Thin Film: A Competitive Option in a Changing Landscape | Renewable Energy News Article

Thin Film: A Competitive Option in a Changing Landscape

By the end of 2011, worldwide PV manufacturing capacity was approximately double the projected 2011 global PV demand of 20 GW. This excess capacity in manufacturing is a key factor in driving down PV module prices over the past year. There has also been a slowdown in the growth and outlook for the leading feed-in tariff markets, Germany and Italy. In the medium- to long-term, there will be a shift in markets toward the United States, China and Japan, and in the direction of some emerging economies comprising the “sunbelt” region of the globe. However, emerging markets are not growing fast enough in the near-term to off-set the European market slowdown. The net result is that the market is anticipated to grow just slightly from 2010 to 2011, from roughly 17 GW to about 20 GW. PV module prices decreased rapidly throughout 2011, from an average of approximately $1.70 per watt...

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