 |
In the first quarter of 2015, more than 12GW of solar installations were added globally, according to EnergyTrend’s research. The forecasted 52GW annual demand is likely to be achieved, and installations in China, USA and Japan will represent up to 63% of the global installing capacity.
EnergyTrend’s Golden Member Report shows that China, USA, Japan and India are the top five PV markets in 2015, and the first three countries will install more than 60% of the global capacity. The Chinese market is expected to continue growing in 2015 and lead the world’s solar increase. Simply in the first quarter, its nationwide installations, which broke record, reached 5.04GW. The annual goal of 17.8GW seems more reasonable for China to accomplish. Japan, on the other hand, has installed 1950MW of solar capacity during the same period despite the government has been reducing certain subsidies for PV systems. It represents that the demand in Japan remains strong. Moreover, USA added 1306MW of new solar capacity in the quarter, representing 51% of the nation’s newly added power generating capacity – solar installations exceeded conventional electricity resources in the U.S. for the first time.
In the Americas, some countries other than USA will further ramp up their solar installing capacity in 2015. Chile, Honduras and Uruguay are regarded as leaders in the Latin America because they are projected to perform stronger demand.
Furthermore, EnergyTrend found that UK will retain the crown in the European solar market in 2015. Driven by Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs), the official solar installation in the first quarter of 2015 was as high as 1285MW, the highest volume in UK’s history. Nonetheless, it is necessary to see whether the future demand will be sustained because ROCs has been terminated by the end of March. On contrary, Germany, the previous leader of the European market, has only installed 319MW in the quarter. Reduced FiT subsidies and near-saturated market accounted for the decline of solar installations. Besides, France has passed a new regulation to require owners of buildings which are newly constructed in commercial zones to grow plants or install solar panels on the rooftops. Such kind of compulsive regulations would help accelerate renewable energy development in France.
India is the most attractive market among the emerging ones, as well as the most anticipated market aside from China. In the first quarter of 2015, 1100MW of new solar capacity has been added, so the annual target of 3GW is believed to be achieved. South Korea, another Asian market, dropped everyone’s jaw as it completed almost 200MW of solar projects. Australia’s solar installation in the same quarter was estimated 133MW.
Summarizing the installations of the top 10 markets, the total solar installation in the first quarter has reached 11.5GW, sharing almost 22% of the annual forecast. Taking installation capacity in minor markets into account, the global solar installation in the quarter exceeded 12GW. Accordingly, EnergyTrend is optimistic for the 52GW annual expectation.
This Week’s Spot Price
This week’s quotations of polysilicon differentiated in source regions. In China, spot price of polysilicon slightly raised 0.64% to US$15.7/kg, while quotes of polysilicon manufactured outside China were generally lower than the price. Quotes of multi-si wafers climbed due to stronger demand to high efficiency products, up 0.12% to US$0.818/W. In contrast to multi-si wafers, demand to mono-si wafers was flat so the spot price declined 1% down to US$0.31/W.
Standard multi-si PV cells’ spot price remained as the previous week.
Multi-si 260W PV modules’ spot price increased 0.19% to US$0.563/W because of higher raw material prices and stronger demand from the downstream market. Mono-si PV modules’ spot price stuck at US$0.61/W.
