# Solar Executives Talk Decreasing Photovoltaics Production Costs

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2014/03/pv-technology-challenges-in-a-dominant-market/
- Published: 2014-03-28T22:59:51-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

[⌊20140328-185556.jpg⌉⌊20140328-185556.jpg⌉[

## PV Technology Drops in Prices

The dramatic decreases in costs and increases in performance of standard solar modules
have contributed to the accelerated implementation of solar. However, they also 
pose a challenge to new technologies trying to break into the industry. Dr. Wolfgang
Herbst, executive director of Viridis.iQ, GmbH, Germany, discussed this in the “
Future of PV: A Technology and Market Outlook” session.

The standard [solar module now dominates the market](https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/12/india-solar-market-strategy-players-and-opportunities-2/)
with 85 percent of market share, he said. [Companies pursuing new technologies](https://greenlivingguy.com/2012/01/green-lighting-company-switch-unveils-led-technology/)
need to be wary of the risks and difficulties of going up against the established
norm. This is especially important given the high volume, low cost [environment that is typical of the industry](https://greenlivingguy.com/2016/08/industrial-agriculture-farm-impact-on-the-environment/)
today, he said.

He counseled companies pursuing new PV technologies to mitigate risk by 1.) making
sure not to underestimate the power of the competition in the form of standard PV
[technologies that are undergoing continuous improvement](https://greenlivingguy.com/2016/09/green-industry-technology-improving-our-world/).
Furthermore, his advice included 2.) taking advantage of available economies of 
scale offered by machines and materials that are established in the PV and other
industries. “The starting point is quite challenging,” he said.

> Dr. Herbst’s remarks were echoed by those of Dr. Ralf Preu, who is department 
> head of PV production and quality assurance at the Fraunhofer Institute for [Solar Energy Systems](https://greenlivingguy.com/2014/02/ikea-increases-solar-system-energy-by-more-than-50-atop-stoughton-ma-store/)(
> ISE), who urged an “evolutionary” approach to improving crystalline silicon photovoltaics.“
> Silicon has enormous [potential for further cost](https://greenlivingguy.com/2020/09/the-potential-cost-of-falling-behind-on-energy-related-data-analytics/)
> reductions,” he said.

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11.07.2013

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
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