Overall demand for solar energy products in China is forecast to increase 16.6% per year to around US$ 7.4BN by 2013, according to Solar Energy Products in China, a new study from the Beijing office of The Freedonia Group. Demand for PV modules in China is projected to reach 855 peak megawatts by 2013, up from 65 peak megawatts in 2008. Although it accounts for a small portion of solar energy product spending in 2008, demand for PV modules is expected to take off during the forecast period. Crystalline silicon modules will account for 78% of PV module demand in 2013. However, demand for thin-film modules will see more rapid gains, benefitting from increasing penetration of the technology due, in large part, to low manufacturing costs compared with crystalline silicon modules.
