VLSI調(diào)研公司日前公布了2008年全球十大太陽能電池設(shè)備制造商。其中，Applied Materials以4.55億美元的收入位居榜首，其獲得國際認(rèn)可的“Sunfab”模塊功不可沒。德國Roth & Rau、Centrotherm則分列二、三位，而日本公司Ulvac以1000萬美元之差位于Oerlikon之后。

VLSI分析師Andrew Thomas指出，薄膜生產(chǎn)線的增加成為了2008年的主要趨勢，而Applied、Oerlikon和Ulvac三家企業(yè)則是創(chuàng)下了訂單銷售紀(jì)錄。據(jù)VLSI研究顯示，盡管經(jīng)濟(jì)形勢不容樂觀，但2008年太陽能電池市場仍保持著強(qiáng)勁的上漲勢頭。2009年全球經(jīng)濟(jì)環(huán)境將更為嚴(yán)峻，但是政府對于進(jìn)一步擴(kuò)大可再生能源的許諾有望確保光伏市場的持續(xù)增長。

Bedford, England, February 2nd 2009:  VLSI Research Inc announces their preliminary top ten ranking of PV Cell Manufacturing equipment suppliers for 2008.
 
In a list dominated by European companies, it is a US company that takes the top spot.  Applied Materials is the number one supplier and experienced a huge jump in sales to the solar industry through a combination of acquisition and the recognition of revenues from its first “Sunfab” turnkey installations.  In second place was Roth & Rau, Germany, closely followed by Centrotherm, Germany, Oerlikon, Switzerland and Ulvac, Japan.  There is only $35M separating the second to fifth suppliers.
 
VLSI Research analyst, Andrew Thomas, commented that the key trend of 2008 was the rise of the turnkey thin film line, citing the record orders placed by customers with the big three; Applied, Oerlikon and Ulvac.  According to VLSI Research the solar cell market continued to show strong growth in 2008 across all cell technologies despite the difficult economic conditions.  Looking forward to 2009 there are some signs of cooling, which is to be expected given the global economic circumstances, but government commitments to expanding renewable energy sources are expected to ensure continued growth.