Although the photovoltaic (PV) industry Road will not be smooth, but solar energy is still very much wants to be the main energy source of the future, this is the plastic industry to take advantage of a market segment. European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) study showed that the global solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity of at least 38.4 GW global accumulated installed capacity of 138.9GW,2013 is another historic year for solar PV technology.
Global PV installed capacity up to 138.9GW
More than 10 years, the PV market in Europe for the first time no longer ranks first of the PV market in the world. Rapid in Asia than Europe, 2013 global PV market is about 56%. The impetus to the development of Asia, mainly from China and Japan, the two countries respectively ranked first and second place in the global market.
PV industry is still affected by the policy-driven industries. Policy support for the PV industry of market decline has led to several European countries narrowed. For example, in 2013, Belgium dropped from 600 MW of installed capacity 215MW, France dropped from 1115MW to 613MW, Denmark dropped from 300MW 200MW.
EPIA says, America is growing slower than expected, but the United States, and Canada and Mexico grew. In other parts of the world, interest in PV have not translated into significant market developments.
While the European PV market appears to be in recession, but in 2013, in addition to the wind outside, there is no other power devices reach the PV capacity levels in the area. Oliver, President of EPIA Schfer said: "this proves that solar energy is becoming an important part of power system, to more people worldwide delivery of clean, safe, affordable energy. ”
We have reason to be optimistic. In 2013, after the EU-China solar panels on trade disputes, zero tariffs on environmental goods negotiations have begun. Officials from 14 Governments (Australia, and Canada, China, Costa Rica, EU, Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea, and New Zealand, and Norway, and Singapore, and Switzerland, China, Taiwan and the United States) meeting in July 2014 for the first time, starting the talks.
First phase of the talks focused on the exemption from tariffs on environmental goods, according to officials, the talks will end in 2015. To do this, on the Asia-Pacific economic cooperation (APEC) Forum in 2012 negotiations agreed 54 kinds of environmentally friendly products, such as wind turbines, solar water heaters, wastewater filter and PV panels.
United States trade representative Peter Froman said, "remove tariffs of the technology we need to protect the environment, we can reduce the price of environmentally friendly products, making it more suitable for mass, so we made significant progress in environmental protection and trade policy objectives. ”
EPIA predicted that by 2018, total installed capacity in Europe could increase from 81.5 GW by 2013 to 119GW and 156GW. Under the best of circumstances, and by 2015 could be 100GW.
Asia-Pacific into a new driving force
The Asia-Pacific region, including China, occupies a portion of PV installed capacity in the next few years. Under the best of circumstances, by 2018, the global PV system capacity will be up to 430.3GW, and the end of 2013 to 138.9GW.
GlobalData's study points out that the Asia-Pacific region as active buyers of PV technology at the same time, 2013 solar module production in the global leader.
Alternative energy projects Manager of GlobalData Ankit Mathur said, "solar PV market demand of a significant sustained growth is driving the global module output growth, we expect growth this year from 2013 40.806GW 45.170GW. In 2014, the Chinese account for a large share of 30GW, while Japan and Korea followed, respectively, 3700MW and 2400MW. "
GlobalData says solar PV market demand increased substantially reducing global overcapacity, fell from 151% in 2009 to 2013 62%.
Suoerweite polymer thin films Division, global marketing manager of the company Philippe-Jacques Leng responded by saying: "device and module Assembly of the photovoltaic market, as well as the manufacturing industry is booming, especially in China. We think this is a great market for sustainable development, requires special materials designed to meet the high performance requirements of the PV industry. ”
Increasing efficiency, improving processes and emerging technologies
Solvay is the Sun of power right from the start (Solar Impulse) project partners.
Headquartered Belgium supplier of materials developed specifically for PV module membrane: application of ethylene-trifluoro chloroethylene Halar (ECTFE) film grade. 20 Micron parts manufactured with Halar ECTFE fluorinated polymer film used for protection of the Si2 PV solar panels, covering 17248 monocrystalline silicon, or about 300 square meters of the wing.
Solvay said Luke Du, General Manager of greater China and Southeast Asia, renewable energy and the urgent needs of lightweight structures for the plastics industry offers huge opportunities.
Last October, the Netherlands Royal DSM company in India Pune engineering plastic factory held a solar energy technology demonstration Center's opening ceremony. In the showroom, DSM's KhepriCoat anti-reflective coating on the PV panels, allows more light to enter the solar installation, thus improving efficiency.
Arkema and the Germany company Krempel has developed a unique backplane, grades for the KPK. The back panel is a three-tier structure, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) core layer sandwiched between two layers of Arkema company Kynar polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film.
Filmcutter SpA and Toray Films Europe this year "polymer Assembly of PV industry" jointly launched a new generation of PET monolayer film on back panel.