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Worldwide installed wind power capacity and prediction 1997-2010, Source: WWEA

Investors worldwide have paid much greater attention to the renewable energy industry in recent years. In many cases, this has translated into rapid renewable energy commercialization and considerable industry expansion. The wind power industry and photovoltaics (PV) industry provide good examples of this. Leading renewable energy companies include Acciona, Enercon, Gamesa, GE Energy, Q-Cells, Sharp Solar, SunOpta, and Vestas.[1]

Overview

By mid-2007, some 140 publicly-traded renewable energy companies worldwide (or renewable energy divisions of major companies) each had a market capitalization greater than $40 million. (The number of companies in this category jumped from about 85 in mid-2006.) The estimated total market capitalization of these companies and divisions was more than $100 billion in mid-2007.[2]

During 2006/2007, several renewable energy companies went through high profile Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), resulting in market capitalization near or above $1 billion. These corporations included the solar PV companies First Solar (USA), Trina Solar (USA), Centrosolar (Germany), and Renesola (U.K.), wind power company Iberdrola (Spain), and U.S. biofuels producers VeraSun Energy, Aventine, and Pacific Ethanol.[2]

Wind power

Companies

A Vestas wind turbine
Gamesa Wind Turbine Installed at Bald Mountain in Bear Creek Township, PA
See also: List of wind turbine manufacturers

Currently three quarters of global wind turbine sales come from only four turbine manufacturing companies: Vestas, Gamesa, Enercon, and GE Energy.[3] Vestas, the market leader,[1] has installed turbines in 60 countries. It is a Danish company which employs 14,000 people globally and, in 2003, merged with the Danish wind turbine manufacturer NEG Micon.

Gamesa, founded in 1976 with headquarters in Bilbao, Spain, is currently the world's second largest wind turbine manufacturer,[1][4] after Vestas, and it is also a major builder of wind farms. Gamesa’s main markets are within Europe, the US and China. In 2006, Europe accounted for 65 percent of Gamesa’s sales, of which 40 percent were within Spain.[3]

In 2004, German company Enercon installed a total of 1288 MW of wind power and had around 16% of the global market share. Enercon constructed production facilities in Brazil in 2006, and has extended its presence there, as well as in the more traditional markets of Germany, India, Austria, UK, Canada and the Netherlands.[1]

GE Energy has installed over 5,500 wind turbines and 3,600 hydro turbines, and its installed capacity of renewable energy worldwide exceeds 160,000 MW.[5] GE Energy bought out Enron Wind in 2002 and also has nuclear energy operations in its portfolio.[6]

Acciona Energy is a leader in the renewable energy sector and the company’s mission is to "demonstrate the technical and economic viability of a sustainable energy model".[7] Acciona Energy is the largest developer, owner and operator of wind farms in the world, with 164 wind farms in nine countries representing over 4,500 MW of wind power installed or under construction.[7]

In 2007, the wind power industry saw an increase in wind manufacturing facilities in the United States, India, and China, which broadened the manufacturing base away from traditional markets in Europe. 2007 showed a boost for China and India, which export components and turbines.[2]

Photovoltaics

Companies

See also: List of photovoltaics companies

The top five global photovoltaic producers in 2006 were Sharp (Japan), Q-cells (Germany), Kyocera (Japan), Suntech (China), and Sanyo (Japan). Together, these five companies accounted for almost half of world production.[2]

Sharp Solar produces both single and multi-crystalline solar cells and for some years has been the world's leading manufacturer of photovoltaic modules. Sharp's solar modules are used for many applications, from satellites to lighthouses, and from industrial applications to residential use. Sharp Corporation began researching solar cells in 1959 with mass production first beginning in 1963. Sharp manufactures PV modules near Wrexham and production capacity amounted to 324 MW in 2004.[8][9] Today, Sharp is the world’s leading manufacturer of solar PV modules, representing more than a quarter of global solar PV output, with annual revenues of more than $1 billion from that business. Commercial projects completed through Sharp’s authorised distributor, Solarcentury, have included supplying PV panels as part of a complete solar power generation system on a new petrol station in Nottinghamshire, and a large social housing project in King’s Cross, London.[9] The company’s president, Katsuhiko Machida, predicts that the cost of generating power from photovoltaics could fall by half between 2006 and 2010.[10]

Q-Cells, the German solar cell manufacturer, went from zero manufacturing output in 2000 to being the world’s second largest manufacturer of solar cells in 2006. Q-Cells planned to manufacture about 250 MW of solar cells in 2007.[10] Q-cells is based in Thalheim, Germany, and employs more than 1,000 people.[11][12]

Kyocera has announced a plan to increase its solar cell production to 500 MW per year in 2010. 500 MW is about three times the 2007 production output, and the company will strengthen production bases in Japan, the US, Europe and China, investing a total of about ¥30 billion through to 2010.[13][14]

File:Bp-solarmodul.JPG
Solar panel made by BP Solar

BP has been involved in solar power since 1973 and its subsidiary, BP Solar, is now one of the world's largest solar power companies with production facilities in the United States, Spain, India and Australia, employing a workforce of over 2,000 people worldwide. BP solar is a major worldwide manufacturer and installer of photovoltaic solar cells.[15]

During 2007, investment in new solar PV manufacturing facilities was strong in Europe, Japan, China, Chinese Taipei, and the United States, with many new operations reported. The solar PV industry also saw a boom in silicon production facilities around the world, which was a response to silicon feedstock shortages in recent years. Solar PV manufacturers were signing long-term contracts to ensure a growing supply, and many silicon manufacturers are announcing plans to build new plants. By the end of 2007, more than 70 silicon manufacturing facilities were being constructed or planned worldwide.[16]

Concentrating solar power

Since 2004 there has been renewed interest in concentrating solar power (CSP) and three plants were completed during 2006/2007: the 64 MW Nevada Solar One, a 1 MW trough plant in Arizona, and the 11 MW PS10 solar power tower in Spain. Three 50 MW trough plants were under construction in Spain at the end of 2007 with ten additional 50 MW plants planned. In the United States, utilities in California and Florida have announced plans (or contracted for) at least eight new projects totaling more than 2,000 MW.[17]

Biofuel companies

SunOpta is located in Canada and was founded in 1973. Its operations are divided between SunOpta Food (organics), Opta Minerals, and SunOpta BioProcess (bioethanol). SunOpta's fastest growing business segment is the BioProcess Group, which is a leading developer of technology in the cellulosic ethanol market. SunOpta's BioProcess Group specializes in the design, construction and optimization of biomass conversion equipment and facilities. They have over 30 years experience delivering biomass solutions worldwide and use innovative technologies to produce cellulosic ethanol and cellulosic butanol. Raw materials include wheat straw, corn stover, grasses, oat hulls and wood chips.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Top of the list Renewable Energy World, 2 January 2006. Retrieved on 15 January 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d REN21 (2008). Renewables 2007 Global Status Report (PDF) p. 18.
  3. ^ a b Lewis, Joanna I. (2007). A Comparison of Wind Power Industry Development Strategies in Spain, India and China (PDF)
  4. ^ World Wind Energy Association (2007). Acquisition of REpower by Suzlon is important step in international cooperation Retrieved on 22 January 2008.
  5. ^ GE Energy (undated). GE Energy Retrieved on 22 January 2008.
  6. ^ Nuke Producer GE Energy Buys Solar Producer AstroPower Social Funds, 6 April 2004. Retrieved on 22 January 2008.
  7. ^ a b Waubra Wind Farm (2007). Acciona Energy Retrieved on 22 January 2008.
  8. ^ Advanced Energy solutions (undated). Sharp Solar Modules Retrieved on 22 January 2008.
  9. ^ a b Sharp (undated). Sharp Solar celebrates five years as world number one Retrieved on 22 January 2008.
  10. ^ a b Solar Energy: Scaling Up Manufacturing and Driving Down Costs (PDF) p. 35.
  11. ^ Q-Cells CEO says has ‘very positive’ 2nd quarter Kahleej Times, 27 June 2007. Retrieved on 22 January 2008.
  12. ^ Evergreen Solar and Q-Cells Announce Partnership with REC Renewable Energy Access, 29 November 2005. Retrieved on 22 January 2008.
  13. ^ Kyocera to Triple Solar Cell Production to 500 MW in FY2010 Tech News, 19 April 2007. Retrieved on 23 January 2008.
  14. ^ Solar firm to double capacity The Arizona Republic, 18 April 2007. Retrieved on 23 January 2008.
  15. ^ BP Solar (undated).Welcome to BP Solar Retrieved on 23 January 2008.
  16. ^ REN21 (2008). Renewables 2007 Global Status Report (PDF) p. 19.
  17. ^ REN21 (2008). Renewables 2007 Global Status Report (PDF) p. 12.
  18. ^ SunOpta BioProcess Inc. (undated). SunOpta Bioprocess Group Retrieved on 23 January 2008.
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