According to a research report from PV Tech, the big-six c-Si module suppliers in the solar PV industry today – Canadian Solar, Hanwha Q CELLS, JA Solar, JinkoSolar, Trina Solar and Yingli Green – are forecast to increase market share again in 2016, taking their collective market share of global module supply to almost 50%.
This inference is based on new research undertaken by the Solar Intelligence research team, that had fully modelled out the expected capacity, production and shipment forecasts for each of the these companies to the end of 2016.
Now, I am not entirely sure if such an oligopoly-like situation is good or bad for the consumers.
Sure, oligopolies, if they want to, can pass on the benefits from economies of scale to the end user, thereby reducing overall panel prices.
Oligopolies, at the same time, can also cartelize themselves and start setting prices.
Thinking a second time, in fact it might be good that it is not exactly an oligopoly (where a few control 80-90% of marketshare), but the rest 50% of the market can possibly ensure that the big boys behave themselves, and possibly pass on the benefits from the economies of scale.
Wish to purchase high performing solar panels?
Talk to our Expert team – Send a note to sourcing@solarmango.com
Who is the world’s largest solar module maker in 2015? How many GW?
David
I do not have the formal numbers for 2015 as the year has just ended.
For 2014, the first 5 were
Trina Solar
Yingli Solar
Canadian Solar
Jinko Solar
JA Solar
The first 5 are unlikely to have had made shuffles in 2015
I’m told that Canadian Solar is a chinese co??
Is this correct??
Canadian Solar is technically headquartered in Guelph, Ontario (Canada), but the bulk of its manufacturing is in China
The company was BTW, founded by a Chinese-Canadian Shawn Qu
ALL 6 are CHINESE COS
Any hope for Indian solar panel companies at all?
What happens to Modiji’s Make in India policy? Looks like it will be Import from China policy for the solar industry
Regunathan
Many Indians, including me, share your angst
But for the time being, policy certainly is “import from China” for the Indian solar sector.
How large is Sunpower, is it not in the top 5 in the world?
Once it used to be Japanese and Germans who were top module makers.
I think all German module makers are closed down, while some Jap module companies such as Sharp are still there, but they are no longer in the top