China-based Suntech Power has become the world's third largest solar cell supplier following Japan-based Sharp and Germany-based Q-Cells, according a Suntech executive.

Suntech's solar cell shipments totaled 150MW in 2006, and total output for 2007 is expected at 270-280MW, Steven Chan, vice president of business development at Suntech.

Chan said the company's annual capacity reached 300MW in 2006, behind Sharp's 600MW and Q-Cells' 336MW. Suntech plans to increase its capacity to 1,000MW by 2010, the Suntech executive said.

Chan said currently 85% of Suntech's clients come from Germany, Spain, the US, and China. But he predicts that demand in China will not grow as fast as in the other countries.

In 2006, Suntech acquired Japan's photovoltaic module maker MSK. Suntech is currently developing thin-film solar cells, and it expects output of these to reach 40MW by 2008, Chan said. Suntech will also step up efforts developing the building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) market, he added

Source:佚名