26 July 2011

Cumulative CPV installations to grow from 23MW in 2010 to 12.5GW by 2020

Out of a global CPV cumulative installed capacity of currently 23MW, in 2010 Spain dominated the CPV market with about 16MW (70% of the global CPV installed base), according to a report ‘Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) — Global Installation Size, Cost Analysis, Efficiencies and Competitive Analysis to 2020’ available from companiesandmarkets.com.

Most parts of Spain experience high DNI (direct normal irradiation), which attracts CPV installers for investments in Spain. However, the technology is still developing, so most CPV projects are in the pilot or prototype stage. Guascor Foton’s Navarre power plant and Murcia power plant are the largest existing CPV plants, with installed capacities of 7.8MW and 2MW, respectively.

Spain is followed by the USA, with a cumulative installed capacity of about 4.5MW (20%). Greece and Australia have also attracted CPV system installers due to a high DNI concentration (accounting for about 5% and 3% of global CPV cumulative installed capacity, respectively).

In the USA, emerging companies are SolFocus, Amonix, Emcore and Skyline Solar. European firms such as Concentrix and Abengoa Solar as well as Taiwan’s ArimaEco are also making progress in the CPV market, says companiesandmarkets.com.

Companies that have successfully operated CPV prototype systems in pilot locations are progressing towards multi-megawatt CPV projects, notes the market research firm. With an increased understanding of CPV in terms of technology and investment, most of the players have plans for large-scale CPV projects, it adds.

The CPV market is forecasted to grow dramatically over the next three years. Firms such as SolFocus, Amonix and ArimaEco are planning to expand their production capacities in order to meet the upcoming demand. Countries such as Italy, China, Australia, India and South Korea are proving to be important emerging markets in the CPV industry. In particular, Italy’s CPV FiT (feed-in tariff) program and China’s low-cost production and high DNI in its western region are attracting CPV investors in these countries.

The report concludes forecasts that, in total, global cumulative installations are forecasted to reach 12.5GW by 2020.

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Tags: CPV

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