December 5, 2005—The US manufacture of both solar thermal collectors and solar photovoltaic power devices surged in 2004, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE)’s Energy Information Administration (EIA).
An EIA report released recently shows a 23 percent growth in 2004 in shipments of solar thermal collectors, a market heavily dominated by low-temperature collectors for applications such as water heating. Florida and California lead the domestic market for solar thermal collectors. One reason for the growth in sales: the price dropped 24 percent from 2003 levels, to $2.43 per square foot in 2004.
The report also found a 66 percent increase in shipments of solar photovoltaic cells and modules, to more than 181 megawatts of solar power capacity. Domestic shipments increased 61 percent, to more than 78 megawatts. Both imports and exports increased, with nearly 103 megawatts going overseas and nearly 48 megawatts entering the country.
The EIA credits the growth to plant expansions, a new Sharp facility in Tennessee, and innovative technologies. One sign of that innovation is a doubling in thin-film solar shipments, to nearly 22 megawatts of capacity. Grid-interactive electricity generation became the dominant end-use of the solar cells and modules, reaching a market share of 71 percent in 2004, up from 39 percent in 2003.
To read the report, go to the EIE Web site.
