pressure on the producing companies will increase, as the global demand between 2008 and 2010 will be based on only ten country markets of which some partially will stagnate.

Study contents:

* Profound information on industry players, sales markets and supplying companies

* Positioning of companies in the EuPD Research Strategy Matrix

* EuPD learning curve model on the cost lowering potential of the various PV technologies

* Forecasts on capacity development and utilization

* Information on the potential of country markets in Europe and Asia as well as of the most promising US states

* Analyses of the development of demand and supply for PV products in international PV markets

Executive Summary:

What is the Reality Behind the Thin Film Hype?

EuPD Research Sees High Potential in a-Si, CdTe, CIS & Co

The solar market researcher EuPD Research has analyzed the developments of the global PV thin film segment in a new study. Based on a Q1/2008 quantitative survey among thin film producers and market entrants, the situation and the future trends of this booming industry are systematically assessed. According to the study, the production output for thin film will reach 3.5 GW in 2010. But EuPD Research estimates that less than 50 percent of the 60 companies that have announced their intention to start commercial thin film production by 2010 will keep the timeline.

All existing thin film producers and 20 percent of the market entrants participated in the survey. According to their statements, the competitive intensity within the industry will increase. But interestingly, the new players are not considered to be a great threat. In fact, the handling of the production process is seen as a major hindrance to starting thin film production. "It is one thing to announce ambitious production plans - but another to successfully integrate the complex production steps" says Markus A.W. Hoehner, CEO of EuPD Research. He adds: "This will separate the wheat from the chaff".

What worries the survey participants most is the sluggish global demand. The decreasing level of PV promotion in the main European markets and the insecure market developments in Asia and the US make it questionable if the demand for PV products will grow according to the production output boom.

But in a ever more complicated market environment, PV thin film has important advantages over the crystalline competition. First, the potential for cost reductions is higher - and second, manifold possibilities for product developments exist. Through the use of flexible substrates for instance, new market segments can be opened. "Through product differentiation, new customer groups can be discovered. This assures module sales, especially when demand in present markets is stagnating." says Stephan Franz, Research Analyst at EuPD Research.

CONTENTS:
A. Preliminary Notes
1. Background
2. Research Approach
B. Products
1. Thin Film vs. Crystalline: Product Differentiation
2. Thin Film vs. Crystalline: Price Differentiation
C. Production
1. Supply Side
1.1 Production Processes and Spillover Effects
1.2 Supply Companies and Industry Concentration
1.3 Outlook on Security of Supply
2. Producers
2.1 Production Clusters 2007 - 2010
2.2 Market Shares and Degree of Concentration 2007 - 2010
2.3 Brand Awareness of Producers and Entrants
2.4 Strategic Groups of Producers and Entrants
2.5 EuPD Company Capability Rating
3. PV Thin Film Production Output 2007 - 2010
D. Purchasers
1. Market Segmentation
1.1 Customer Group Segmentation
1.2 Geographic Segmentation
2. Country Market Potential Analysis
2.1 Overview and Potential Rating
2.2 Country Markets in Europe, USA and Asia
3. Global Demand for PV 2007-2010
Companies Mentioned:
- First Solar
- Uni-Solar
- Kaneka
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
- Sanyo
- Wurth
- Honda Soltec
- Schott
- ersol
- Q-Cells
- Scheuten
- Shell
- Applied Materials
- Oerlikon
- Ulvac Leybold Optics
- Anwell
- Showa Shell
- Schuco
- e.On
- Sulfurcell
- Johanna Solar
- Moser Baer
- XSunX
- Nanosolar
- AVA Solar
- Prime Star Solar
- General Electric et al.
Products Mentioned:
- Monocrystalline photovoltaic modules
- polycrystalline photovoltaic modules
- crystalline pvotovolatic modules
- CdTe photovoltaic modules
- CIS photovoltaic modules
- a-Si photovoltaic modules
- tandem photovoltaic modules
- CIGS photovoltaic modules
- CIGSE photovoltaic modules