DISTRIBUTED PV TO BOOM

Distributed Solar Energy Generation; Demand Drivers and Barriers, Technology Issues, Competitive Landscape, and Global Market Forecasts
4Q 2011 (Pike Research)

"Solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity was added in more than 100 countries during 2010. The distributed solar PV market is dominated by residential and commercial grid-connected PV systems and is concentrated in regions with favorable financial incentives, such as premium feed-in tariffs (FITs) including Germany, Italy, France, the Czech Republic, Japan, the United States (led by California), and Canada (led by Ontario)…

"…Europe will continue to be the largest market for distributed solar PV during this forecast period…China and India’s growing economies and high percentages of population without access to electricity represent large market opportunities."

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"Consumer demand for distributed systems is growing…[T]he cost of PV modules [continues to fall]…Combined with innovative financing and leasing options, third-party and utility ownership models, and highly-effective feed-in tariff programs, solar PV is expanding faster than most expected…

"…[T]he solar PV market is all about cost, which is good for consumers and installers, but brutal for manufacturers. Costs are expected to continue their rapid decline as Chinese crystalline silicon manufacturers gain market share and thin-film increases in efficiency. Pike Research forecasts almost $600 billion in revenues throughout the distributed solar PV value chain during the period between 2011 and 2015…"