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PV Producing Materials On The Rise
Chemical and material revenues for silicon thin film solar panel production reaching $240 million in 2008 says The Information Network.
Consumption of chemicals and materials for amorphous silicon solar cell production in 2008 will reach $240 million growing to $575 million in 2010, according to a report 'Opportunities in The Solar Cell Market For Thin Film Technology', recently published by The Information Network, a New Tripoli, PA based market research company.
“The ramp in amorphous thin film production in the past few years due to shortages in polysilicon will have a big pay off for chemical and materials suppliers,” noted Dr. Castellano, President of The Information Network. “Even though traditional crystalline and polycrystalline silicon solar panels with efficiencies between 15% and 22% compare to thin film amorphous silicon of 6% to 7%, nearly 9% of solar cell production in 2008 will be amorphous silicon.”
Nearly all amorphous silicon is manufactured on glass sheets using equipment either developed in house or from merchant suppliers such as Oerlikon or Applied Materials. Approximately $140 million of glass sheets will be purchased in 2008.
The gases market will reach nearly $80 million in 2008, growing to $110 million in 2010. Silane, which decomposes to form the silicon layer, will represent 50% of those revenues, with other carrier gases such as argon, nitrogen, and hydrogen comprising the remaining 50%. Key manufacturers of these gases are Air Products and Air Liquide.
“The ramp in amorphous thin film production in the past few years due to shortages in polysilicon will have a big pay off for chemical and materials suppliers,” noted Dr. Castellano, President of The Information Network. “Even though traditional crystalline and polycrystalline silicon solar panels with efficiencies between 15% and 22% compare to thin film amorphous silicon of 6% to 7%, nearly 9% of solar cell production in 2008 will be amorphous silicon.”
Nearly all amorphous silicon is manufactured on glass sheets using equipment either developed in house or from merchant suppliers such as Oerlikon or Applied Materials. Approximately $140 million of glass sheets will be purchased in 2008.
The gases market will reach nearly $80 million in 2008, growing to $110 million in 2010. Silane, which decomposes to form the silicon layer, will represent 50% of those revenues, with other carrier gases such as argon, nitrogen, and hydrogen comprising the remaining 50%. Key manufacturers of these gases are Air Products and Air Liquide.
