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| Table of Contents |
| Intro and Overview |
| Introduction |
| Business Overview |
| Trends and Forces |
| Key Trends and Forces |
| Competition |
| Competition and Market Share |
Competition and Market Share
Evergreen Solar is still a relatively small player in the solar market, and sells a technology type (String Ribbon) that is younger than most other solar power technologies. Other competitors, with 2005 market shares[1], include:
- SunPower (SPWR) (insignificant in 2005) - One of the fastest growing solar companies, with one of the most efficient cells around
- Sharp Electronics (24%) - The largest photovoltaic cell manufacturer in the world.
- Suntech Power Holdings (4%) - A Chinese photovoltaic cell company that is muscling its way into world solar markets.
- JA Solar Holdings, (insignificant in 2005) - A Chinese PV company that only sells monocrystalline solar cells; it lets its customers take care of building the modules and systems.
- Solarfun Power Holdings (insignificant in 2005) - Another Chinese PV company that operates 90% in Europe and makes most of its money by selling modules, rather than individual cells.
- Kyocera (8%) - A Japanese electronics company that is also a manufacturer of solar cells
- Q-Cells (9%) - A privately owned, German solar manufacturer
- First Solar (insignificant in 2005) - A thin cell solar panel manufacturer that uses cadmium telluride instead of silicon for its cells.
- BP (5%), Mitsubishi (6%), and Sanyo (7%) - Not primarily photovoltaic cell manufacturers, but heavy market competitors nonetheless.
- EMCORE (insignificant in 2005) - A Concentrated Photovoltaic System manufacturer that uses Gallium arsenide PV cells and got its start in the solar business making power cells for satellites.
- Energy Conversion Devices - This company uses amorphous thin-film silicon in its ultra-thin, albeit low-efficiency solar cells.
| Manufacturer | Conversion Efficiency |
|---|---|
| SunPower(Polysilicon) | 22%[2] |
| Sharp (Polysilicon) | 17.5%[3] |
| Evergreen Solar (String Ribbon) | 15%[4] |
| First Solar (CdTe Thin Film) | 10.8%[5] |
| Sanyo(c-Si and a-Si Thin Layer) | 23% [6] |
References
- ↑ CIBC Initiating Coverage, SOLF, January 29th, 2007
- ↑ Dolan, Kerry, "Squeezing Energy From The Sun," Forbes.com, September 10 2009
- ↑ Sharp Solar Systems Product Profile Brochure, Sharp
- ↑ ESLR 2007 Earnings Call Transcript, Page 1
- ↑ Osborne, Mark, "First Solar first to US$1 per watt manufacturing cost," PV-tech.org, February 25, 2009
- ↑ Osborne, Mark, "Sanyo a ‘HIT’ with 23% solar cell efficiency record," PV-tech.org, May 22, 2009
