616-786-2500 International Solar Companies
Whittaker Associates is offering 10 copies of the international and U.S. solar companies lists to its clients and friends. These lists can be purchased individually or together for a discounted price.
About the list
A total of 125 companies are included in this list and represent 22 different countries around the globe. China, with 54 companies, has the highest representation in the list followed by Germany(19) and India(15).
The list below shows the countries represented in the list:
| Number of Companies | Countries |
| 54 | China |
| 19 | Germany |
| 15 | India |
| 6 | Spain, Taiwan |
| 4 | Italy |
| 2 | France, Greece, Japan, Sweden, UK |
| 1 | Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Hong Kong, South Korea, Slovenia, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine |
Each of the companies in the list have a minimum of 50 employees or $10 million of sales. Our focus for this list was PV modules and solar cell manufacturers and R&D firms. An average company in this list will have sales of around $90 million and 400 employees.*
The chart below shows the distribution of the companies by employment size:
Source: Whittaker Associates, Inc. – International Solar Companies
The list was compiled by reviewing various trade journals to identify the top players in the international market. We reviewed the company’s website, press releases and news events to determine whether the company is, in fact, in the manufacturing business.
Other key facts about the international solar manufacturers list:
- The list only includes companies that DO NOT yet have a manufacturing presence in the U.S.
- Some companies have sales offices in the U.S., which we view as a positive sign since these companies are more likely to want a manufacturing presence in the country.
- We only chose companies that offer their websites in English as that is a sign that the company wants to cater to the English speaking audience (for some companies, the home page opens in its native language and users have to select the English within the language options).
* As financial information is hard to verify for international companies, we have relied on numbers given by an industry association website updated in late 2009 and business research database, Hoover’s, Inc.
If you wish to pay by check or have any further questions about the list, please contact Jami Miedema at Whittaker Associates, Inc.
Why Solar?
The solar industry in the U.S. has become one of the strongest job creators in the country. With over 17,000 direct jobs added in 2009, and a further 14,000 estimated to be added in 2010, it is one of the few industries to grow during the great recession of 2008-2009.
According to Solar Energy Industry Association, at year-end 2009, the U.S. had 2,108 megawatts (MW) of installed solar electric capacity. This included about 1,676 MW of photovoltaics (PV), 432 MW of utility-scale concentrating solar power, and at least 24,000 MWTh (megawatts thermal equivalent) of solar water heating, cooling, and solar pool heating systems. Installations have been on the rise since 2005 when the solar industry took off in the country. The chart below shows the growth of the solar electric installations in the U.S.
Source: SEIA, US Solar Industry Year in Review 2009 – Supplemental charts
Why International Companies?
Though the United States was one of the earliest innovators in the industry, the U.S. lost its leadership to Germany and Japan as these countries increased both their R&D expenditures and promoted installations by providing subsidies at the household and industrial levels.
Growth of the industry, especially in Europe, was primarily led by government backed incentives, or feed-in tariff. However, as the industry matures in the continent, many countries have reduced these incentives. Spain, for example, reduced its feed-in tariff resulting in a dramatic decrease of new installations from 2,710 MW in 2008 to just 180 MW in 2009. Germany, which installed a record 3,800 MW in capacity in 2009, also announced 15 percent reduction in subsidies in January 2010. Utilities currently pay about 39 euro cents in feed-in tariffs per kilowatt for solar power in Germany, about eight times as much they pay for conventional power, and industry experts expect the planned cut to speed the shakeup in the industry.
As Europe decreases its incentives, the current U.S. administration has been increasing incentives for the solar industry. The U.S. federal government has provided funding of $3.1 billion to the states, as part of its economic stimulus package, to encourage PV installations and expand solar PV support programs. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 also extended the Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit of 30% for systems placed in service before December 31, 2016; the previous tax credit cap of $2,000 no longer applies.
Following countries like Germany and Spain, California signed into law a European-style above-market tariff system for small solar-panel generators in October 2009. Though the feed-in tariff of around 15 to 17 cents a Kilowatt-hour is much lower than its European counterparts, it could help the state achieve its Renewable Portfolio Standard of 33% by 2020. As of June 2010, 29 States and the District of Columbia have some form of Renewable Portfolio Standards, with Nevada, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, and New York imposing a minimum solar requirement (Download this Attachment for more details).
Another leading factor that is helping international solar companies to set up manufacturing facilities in the U.S. is the strong federal, state, and local tax credits provided to manufacturers. According to SEIA, over $1.156 billion in credits have been awarded for solar project in the U.S. SEIA recorded 61 new and upgraded facilities receiving such tax credits across 21 states. These projects have lead to investments worth $3.8 billion in the country. The map below shows the location of such solar projects across the country and the incentives given by each state.
Source: SEIA, US Solar Industry Year in Review 2009 – Supplemental charts
Also read our recent blog post by Vidhan Rana about activity of international solar companies in the United States for details. For information regarding site selection factors for the solar and wind industry, read our recent blog posting by Jami Miedema.
