News Article
Ramp in thin film solar cell is benefiting equipment suppliers
As the solar cell industry moves toward thin film technology because of a severe shortage of polysilicon, there will be a ramp in commercial production equipment, according to a report Opportunities in The Solar Cell Market For Thin Film Technology, recently published by The Information Network.
As the solar cell industry moves toward thin film technology because of a severe shortage of polysilicon, there will be a ramp in commercial production equipment, according to a report Opportunities in The Solar Cell Market For Thin Film Technology, recently published by The Information Network.
The total market for commercial solar cell production equipment will grow from revenues of $1.2 billion in 2006 to $4.5 billion in 2010. Included in this analysis is commercially available equipment for coating, etching, diffusion, and cleaning. In the (crystalline silicon) c-Si sector, this includes equipment for SiN, back reflectors, and contacts. In the thin film sector this includes equipment for transparent conductive oxide (TCO), deposition, contacts, and automation tools.
"Unfortunately, the market for these types of equipment is for the sectors of the industry that are projected to grow the slowest, namely c-Si and amorphous silicon (a-Si)," noted Dr. Castellano, President of The Information Network. "The real growth in the solar cell market will be in equipment for newer thin film technologies, such as cadmium telluride (CdTe) and Copper Indium (Gallium) Diselenide (CIGS). Key innovations are roll-to-roll equipment and printable CIGS inks instead of sputtering and CVD."
The report projects that the compound annual growth rates (CAGR) of c-Si and a-SI will be around 40% between 2006 and 2010. CdTe is projected to exhibit a CAGR of nearly 75%, while CIGS will exhibit an astounding 200%. Other technologies, such as GaAs films will also grow at triple the rate of silicon-based cells.
The total market for commercial solar cell production equipment will grow from revenues of $1.2 billion in 2006 to $4.5 billion in 2010. Included in this analysis is commercially available equipment for coating, etching, diffusion, and cleaning. In the (crystalline silicon) c-Si sector, this includes equipment for SiN, back reflectors, and contacts. In the thin film sector this includes equipment for transparent conductive oxide (TCO), deposition, contacts, and automation tools.
"Unfortunately, the market for these types of equipment is for the sectors of the industry that are projected to grow the slowest, namely c-Si and amorphous silicon (a-Si)," noted Dr. Castellano, President of The Information Network. "The real growth in the solar cell market will be in equipment for newer thin film technologies, such as cadmium telluride (CdTe) and Copper Indium (Gallium) Diselenide (CIGS). Key innovations are roll-to-roll equipment and printable CIGS inks instead of sputtering and CVD."
The report projects that the compound annual growth rates (CAGR) of c-Si and a-SI will be around 40% between 2006 and 2010. CdTe is projected to exhibit a CAGR of nearly 75%, while CIGS will exhibit an astounding 200%. Other technologies, such as GaAs films will also grow at triple the rate of silicon-based cells.
