Solar Demand to Triple By 2010

THE MARKET FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC modules that convert the sun's energy into solar power is expected to hit $1.3 billion by the end of the decade, according to a study by the Freedonia Group, Inc. This is more than three times the level

In its study Solar Energy Products, the Cleveland-based marketing research group explains that the increased demand is due in large part to the falling price of solar power, which stems from technical innovations, and a rising level of government tax incentives and rebates at the state and federal levels. Additionally, the widespread implementation of net metering programs has created a market in which consumers can be compensated at retail prices for the excess energy their solar equipment produces and flows back to the power grid. The report states that a potential shortage of polysilicon may limit manufacturers' ability to produce enough cells to accommodate demand, but that new technologies in development should eliminate the need for that material. Copyright Halcyon Business Publications, Inc. Feb/Mar 2007

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