NPD Solarbuzz sees 2014 PV demand at 49 GW

Dec 27, 2013 - Demand for solar photovoltaics (PV) next year will hit 49 GW, up from 36 GW in 2013, and many major crystalline silicon module suppliers from China will reach silicon and non-silicon costs of less than USD 0.50 (EUR 0.36) per watt, NPD Solarbuzz projects.

In a release on December 23, the market intelligence firm said that record levels of end-market demand are being reported almost every quarter. NPD Solarbuzz vice president Finlay Colville explained that demand is being driven by key module suppliers and project developers that have returned to the black in 2013 and have built highly-effective global sales and marketing networks.

According to the latest NPD Solarbuzz Quarterly, tier-one PV makers will achieve production utilisation rates of 90% and more, thanks to the record 2014 demand and heavy outsourcing of solar PV wafer, cell and module production.

The fourth quarter of 2013 is set to surpass the 12-GW bar for the first time, with nearly 66.7% of the total coming from China, Japan and the US. After that, the first quarter of 2014 will be the strongest first-quarter for the PV industry ever, NPD Solarbuzz says. The October 2013 - March 2014 period will bring 22 GW of PV installations. The market research firm calculates that this translates into 120 MW of fresh capacity per day.

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