SEMI (San Jose, Calif.) and Linx-AEI Consulting (Boston, Mass.) announce a new report that delivers detailed insights about growth opportunities in the soaring photovoltaic (PV) materials market. Driven by the global demand for economically viable, renewable solar power - expected to more than triple from 2010 to 2015 - materials for crystalline silicon and thin film modules are one of the largest and fastest growing markets for suppliers of electronic materials. The new report includes detailed insights into the demand for silicon, slurries, gases, wet chemicals, precursors, dopants, and other critical materials.

Tremendous Growth Opportunities

The market for advanced chemicals and materials used in PV solar cells and modules grew by 114 percent in 2010 to $6.5 billion. The market is projected to grow to a forecasted $16.9 billion in 2015. The outlook for materials sales in 2011 will slow slightly as PV module demand in Germany adjusts to new incentive policies and module prices decline. Growth resumes in 2012 as new markets emerge, according to the industry report.

The Chemicals & Materials for Photovoltaic Cells and Modules report analyzes the production processes and supply chain trends for the manufacture of cells and materials, as well as examining the emerging materials requirements for novel technologies.

Crystalline Silicon: Increasing material and cell efficiency

The report outlines key PV technology developments in major market segments and discusses their implications for materials supply and innovation. In crystalline Silicon, a drive to increasing material and cell efficiency is opening the door to diamond wire sawing, improved texturization processes, novel selective emitter schemes, novel plating technologies, ion implant and new passivation layer technologies.

Thin film: Rising competition for CdTe

In Thin Film modules, improvements in manufacturing technologies for tandem junction Silicon and CIGS will lead to increasing competition for the segment leading CdTe, and drive growth for the respective manufacturing materials. In addition, novel technologies for light capture and moisture protection in moduling have added value to traditional materials, while novel backside contact approaches may require significant material redesign.

For more information about this report, please contact Melody Song (SEMI) at Send E-Mail or 408.943.7949 or Mike Corbett (Linx) at Send E-Mail or 973.437.4517.

The full size chart of the growth trend in the aggregate global market for the materials covered please is available for download here.

2011-02-08| Courtesy: Linx; SEMI and PV Group | solarserver.com © Heindl Server GmbH

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