Jan 20 2010
Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: Global Market Review of Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation
http://www.reportlinker.com/p0172468/Global-Market-Review-of-Solar-Photovoltaic-Power-Generation.html
Despite early market growth predictions, the global financial crisis has cast a shadow over the solar power sector. The Global Market Review of Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation predicts an eventful few years in this sector of the renewable energy industry. While generating capacity will increase, there is some uncertainty in the industry regarding the pace of growth. What is clear, though, is that solar power investments will be affected by the cost and availability of financing. The current crisis is impacting the short-term availability of finance with a knock-on effect on demand for photovoltaic power. Consequently, the established market leaders are restructuring their capital expenditure and optimising credit facilities. Meanwhile, a number of players from other industrial sectors are entering the solar industry, including Intel, GE, Hewlett Packard, Samsung, LG and Bosch.
As the market continues to grow - albeit at a slightly slower pace than in recent years -- cost reductions will be achieved through improvements in technology, economies of scale and increased efficiency in all parts of the value chain. The report shows the ways in which the major players are preparing to extend their global reach by looking at other countries to establish operations beyond the main photovoltaic markets in Germany, Spain, Japan and California. Yet the solar photovoltaic power industry still faces a number of challenges. Solar energy is unable to compete with fossil-based energy sources. One of the key issues for the photovoltaic market is therefore to match the price of photovoltaic energy to traditional sources within the next few years. The report shows how grid parity will be reached progressively from 2010 onwards in several European countries; Italy will blaze the trail, closely followed by Spain and then Germany.
Chapter 1 reviews solar power as an alternative source of energy, defining the elements, benefits and challenges facing the industry. Solar power is one of the cleanest electric generation sources, capable of generating electricity without air or water emissions, noise, vibration, habitat impact or waste generation. Chapter 2 considers the market for solar photovoltaic power, defining the key processes and issues. Photovoltaic technology, such as thin film solar panels, converts sunlight into electricity. Growing concern for the climate and the need for additional energy sources have made governments around the world take measures to support investments in and use of renewable energy.
Chapter 3 considers the various market incentives and political influences. It also reviews the current market opportunities and predictions for solar photovoltaic power generation over the next few years alongside the challenges and threats the industry is facing.
Chapter 4 considers the current status and prospects of the major national solar markets, namely Germany, Spain, Japan, US, Italy, France, South Korea and India. Chapter 5 addresses a number of issues facing the solar photovoltaic market. The solar photovoltaic market is one of fastest growing markets in the renewable energy sector. Over the next decade or so, photovoltaics is on course to become more and more cost competitive due to lower production costs and long term stable technical systems.
Chapter 6 profiles the major manufacturers of solar cells and modules, namely: Ascent Solar; Evergreen Solar Inc; First Solar; Kyocera Corporation; Mitsubishi Electric; Motech Industries; Q-Cells AG; Renewable Energy Corporation; Sanyo Electric; Sharp Corporation; SolarWorld AG; SunLink Corporation; Sunpower Corporation; Suntech Power; and United Solar.