SUDDENLY A SUN BOOM

Global PV Market to Reach 14.6 GW in 2010…
12 July 2010 (IMS Research)

"…According to IMS Research, the global PV market will almost double in 2010 to reach a massive 14.6 GW, nearly three times size of the market back in 2008…[These] latest installation forecasts [are] derived by carefully analysing PV demand in more than 40 countries globally. In addition, to tracking PV demand, the forecast is importantly based on a survey of inverter suppliers which analysed the inverter industry’s production for 2010…

"The last time a GW-sized global PV market grew on this scale was back in 2008 when the Spanish market overheated and accounted for 43% of new PV capacity. This year, Germany is of course the main driver and is predicted to account for an even greater proportion – some 47% of new capacity. Trouble may be looming ahead…"

The EU share will likely never again be as big as it will be this year, thanks to German-designed feed-in tariffs. (click to enlarge)

"…Germany, Italy and Czech Republic are predicted to install a combined 9.8 GW of new PV capacity…[D]ue to changes in incentive schemes and new regulations, this total is predicted to fall considerably in 2011 and new markets will [be needed]…[Unlike] the end of 2008, when the Spanish market collapsed and PV prices went into freefall, IMS Research is predicting a more gradual slowdown in growth at the end of this year and some softening of PV module prices in Q1’11.

"Despite very high demand coming from EMEA (which in 2010 will have three GW+ markets), its share of the global market is actually predicted to fall slightly to 78% in 2010 as emerging markets in Asia and North America take off."