GreenTech Media’s new report, Top 15 Global Utility Solar PV Developers, assesses the global utility-scale developer landscape, highlighting the top 15 global developers currently active in the market. And the report shows that a number of large developers have gone on to diversify to assure their dominance.
GTM Research defines the term “global developer” in its report as “a developer that is active in one or more countries.” And GTM notes there are a number of developers in single markets, mainly in China, India and the U.S. that have developed more capacity than some of the companies in the report’s list.
The top company by installed capacity is based in the Chinese market, with GCL New Energy, China’s largest non-state owned IPP taking the lead with over 5.0 gigawatts deployed and a further 7.0 gigawatts in the development pipeline.
However, following close behind China are companies primarily active in the U.S. market, including U.S. vertically-integrated First Solar, with a total operational and development portfolio of almost 10 gigawatts, followed by Canadian Solar with 8.0 gigawatts.
Coming in at the number four spot is French oil giant Total, which owns SunPower and Eren, while SunEdison filled the fifth spot on the list.
Report published before final Section 201 ruling
Because the GTM Research report came out before the final ruling on the section 201 tariffs imposed by President Trump, it is uncertain how the rankings may change due to the tariffs. The ruling won’t pose any challenges to First Solar because it is an U.S. company.
Tempe, Arizona-based First Solar, Inc. is an American photovoltaic manufacturer of rigid thin film modules or solar panels, and a provider of utility-scale PV power plants and supporting services that include finance,
Guelph, Ontario, Canada-based Canadian Solar Inc. is a publicly traded company that manufactures solar PV modules and provides turn-key solar energy solutions. Their solar modules will be subject to the 30 percent tariff, regardless of if they are made in Canada or China.
French-owned SunPower is reporting that it has stored 3 1/2 to 6 months of tariff-free modules for its distributed solar business, but its ability to supply utility-scale projects is still uncertain. And according to PV Magazine, there is the possibility that Canadian and SunPower will look to other markets because of the American tariffs.
And this highlights a key finding in the GTM report – The growth of solar markets in Latin America, India, and other developing nations, and this could reshape the whole solar development landscape.
