Solar Supply Chain and Industry Analysis

NREL conducts analysis of solar industry supply chains and provides quarterly updates on important developments in the industry.

These analyses draw from data collected through a combination of third-party market reports, primary interviews, and publicly available data sources.

Map graphic of Southeast Asia showing photovoltaic component manufacturing in several countries.
This analysis tracked global manufacturing capacity for silicon wafers, cells, and modules in 2018. Shown here is a subset of that data for Southeast Asia

Solar Industry Updates

NREL’s quarterly solar industry updates provide information on trends within the solar industry. These quarterly updates cover an array of photovoltaic module and system technologies as well as energy storage and concentrating solar power.

The quarterly solar industry updates often cover:

  • Global and U.S. supply and demand
  • Module and system selling prices
  • Finance
  • Investment trends and business models
  • Updates on related government programs and policies.

Solar Supply Chain Analyses

NREL conducts detailed supply chain analysis for specific photovoltaic module technologies. These analyses include production locations, supply chain risk and costs, and material availability. 

Featured Publications

An Updated Life Cycle Assessment of Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Systems Installed in the United States, NREL Technical Report (2024)

Energy and Carbon Payback Times for Modern U.S. Utility Photovoltaic Systems, NREL Fact Sheet (2024)

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Manufacturing Expansions in the United States, 2017–2019: Motives, Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Context, NREL Technical Report (2021)

Terawatt-Scale Photovoltaics: Transform Global Energy, Science (2019)

Expanding the Photovoltaic Supply Chain in the United States: Opportunities and Challenges, NREL Technical Report (2019)

Find more solar manufacturing cost analysis publications.

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