Opportunities

As PV solar companies struggle to survive, some thin-film solar power producers have been making moves to speed up their development.

Thin-film solar cells, which have a 20 percent market share globally, are a less efficient photovoltaic technology than the widely used silicon panels which are the products that aroused the US and European probes into anti-dumping and anti-subsidies involving Chinese products.

First Solar Inc, a US-listed clean energy developer that specializes in thin-film technology, said in early December that it will cooperate with Chinese company Zhenfa New Energy Science and Technology Co to supply two megawatt thin-film solar modules for Zhenfa's solar projects.

The solar projects owned by Zhenfa have been approved and are located in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Just a week before the US company's announcement, Chinese private power generator Hanergy Holding Group Ltd announced it had become the world's largest maker of thin-film solar modules, replacing First Solar, with an annual capacity of up to 3 gigawatts.

Hanergy has invested around 27 billion yuan ($4.3 billion) in its thin-film research and development and production bases so far, according to the company.

Although both the domestic and foreign companies are eyeing China's thin-film solar market, experts say its future is uncertain.

"The market share of thin-film solar cells has been falling over the past few years globally because the price of polysilicon has dropped dramatically," said Meng from the China Renewable Energy Society. "Compared with the polysilicon-made PV solar panels, the thin-film solar cell's energy efficiency and lifetime both have much room to improve."

Contact the writer at dujuan@chinadaily.com.cn