List of photovoltaics companies

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Monocrystalline solar cell

This is a list of notable photovoltaics (PV) companies. Grid-connected solar photovoltaics (PV) is the fastest growing energy technology in the world, growing from a cumulative installed capacity of 7.7 GW in 2007, to 320 GW in 2016. In 2016, 93% of the global PV cell manufacturing capacity utilizes crystalline silicon (cSi) technology, representing a commanding lead over rival forms of PV technology, such as cadmium telluride (CdTe), amorphous silicon (aSi), and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS). In 2016, manufacturers in China and Taiwan met the majority of global PV module demand, accounting for 68% of all modules, followed by the rest of Asia at 14%. The United States and Canada manufactured 6%, and Europe manufactured a mere 4%.[1]

Photovoltaics companies include PV capital equipment producers, cell manufacturers, panel manufacturers and installers. The list does not include silicon manufacturing companies.

Photovoltaic manufacturers[]

Top 10 by year[]

Solar module
company 		Shipments (GW) Country
2015* 2015† 2016
(Forecast) 		2018[2] 2019[2]
Jinko Solar 3.79[3][4] 4.51[5] 6-6.5[5] 11.4 14.2 China China
JA Solar 3.38[3][4] 3.93[5] 5.2-5.5[5] 8.8 10.3 China China
Trina Solar 4.55[3][4] 5.74[5] – 8.1 9.7 China China
LONGi Solar – – – 7.2 9 China China
Canadian Solar 3.9[3][4] 4.7[5] 5.4-5.5[5] 7.1 8.5 Canada Canada
Hanwha Q CELLS 3.2[3][4] 3.3[5] 4.5-4.7[5] 5.5 7.3 South Korea South Korea
– 1.24[5][6] – 4.8 7 China China
First Solar 2.9[7] 2.8[5] 2.9-3[5] 2.7 5.5 United States United States
GCL System Integration Technology 4.1 4.8 China China
SFCE (Shunfeng International Clean Energy Limited) – 2.28[5] – 3.3 4 China China
Yingli Green 2.35[3] 2.35-2.40[5] – – – China China
– 2.69[5] – – – China China
SunPower Corp. 1.18-1.25[8] – 1.7-2[9] – 2.5[10] United States USA
Sources:[7][3][4][5][8][9][6] tenth place depending on source. Total world 2015 shipment was 50.8 GW.

* March 2016 source.
† April 2016 source.

Summary[]

Notable PV production lines in 2015, technology, capacity and production[11][12][13]
Company Country Technology Capacity (MW) Production (MW)
2012 2013 2014 2015 2012 2013 2014 2015
USA Crystalline silicon 0 100 300 480 0 40 108 200
Bosch Germany Crystalline silicon, Thin films (a-Si, CIGS) - 220 260 270 - 55 143 200
BP Solar Spain Laser buried grid[Note 1] - 80 - - 12 15 40[Note 2][11] -
Australia MC Screen print - 52 - - 33 35 40[Note 2] -
USA - - 43 - - 25 27 30[Note 2] -
Canadian Solar Canada Crystalline silicon 0 100 270 420 0 40 102.8 200
China Sunergy China - - 192 320 320 - 80 100-120 194
Conergy Germany - 0 275[Note 2] 100[Note 2] 250 0 0[Note 2] 50[Note 2] 100[Note 2]
DelSolar Taiwan - 50 100 120 120 - 54 83 88.8
China - - - - 60 - - - 0
Taiwan - - 200 320 320 35 62 97 220
Evergreen Solar[Note 3] USA String ribbon - 17 58.5 145 13 16 26.5 103.4
Germany String ribbon - 90 - - 15 50 - -
China String ribbon - - - - - - - -
USA Monocrystalline & Polycrystalline / PERC - - - - - 35 50 50
CHINA - - - 120 120 180 220 220
BRAZIL - - - - - - - -
First Solar USA CdTe - 119 147 160 60 119 145[Note 2] 143
Germany CdTe 0 158 196 214 0 81 192 192.5
Malaysia CdTe 0 0 392 854 0 0 167 764.5
Morgan Solar Inc Canada -
Taiwan Crystalline silicon - 210 310 660 6 60 180 368
India - - - - - - - -
Isofoton Spain - - 130 180 140 61 87 130 70
India Monocrystalline & Polycrystalline 75 90 110 120 35 40 52 67
Itek Energy USA Monocrystaline, PERC 10 15 40 50 2 4 12 25
JA Solar Holdings China Crystalline silicon - 225 750 800 30 132 300 520
China - 0 120 156 205 0 83 156 194
Kyocera Japan - - - 360 - 180[Note 1] 207 290 400
Mitsubishi Electric Japan - - 150 220 220 111 121 148 120
Mitsubishi Heavy Japan - - 14 42 68 13 14 40[Note 2] 42[Note 2]
Motech Taiwan Crystalline silicon - 240 350 470 102 176 270 296
China Crystalline silicon 0 0 60 130 0 0 64
Italy - - - 60 90 - - 37 67
Neo Solar Power Taiwan Crystalline silicon - 60 210 240 4 36 135[Note 2] 201
China - - 100 250-270 350 - 100 175[Note 2] 260
France - - 60 60 - 33 38 58 49
Belgium - - 80 80 80 18 29 80 54
Q-Cells Germany - - 516 760 500[Note 4] 253 389 570 551
Malaysia CdTe - - - 300 - - - 206
Germany (Calyxo) - 0 8 25 10 0 1 3[Note 2] 1
Germany (Solibro) - 0 0 30 30 0 0 5 14
Germany (Sontor) - 0 8 25 - 0 1[Note 2] 3.6
France Monocrystalline & Polycrystalline - 1.5 GW 1.5 GW 1.5 GW - - -
Renewable Energy Corporation Norway - - - - 150 - - 80 115
Panasonic Japan - - 265[Note 2] 345 345 155 165 215 260
Schott Solar Germany - 118 162 205 355 83 74 138 218
USA - 14 - 15 15 13 10 11 11
Sharp Japan - - 710 710 710 434 363 473 595
Italy - - 20 60 90 - 30 37 50
SolarPark Korea South Korea Crystalline silicon - - - 170 - - - 90
SolarWorld Germany - - 160[Note 2] 300[Note 2] 500[Note 2] 70 135 200[Note 2] 200[Note 2]
USA - 55[Note 2] - 100 250 20[Note 2] 35[Note 2] 30[Note 2] 50[Note 2]
Netherlands - - 60 170 170 18 36 60 80
SunPower USA Crystalline silicon - 214 414 574 63 100 237 397
Suntech China Crystalline silicon - 540 1000[Note 1] 1100 160 336 530[Note 1] 704
Germany - - 46 116 116 25 38 49 60[Note 2]
Trina Solar China Crystalline silicon - 110 350 600 - 29 210 399
United Solar Ovonic USA Thin Film Flexible amorphous silicon - 118[Note 2] 178[Note 2] 150 28 48 112.6 123.4
Vikram Solar Pvt. Ltd India Monocrystalline & Polycrystalline - - - - 120 200 350 500
Yingli China - 200 400 600 37 145 281.5 525.3
Spain Monocrystalline & Polycrystalline - 120 220 340 35 60 80 120
India Polycrystaline & Monocrystaline 12.5 25 50 100 7 15 25 45
(Zyt Energy Group) Spain (Headquarters) Polycrystaline & Monocrystaline, LCPV [14] 150 250 500 700 52 74 90 130
China (subsidiary) Polycrystaline & Monocrystaline,[15] 100 200 200 300 25 40 53 65
India (subsidiary) Polycrystaline & Monocrystaline - - - 200 - - - 120

According to EnergyTrend, the 2011 global top ten polysilicon, solar cell and solar module manufacturers by capacity were found in countries including People's Republic of China, United States, Taiwan, Germany, Japan, and Korea.

In 2011, the global top ten polysilicon makers by capacity were GCL, Hemlock, OCI, Wacker, LDK, REC, MEMC/SunEdison, Tokuyama, LCY and Woongjin, represented by People's Republic of China, United States, Taiwan, Germany, Japan and South Korea.

Historical rankings[]

In 2015, GCL System Integration Technology Company made an increase of 500%, topping 2.5-2.7 GW, which puts it at seventh rank, overtaking Yingli Green, compared to 0.5 GW in 2014. Their solar PV module production appears to have reached a 3.7 GW capacity at the end of 2015.[16]

Solar modules, as the final products to be installed to generate electricity, are regarded as the major components to be selected by customers willing to choose solar PV energy. Solar module manufacturers must be sure that their products can be sustainable for application periods of more than 25 years. As a result, major solar module producers have their products tested by publicly recognized testing organizations and guarantee their durable efficiency rate for a certain number of years. The solar PV market has been growing for the past few years. According to solar PV research company PVinsights, worldwide shipments of solar modules in 2011 was around 25 GW, and the shipment year-over-year growth was around 40%. The top five solar module producers in 2011 were: Suntech, First Solar, Yingli, Trina, and Canadian. The top five solar module companies possessed 51.3% market share of solar modules, according to PVinsights' market intelligence report.

Ranking
2011		 Market
share		 Solar module
company		 Ranking
2010		 Market
share		 Country
1 5.8% Suntech 1 8.1% China China
2 5.7% First Solar 2 7.9% United States USA
3 4.8% Yingli Solar 4 6.4% China China
4 4.3% Trina Solar 5 6.1% China China
5 4.0% 6 5.3% China China
6 2.8% Sharp 3 [17] Japan Japan
7 2.8% Sunpower 8 [17] United States USA
8 2.7% Hanwha Solarone 7 [17] South Korea South Korea
9 2.3% Jinko – [17] China China
10 1.9% REC 10 [17] Norway Norway
Sources:[17][18]

Top 10 solar cell producers

According to an annual market survey by the photovoltaics trade publication Photon International, global production of photovoltaic cells and modules in 2009 was 12.3 GW. The top ten manufacturers accounted for 45% of this total.[11] In 2010, a tremendous growth of solar PV cell shipments doubled the solar PV cell market size. According to the solar PV market research company PVinsights,[17] Suntech topped the ranking of solar cell production. Most of the top ten solar PV producers doubled their shipment in 2010 and five of them were over one gigawatt shipments. The top ten solar cell producers dominated the market with an even higher market share, say 50~60%, with respect to an assumed twenty gigawatt cell shipments in 2010.

Solar cell
company		 Country Shipment
2009 in MW		 Shipment
2010 in MW
Suntech China China 704 1,572
JA Solar China China 520 1,464
First Solar United States USA 1,100 1,411
Yingli Solar China China 525 1,062
Trina Solar China China 399 1,057
Motech Solar Taiwan Taiwan 360 924
Q-Cells Germany Germany 586 907
Taiwan Taiwan 368 827
Sharp Japan Japan 595 774
China China 193 588
Sources: PhotonMagazine[19] and PVinsights.[17] Note: 2009 shipments of Motech and Canadian Solar are by PVinsights.

Quarterly ranking

Although yearly ranking is as listed above, quarterly ranking can indicate which company can sustain particular conditions such as price adjustment, government feed-in tariff change, and weather conditions. In 2Q11, First Solar regained the top spot in solar module shipments from Suntech. From the 2Q11 results, four phenomena should be noticed: thin film leader First Solar still dominates; more centralization in the solar module market; Chinese companies soared; and the giga-watt game is prevailing (according to the latest solar model shipment report by PVinsigts).[20]

Thin film ranking

Global PV market by technology in 2013[21]: 18, 19 

  multi-Si (54.9%)
  mono-Si (36.0%)
  CdTe (5.1%)
  a-Si (2.0%)
  CIGS (2.0%)
See also: List of CIGS companies

Thin film solar cells are commercially used in several technologies, including cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS), and amorphous and other thin-film silicon (a-Si, TF-Si). In 2013, thin-film declined to 9% of worldwide PV production.

In 2009, thin films represented 16.8% of total global production, up from 12.5% in 2008. The top ten thin-film producers were:

  • 1100.0 MW First Solar
  • 123.4 MW Suntech solar
  • 94.0 MW Sharp
  • 60.0 MW HELIOSPHERA
  • 50.0 MW Sungen Solar
  • 50.0 MW
  • 50.0 MW Moser Baer
  • 43.0 MW Solar Frontier
  • 42.0 MW Mitsubishi
  • 40.0 MW Kaneka Corporation
  • 40.0 MW
  • 30.0 MW Würth Solar
  • 30.0 MW Bosch (formerly Ersol)
  • 30.0 MW EPV

1 Estimated

2011 global top 10 polysilicon manufacturers by capacity[]

Company Capacity (tons) Country
GCL 65,000 China
OCI 65,000 Korea
HSC 43,000 USA
Wacker 33,000 Germany
LDK 25,000 China
REC 19,000 Norway
MEMC/SunEdison 15,000 USA
Tokuyama 9,200 Japan
8,000 Taiwan
5,000 Korea
Sourced from [22]

On the other hand, the 2011 global top ten solar cell makers by capacity are dominated by both Chinese and Taiwanese companies, including Suntech, JA Solar, Trina, Yingli, Motech, Gintech, Canadian Solar, NeoSolarPower, Hanwha Solar One and JinkoSolar.

2011 global top 10 solar cell manufacturers by capacity[]

Company Capacity (MW) Country
Suntech 2,400 China
JA Solar 2,100 China
Trina Solar 1,900 China
Yingli 1,700 China
Motech Solar 1,500 Taiwan
1,500 Taiwan
Canadian Solar 1,300 China
Neo Solar Power 1,300 Taiwan
1,100 Korea
JinkoSolar 1,100 China
Sourced from [22]

In terms of solar module by capacity, the 2011 global top ten are Suntech, LDK, Canadian Solar, Trina, Yingli, Hanwha Solar One, Solar World, Jinko Solar, Sunneeg and Sunpower, represented by makers in People's Republic of China and Germany.

2011 global top 10 solar module manufacturers by capacity[]

Company Capacity (MW) Country
Suntech 2,400 China
LDK 2,300 China
Canadian Solar 2,000 China
Trina Solar 1,900 China
Yingli 1,700 China
Hanwha Solarone 1,500 Korea
SolarWorld 1,400 Germany
Jinko 1,100 China
1,000 China
Sunpower 1,000 USA
Sourced from [22]

In terms of wafer and cell capacities, both makers from Taiwan and China have demonstrated significant year over year growth from 2010 to 2011.

China and Taiwan production capacity[]

China (MV) Taiwan (MV)
2010 wafer capacity 15,300 2,640
2011 wafer capacity 26,000 5,020
year over year growth 70% 90%
2010 cell capacity 11,200 5,415
2011 cell capacity 24,000 10,045
year over year growth 114% 86%
Sourced from [22]

Solar photovoltaic production by country[]

China now manufactures more than half of the world's solar photovoltaics. Its production has been rapidly escalating. In 2001 it had less than 1% of the world market. In contrast, in 2001 Japan and the United States combined had over 70% of world production. By 2011 they produced around 15%.[23]

Data on the world's largest solar PV producers, including China, Taiwan, US, Japan, and Germany

Other companies[]

Other notable companies include:[24][25]

  • Anwell Solar, Hong Kong, China
  • Ascent Solar, Tucson, Arizona, US
  • Cool Earth Solar, California, US
  • Dyesol, Canberra, Australia
  • Eurosolar, Germany
  • Global Solar, Tucson, Arizona, US
  • GreenSun Energy, Jerusalem, Israel
  • Hanwha, Seoul, South Korea[26][27]
  • HelioVolt, Austin, Texas, US
  • Hitachi, Japan[28]
  • IBC SOLAR, Germany
  • International Solar Electric Technology, Chatsworth, California, US
  • Isofotón, Malaga, Spain
  • Konarka Technologies, Inc., Lowell, Massachusetts, US
  • LDK Solar, Xinyu, China
  • Meyer Burger, Thun, Switzerland
  • Miasolé, California, US
  • Mitsubishi Electric, Tokyo, Japan
  • Nanosolar, San Jose, California, US
  • Odersun, Frankfurt Oder, Germany
  • Panasonic Corporation Osaka, Japan
  • PowerFilm, Inc., Ames, Iowa, US
  • Renewable Energy Corporation, Norway
  • Schott Solar, Germany
  • Signet Solar, California, US
  • Skyline Solar, Mountain View, California, US
  • SolarEdge, Grass Valley, California, US[29]
  • SolarPark Korea, Wanju, South Korea
  • SolarWorld, Bonn, Germany
  • Solimpeks, Munich, Germany
  • SoloPower, San Jose, California, US
  • Spectrolab, Inc., Sylmar, California, US
  • Sulfurcell, company has changed name to Soltecture in 2011, Germany
  • SunEdison
  • Suniva, Norcross, Georgia, US
  • Sun Power Corporation, San Jose, California, US
  • Targray Technology International, Kirkland, Quebec, Canada
  • Tenksolar, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
  • Topray Solar, China
  • Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan
  • Unirac, Albuquerque, New Mexico, US
  • Wagner & Co., Germany
  • Wirsol, Waghäusel, Germany

List of solar panel factories[]

Below is a list of solar panel factories. It lists actual factories only, former plants are below this first table.

Company Factory name Factory location Plant cost (in US$ millions) Started production Panel technology (silicon, Thin Film, CIGS, etc.) Capacity/year (in GW)
Sharp Corporation Sakai[30][31][32] Japan, Sakai 1
Sharp Corporation Katsuragi Japan 1981[33][34]
Sharp Corporation Kameyama Japan, Kameyama[33]
Sharp Corporation Taki Japan[33]
LG South Korea, Gumi[35]
Solar Frontier Miyazaki Japan 2009 0.060[36]
Solar Frontier Kunitomi Japan 1 2011 CIS 0.9[36]
Solar Frontier Tohoku Japan 0.1 2015 CIS 0.150[36]
Neo Solar Power Fab 3[37]
Panasonic Japan
AU Optronics

Closed solar panel factories[]

Company Factory name Factory location Plant cost (in US$ millions) Started production Panel technology Capacity/year (in GW) Stopped production
Sharp Corporation UK[32]
TSMC Solar Taiwan, Taichung, Central Taiwan Science Park [38](next to TSMC Fab 15) CIGS 0.040 2015[39][40]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b c d Plant closed in 2009
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Estimated production/capacity
  3. ^ Filed for bankruptcy on Aug 15, 2011, Evergreen Solar Seeks Bankruptcy
  4. ^ Production greater than capacity due to closing of some production lines in mid-year

References[]

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External links[]

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