PV R&D Increasingly Driven by Supply Chain, According to Report
 By Bettina Weiss
Executive Director, SEMI PV Group
A review of R&D spending by cell and module makers finds that it remains very low, particularly in comparison to other high-tech industries. In c-Si, technology development is relatively concentrated in development consortia, a few large cell and module manufacturers, and equipment suppliers. The majority of process innovations are currently being generated by the equipment manufacturers. Patent applications are also dominated by material and equipment suppliers. All this according to the recently released report on the PV Materials Market by SEMI and Linx-AEI Consulting.
This underscores the need for effective industry collaboration and the absolute requirement that supply chain participants need to have a shared cost reduction strategy as the top line objective of their strategic plan still applies. This can be achieved through scaling product or process efficiency improvements. Long term technical developments are potential routes to lower costs and higher productivity. And, leveraging cost savings through standards across the global supply chain is also an essential part of industry strategy.
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Independent & Unbiased Solar Research
By Joe Berwind and Alex Papathomas
ETDEWEB Offers PV Researchers a Scientific Data Resource
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