MARKETNEWS Revised plans in Europe
THE EUROPEAN PV market is in a unique and continuing state of flux, with 2010 global installations amounting to 15.7 GW.
German installations have once again set the record with 3.9 GW in the first half of 2010 alone with a peak in June of 2.1 GW, and in total, Germany has reached 6.7 GW in 2010. Italy installed 2.85 GW in 2010 reaching a total of 7GW and the Czech Republic gained huge momentum with 1.3GW.
Until now, the PV market benefited from favourable feed-in tariffs, plunging module prices and rising efficiencies throughout the last few years and months- in Italy alone, module prices dropped by 42.2% between the fourth quarter of 2008 and third quarter of 2010.
Despite this, drastic cuts across European FiTs have hit the industry hard, and the pressure shows no sign of easing. In fact,
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analysts have suggested a ‘domino effect’. With France’s subsidies slashed, the Czech Republic market severely limited and an additional decrease of the German FiT by 13% from January 2011, the industry is expecting a stagnating market in 2011, resulting in increased price competition with low cost Asian manufacturers.
It’s against this backdrop of tough competition and plummeting module
China’s growth inspires expansion
3M today, in conjunction with the Hefei High-tech Industrial Development Area, a plan to build a manufacturing site for PV solar materials and renewable energy products in Hefei High-tech Park.
The new plant, 3M Materials Technologies (Hefei) Co., will produce a variety of products at the new facility, including 3M Scotchshield Film, an advanced solar backside barrier film used in crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic modules.
The project will be 3M’s ninth manufacturing facility in China. Groundbreaking is set for two-phased construction in Q2 2011.
Hefei is an industrial city, situated between the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers in Central China. The 3M Materials Technology (Hefei) Co., Ltd. is a continuum of 3M’s global expansion.
This investment follows recent solar material expansions in the U.S. (Columbia, Mo.), Hilden, Germany, and in Singapore.
“3M is committed to providing innovative renewable energy solutions to support
our customers globally,” said Mike Roman, vice president and general manager, 3M Renewable Energy Division. “We are excited about the collaboration with Hefei High-tech Industrial Development Area to help drive this initiative. The state-of-the-art Hefei facility increases our production capacity of 3M’s solar materials portfolio at a location that is close to local customers and at a time when renewable energy is setting a precedent for the future.”
The Hefei High-tech Industrial Development Area, founded in 1991, is one of the first national new energy high- tech industrial development areas approved by China’s State Council.
3M established operations in China in 1984. It was the first foreign enterprise to be established outside of the Special Economic Zones. At present, 3M’s operations in China include
manufacturing, business offices, technical service and R&D facilities.
3M’s entry in the renewable energy sector began in the 1970s with pioneering technologies in coating, film, tape, adhesive and optical technologies. 3M
prices that PV companies are increasingly turning to Balance of Systems as a way of reducing costs and maximizing efficiency in PV systems, and PV-Insider have launched the PV Balance of Systems Conference & Expo to help the tackle the technical BoS challenges that in the current climate can make the difference between profit and loss for your plant.
Key topics include: Case studies on how European plants have achieved optimal performance
System design considerations that reduce labour, wiring materials and overall costs
Component manufactures speak on product reliability, component combinations and O&M support for your plant
How intelligent systems can give you essential performance data and forecast power output failures.
offers a robust portfolio of new and existing products, bringing more than 100 years of combined expertise to the rapidly expanding renewable energy and energy efficiency markets worldwide.
3M has since expanded its global manufacturing capabilities for Renewable Energy Division products in recent years to bring key products to meet customers’ growing needs.
In 2009, 3M created a global Renewable Energy Division, a unit of its Industrial and Transportation Business. The renewable energy business develops innovative solutions for solar, wind, geothermal and biofuels energy and produces commercial, residential and automotive window films for energy conservation.
www.solar-pv-management.com Issue IV 2011
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