Diminishing Incentives Cast Shadow on European Solar Markets, Says Frost & Sullivan

Diminishing Incentives Cast Shadow on European Solar Markets, Says Frost & Sullivan PR Newswire LONDON, Oct. 24, 2012 - Maturing solar photovoltaic market still offers pockets of opportunity LONDON, Oct. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The European photovoltaic (PV) solar market is undergoing a transition as the era of generous subsidies comes to an end. System prices continue to plummet as Chinese manufacturers exert pricing pressure on their European counterparts, forcing inefficient companies to exit the market as evidenced by a number of top players being forced to close their factory gates at the end of 2011- beginning of 2012. In the concentrated solar power (CSP) market, technology developers continue to innovate and focus on reducing the cost of energy. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.energy.frost.com), European Solar Power Markets, estimates that overall revenues in 2015 will shrink to €6.57 billion, with the European CSP market set to expand from €2,114 million to €5,227 million over 2010-2015. "Overcapacity and plunging solar panel raw material and component prices are driving solar module costs and prices down, thus making the investment more attractive to buyers," noted recent research from Frost & Sullivan. "In order to counter the effect of diminishing incentives and stimulate demand, manufacturers along the value chain are expected to continue lowering solar module prices even further.