Material in this chapter is based upon manufacturing shipment information reported on Form EIA-63A ("Annual Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers Survey") and Form EIA-63B ("Annual Photovoltaic Module/Cell Manufacturers Survey"). Domestic shipments of photovoltaic cells and modules have more than tripled since 1993 (Table 8), while solar thermal collector shipments have grown 23 percent (Table 9).

Total shipments of solar thermal collectors⁽¹⁾ were 8.4 million square feet in 2000. This represented a decrease of 3 percent from the 1999 total of 8.6 million square feet but exceeded the 1998 total of 7.8 million square feet. There were 26 companies shipping solar collectors in 2000. Import shipments totaled 2.2 million square feet, while export shipments were 0.5 million square feet (Figure 2).

Low-temperature solar collectors represented 95 percent of total shipments, while medium-temperature collectors were responsible for almost 5 percent (Table 10). High-temperature collectors are used by utilities and nonutilities in experimental grid electricity programs and represent less than 1 percent of total shipments (Table 10, Figure 3). U.S. manufacturers from 6 States (California, New Jersey, Florida, Hawaii, Texas, and New York) and Puerto Rico manufactured nearly all of U.S. solar thermal collectors in 2000 (Table 11). Shipments included both components and integrated solar collector systems.

Figure 2. Import and Export Shipments of Solar Thermal Collectors, 1990-2000 D

Figure 3. Solar Thermal Collector Shipments by Collector Type, 1990-2000 D

Domestic shipments were sent to 46 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands (Table 12). Exports went mainly to Canada (36 percent), Austria (23 percent), Sweden (9 percent), Belgium and Luxembourg (5 percent), and Mexico (4 percent) (Table 13). Fifty-five percent of total shipments was sent directly to wholesale distributors, 30 percent to installers, 9 percent to retail distributors, 3 percent to exporters, and 2 percent to other end users (Table 14). Compared with 1999, installers gained at the expense of retail distributors.

Figure 4. Average Price of Solar Thermal Collector Shipments by Collector Type, 1996-2000 D

The value of total shipments was $27.4 million in 2000, an increase of 5 percent from 1999 (Table 15). The average price for total shipments increased 8 percent, from $3.05 per square foot in 1999 to $3.28 per square foot in 2000. Low-temperature collectors registered little change in total value, remaining at about $17.0 million in 2000. This was principally due to a 3-percent decrease in the quantity shipped for low-temperature collectors (Figure 4, Table 15).

The residential sector continues to be the prime market for solar collectors, totaling nearly 7.5 million square feet, or 89 percent of total shipments (Table 16). The commercial sector was the second largest, with 0.8 million square feet (10 percent). The largest end use for solar collectors shipped in 2000 was for heating swimming pools, consuming 7.9 million square feet (94 percent) of total shipments. The second-largest use was for domestic hot water heating (4 percent). This marked no change from 1999, when domestic hot water heating represented approximately 4 percent of total shipments. The value of shipments of complete systems decreased from $17.9 million in 1999 to $13.4 million in 2000 (Table 17).

Of the 26 active companies shipping solar collectors, seven are planning to introduce new low-temperature collectors, four are planning new medium-temperature collectors, and one expects to introduce high-temperature collectors (Table 18). In 2000, the industry remained highly concentrated--the 10 largest companies accounted for 97 percent of total shipments (Table 19). Employment decreased 2 percent in 2000 from 1999 (Table 20). A total of 20 firms were involved in the design of collectors or systems, 10 were involved in prototype collector development, and 10 were active in prototype system development (Table 21). Eighteen companies had 90 percent or more of their total company-wide sales in solar collectors, while three companies had 50 to 89 percent, and 4 companies had less than 10 percent (Table 22).

Figure 5. Import and Export Shipments of Photovoltaic Cells and Modules, 1991-2000 D

Photovoltaic (PV) cell and module shipments⁽³⁾ reached 88.2 peak megawatts in 2000, a 15-percent increase from the 1999 total of 76.8 peak megawatts (Table 23). This was a substantially smaller increase than the 52-percent increase experienced from 1998 to 1999. Module shipments accounted for 55.0 peak megawatts, while cell shipments accounted for 33.0 peak megawatts. This change in module shipments represented an increase of 28 percent since 1999, compared with a 1-percent decrease in cell shipments. Exports totaled 68.4 peak megawatts in 2000, representing 78 percent of total shipments as compared to 72 percent in 1999. Imports jumped to 8.8 peak megawatts (Table 24 and Figure 5). Twenty-one companies reported PV cell and module shipments, two more than in 1999 (Table 24).

Nearly 51 peak megawatts (57 percent) of total shipments were sent directly to wholesale distributors (Table 25). Module manufacturers and exporters combined received 22.1 peak megawatts, or 25 percent. Installers and retail distributors combined purchased 10.4 peak megawatts, or 12 percent.

Figure 6. Photovoltaic Cell and Module Shipments by Type, 1997-2000 D

Crystalline silicon cells⁽⁴⁾ and modules continued to dominate the PV industry in 2000, accounting for 97 percent of total shipments (Table 26). Single-crystal shipments in 2000 totaled 51.9 peak megawatts, or 59 percent of total shipments, compared to 47.2 peak megawatts in 1999. Cast and ribbon silicon shipments totaled 33.2 peak megawatts in 2000, or 38 percent of total shipments. By comparison, cast and ribbon totaled 26.2 peak megawatts or 34 percent of total shipments in 1999. Thin-film shipments decreased to 2.7 peak megawatts in 2000, and represented only 3 percent of total shipments (Figure 6).

The total value of photovoltaic cell and module shipments grew 15 percent to $270 million in 2000 from $234 million in 1999 (Table 27). The average price for modules (dollars per peak watt) decreased 4 percent, from $3.62 in 1999 to $3.46 in 2000. For cells, the average price increased 3 percent, from $2.32 in 1999 to $2.40 in 2000.

The industrial sector was the largest market for PV cells and modules, growing 15 percent from 25 peak megawatts in 1999 to 29 peak megawatts in 2000 (Table 28). The residential sector totaled 24.8 megawatts, growing 25 percent. Both the residential and industrial sectors have benefitted from new government sponsored programs and loan subsidies in Japan and Germany. Japan and Germany have increased the residential and industrial demand for PVs with subsidies for PV systems, as well as favorable tax credits and loan repayment timeframes. In developing countries like Indonesia and Brazil, the World Bank has made low interest energy loans with long term pay-back schedules for the installation of residential applications for PVs. The United States also has implemented a "Million Solar Roofs Initiative" program at the State and national levels as well as various loan programs. Also, an increasing number of utilities sponsor programs such as net metering, portfolio standards, and green pricing. In general, a growing group of industries and residential sector customers appears willing to pay for PV-based installations.⁽⁵⁾

The commercial sector, the third largest sector in peak kilowatts shipped, decreased by 21 percent its use of PV cells and modules in 2000.

Electricity generation, which consists of both grid-interactive and remote applications, continues to be the predominant end use for PV cells and modules. In 2000, electric generation accounted for 42 percent of total shipments with remote usage growing 38 percent. In 2000, transportation and communications end uses were the second- and third-largest end uses, respectively, totaling 28 percent. Cells and modules sold to Original Equipment Manufacturers, who fabricate products for sale to end users, was the fourth largest end user with 12.2 peak megawatts in 2000.

Export shipments increased 23 percent from 56 peak megawattsin1999to 68peakmegawatts in2000 (Table 29). Germany and Japan were the largest export markets. Germany accounted for 50 percent of exports and Japan received 12 percent of shipments exported (Table 30). While complete PV systems⁽⁶⁾ shipped increased by 70 percent in 2000, the total value of complete systems increased 90 percent to $44.3 million, as the systems shipped in 2000 were smaller, but more expensive compared to 1999 (Table 31). Employment in the PV manufacturing industry decreased by 5 percent in 2000, despite an increase in the number of manufacturers (Table 32). Thirteen companies plan to introduce crystalline silicon products, and 7 companies plan to introduce thin-film products (Table 33) in 2001. Many companies who are engaged in the manufacture and/or importation of PV modules and cells, reported that they also are involved in other PV-related activities--12 are involved in cell manufacturing and 17 in module or system design; 17 are involved in prototype module development and 15 in prototype systems development; 15 companies are active in wholesale distribution, 7 in retail distribution, and 7 in installation (Table 34).

Tables

Table 33. Companies Expecting to Introduce New Photovoltaic Products in 2000

Table 34. Number of Companies Involved in Photovoltaic-Related Activities, 1999 and 2000