Rapid growth projected for chemicals and materials in solar cells and modules

BOSTON, USA: The market for advanced chemicals and materials used in photovoltaic solar cells and modules will grow 27 percent to reach $3.1 billion in 2010 and approximately $15 billion by 2015, according to a new report from Linx-AEI Consulting, a leading international consulting firm serving the PV and electronics industries.

Chemicals & Materials for Photovoltaic Cells and Modules 2010 is the third edition of this report that examines emerging materials requirements in solar cell and module production and quantifies the global markets for these advanced chemicals and materials. According to the report, the driver of growth in the PV market will be the global end market demand for solar power, which is expected to grow from 5.8 GW to 38 GW by 2015.

The updated report includes long-term forecasts by cell type that combine Linx-AEI's unique perspectives on the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) as a function of module performance with geography-specific considerations such as local incentives and irradiance. As a result, this report includes detailed perspectives and insights into chemicals needs for individual cell and module types for crystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, tandem-junction, CdTe and CI(G)S cells and modules.