What is the solar photovoltaics supply chain review?

The Solar Photovoltaics Supply Chain Review explores the global solar photovoltaics (PV) supply chain and opportunities for developing U.S. manufacturing capacity.

What is solar photovoltaics?

Solar photovoltaics (PV) is now recognised as offering the lowest cost of electricity in history, consistently cheaper than new coal-fired or gas-fired power plants in most countries , .

Is a domestic manufacturing base in solar PV a good investment?

A domestic manufacturing base in solar PV may provide other benefits besides direct employment worthy of future study. Our model does not incorporate any spillover benefits to adjacent industries, such as semiconductors and electronics.

Does a globalized solar photovoltaic module supply chain save money?

Modelling shows that a globalized solar photovoltaic module supply chain has resulted in photovoltaic installation cost savings of billions of dollars.

Are solar PV prices going down?

Nonetheless, rapid price declines in solar PV have not been without controversy. China, for example, has played an outsized role in scaling up the mass production of solar PV cells and modules, comprising 78% of global production in 2021 9, 10 (Fig. 1).

What is the supply chain for solar PV?

The supply chain for solar PV has two branches in the United States: crystalline silicon (c-Si) PV, which made up 84% of the U.S. market in 2020, and cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin film PV, which made up the remaining 16%. The supply chain for c-Si PV starts with the refining of high-purity polysilicon.