Analysis of the silicon market: Will thin films profit?

✍ Scribed by W.G.J.H.M. van Sark; G.W. Brandsen; M. Fleuster; M.P. Hekkert

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 437 KB
• Volume: 35
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0301-4215
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2006.12.017

✦ Synopsis

The photovoltaic industry has been growing with astonishing rates over the past years. The supply of silicon to the wafer-based industry has recently become a problem. This paper presents a thorough analysis of the PV industry and quantifies the silicon shortage. It is expected that this leads to a decrease in production in 2006 rather than the usual increase. Due to a mismatch in expansion plans of silicon feedstock manufacturers and solar cell manufacturers, a large cell overcapacity will persist up to 2010. The thin-film PV market is expected to profit from the silicon shortage problem; its market share may substantially increase to about 25% in 2010.