Gintech, Motech, Tainergy, and NSP to Form an Alliance Taiwanese solar cell manufacturers have always been in a troublesome spot due to their lack of end customer touchpoints. These companies which mostly make solar cells are known for their quality and scale. However, they remain dependent on solar panel makers for their sales as they do not […]
The EU-China Solar Trade War The European Commission has decided to impose ~40% duties on Chinese solar panel imports from 6th June. This will mark the first step in the escalation of trade tensions between two of the biggest trading blocks in the world. China exported more than $20 billion solar panels to Europe in […]
Job Cuts in Solar Industry The solar industry crisis continues to take a massive toll on solar jobs as top solar companies Sunpower, Showa Shell and Gintech all announced major job cuts in one day. Note the falling solar panel prices have refused to stop declining as a massive capacity overhang keeps prices below costs. […]
The Taiwanese Solar Industry has become the 2nd largest in the world following in the footsteps of China.Taiwanese Solar Industry has a longer history than the Chinese with Solar Cell Makers Motech and E-Ton establishing themselves globally way back in 2006.However the steep fall in solar panel prices following the Lehman crisis had led to losses for these companies as the Chinese companies surged ahead using their low cost manufacturing.The crisis also led to the emergence of newer Taiwanese companies like Gintech,Neo Solar which are growing at extremely fast rates.Note Taiwan is a hub of semiconductor manufacturing with leading companies like TSMC,AUO,UMC,HTC etc.Solar Industry uses many of the same technologies,raw materials and techniques common to semiconductor and Display Panels Production giving Taiwanese firms a natural advantage.Taiwan has been predominantly present in the crystalline Solar Cell part of the supply chain and lacks a big manufacturer of polysilicon ( though a facility has been started).The lack of vertical integration has also made the costs of the Taiwanese industry higher.The entry of large companies like AUO,TSMC has further increased the competition in the Taiwanese market.Note Taiwan’s government has also promoted the use of solar energy in the country through the use of a Feed in Tariff program.
Crystalline Solar Cell Suppliers are fast disappearing due to the changing dynamics of the global c-Si Solar Panel Industry.With vertical integration becoming imperative as margins and prices get squeezed,independent solar cell suppliers are having a tough time.Increasing raw material costs in terms of higher polysilicon and solar wafer prices and competition from numerous players has decreased the number of pure play solar cell suppliers.However a few of the top solar cell producers continue to grow and flourish though they are also entering into other segment of the PV solar supply chain.Most of the independent solar cell suppliers are from Taiwan and some from China.European solar cell producers have mostly disappeared due to the high cost base of the European factories.Note this list is mostly composed of solar cell producers who don’t have big module making operations.You can find a list of the top solar energy companies most of which make solar cells as well.