Chinese Solar Power Innovation Producing Cheaper Panels

Future cost drops from Chinese crystalline silicon solar producers will not be as steep as recent years, but they will still be significant.

Stephen Lacey, via GreenTechMedia

The cost of producing a conventional crystalline silicon (c-si) solar panel continues to drop. Between 2009 and 2012, leading “best-in-class” Chinese c-Si solar manufacturers reduced module costs by more than 50 percent. And in the next three years, those players — companies like Jinko, Yingli, Trina and Renesola — are on a path to lower costs by another 30 percent.

Check out [the above] chart outlining projected costs, which comes from GTM Research’s Global Intelligence PV Tracker.

“Clearly, the magnitude of cost reductions will be less than in previous years. But we still do see potential for significant cost reductions. Going from 53 cents to 42 cents is noteworthy,” says Shayle Kann, vice president of research at GTM Research.

With plenty of innovation still occurring in crystalline silicon PV manufacturing — including new sawing techniques, thinner wafers, conductive adhesives, and frameless modules — companies are able to squeeze more pennies off the cost of each panel. However, as the chart above shows, innovating “outside the module” to reduce the installed cost of solar will be increasingly important as companies find it harder to realize cost reductions in manufacturing.

Think Progress

10 Comments on "Chinese Solar Power Innovation Producing Cheaper Panels"

dave thompson on Mon, 18th Feb 2013 9:07 pm 



Every one should have a small solar set up even if it only charges enough for emergency lights.

John Orr on Mon, 18th Feb 2013 9:47 pm 



We need to get power from rain…. that’s all we get in Ireland…. day after day after day!

GregT on Mon, 18th Feb 2013 9:47 pm 



Cheaper, yes.

Still out of the question for most, especially when more and more people are having trouble making ends meet at all.

$30,000 installed where I live. 20 years until pay back. The battery bank will likely be toast far before then, and I doubt there will be very many replacements available in 20 years.

DC on Mon, 18th Feb 2013 9:53 pm 



You need to look into Ni-Fe batteries AKA edison batteries Greg. They have a life spawn measured in decades, not months or years like most of what you can get off shelf here. Not many producers sadly, and development has been basically moribund. Gee wonder why? Those batteries would outlast several sets of panels,IF you can find them….

GregT on Mon, 18th Feb 2013 10:39 pm 



Thank you DC.

I will look into this, as I am going to install a system on my home regardless. It is part of my transition plan.

DC on Mon, 18th Feb 2013 11:54 pm 



Opz I thought I had included my links up there.

http://www.beutilityfree.com/Electric/Ni-Fe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel%E2%80%93iron_battery

BillT on Tue, 19th Feb 2013 3:20 am 



This is good news as 2015 is the goal date to build our farmhouse and it will have to be powered by solar and wind. We are a mile from any public utilities and the cost to run poles and a cable would be more than a stand-alone system. As we are next door to China, their PV panels are easily accessible. With a $10k W/S system, 5 miles off the Pacific Coast, we should be in good shape. That has a payback of about 10 years at today’s electric rates.

Harquebus on Tue, 19th Feb 2013 3:33 am 



We won’t mention that they are manufactured using the energy from coal.

BillT on Tue, 19th Feb 2013 10:53 am 



Harque, Arthur denies that oil is needed for renewables. Don’t wake him up. ^_^

Kenz300 on Wed, 20th Feb 2013 1:04 am 



The cost of oil, coal and nuclear keeps rising causing environmental damage and climate change.

The cost of wind and solar keeps dropping with advances in technology and economies of scale.

Every home should have some solar power for emergency use and to reduce base line electricity costs.

Easy Choice.