CIGS Photovoltaics Market Opportunities 2011

Report Summary

CIGS Photovoltaics Market Opportunities 2011 - In recent years, CIGS has become a collection of contradictions. While it has achieved the highest conversion efficiency among the thin-films, its progress toward high volumes has been sluggish. And while the volume growth of leading companies has been well behind the level of expectations that CdTe has set, dozens of small companies continue to enter the CIGS market, especially in China and Taiwan. Finally, while flexible CIGS PV-especially in the form of BIPV-is widely considered the path for success, there are still concerns about the durability of such flexible products given CIGS' sensitivity to moisture.

What will it take for the large manufacturers of CIGS PV to finally approach the Gigawatt range in volume? And what do the small players stand to gain by entering this crowded field? What is the value proposition of CIGS that makes it so attractive? Will CIGS ever make real money, and will investors be available to build the necessary capacity? These questions are examined and answered in this report.

This report also analyzes the money-making opportunities for CIGS PV. These are examined from the perspectives of CIGS PV's strengths-high performance and flexibility-and its weaknesses, sensitivity to moisture and difficult manufacturing processes. It takes an honest look at the processes and strategies of the various firms making CIGS and at the markets in which CIGS has unique advantages.

This report also includes eight-year forecasts of the market for CIGS PV. These forecasts are broken down by type of application-BIPV, flexible devices, etc.-and by the manufacturing technology used, including deposition technology and flexible vs. rigid manufacturing. This report is essential reading for firms that manufacture or develop CIGS PV and for everyone interested in future of the PV industry.

Table Of Contents

Executive Summary

E.1 CIGS: what's keeping it from higher volumes
E.1.1 Will there ever be high-volume printed CIGS?
E.1.2 How can flexible CIGS products break out?
E.2 Too crowded? Why new companies continue entering the CIGS space
E.3 The business case for CIGS
E.4 Opportunities for CIGS firms
E.5 Summary of eight-year forecasts of CIGS PV

Chapter One: Introduction

1.1 Background to this report
1.2 Objectives and scope of this report
1.3 Methodology of this report
1.4 Plan of this report

Chapter Two: The Supply Side of CIGS PV

2.1 CIGS efficiency: the quest for parity with crystalline silicon
2.2 CIGS materials: supply concerns
2.2.1 The indium market: should we be scared?
2.3 CIGS manufacturing processes: targeting throughput and cost
2.3.1 Conventional vacuum deposition
2.3.2 Printing: what's the holdup?
2.3.3 Electrodeposition: the middle-of-the-road alternative
2.3.4 Roll-to-roll: is it really an advantage?
2.4 Other components of CIGS PV
2.4.1 CIGS' special encapsulation needs
2.5 Is there still venture capital for CIGS?
2.6 Key points made in this chapter

Chapter Three: CIGS Market Opportunities

3.1 How can CIGS sell itself?
3.2 Capitalizing on CIGS' high performance
3.2.1 Conventional module market opportunities
3.2.2 Rigid BIPV market opportunities
3.3 Flexible CIGS: the key to a high-growth market?
3.3.1 Flexible BIPV opportunities
3.3.2 Other flexible applications opportunities
3.3.3 Is durability still an issue?
3.4 The crowded CIGS market
3.4.1 Too many players?
3.4.2 Shifting to China and Taiwan?
3.4.3 The leaders and their strategies
3.5 Key points made in this chapter

Chapter Four: Eight-Year Forecasts for CIGS PV and its Materials

4.1 Forecasting methodology
4.2 Forecasts of CIGS PV by manufacturing technology
4.2.1 Forecasts by rigid vs. flexible manufacturing
4.2.2 Forecasts by CIGS deposition method
4.3 Forecasts of CIGS PV by product type
4.3.1 Conventional panels
4.3.2 BIPV
4.3.3 Other products
4.4 Summary of forecasts