n-tech Research Issues New Report on BIPV Glass Market, Firm Forecasts Market Rising to $3.5 billion by 2020

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Nov 30, 2015, 10:17 ET

GLEN ALLEN, Va., Nov. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In a newly issued report, n-tech Research projects that the market for BIPV glass at just over $1 billion today will grow to $3.5 billion by 2020 and $6.3 billion by 2022. Details of the new report, "BIPV Glass Markets 2015-2022" are available at: http://ntechresearch.com/market_reports/bipv-glass-markets-2015-2022

About the Report:

In our view, BIPV overall is in a transition and must refine its messaging to an end-user base with shifting priorities. More than ever these products need to be sold, and technologically developed, with an emphasis on aesthetics and what can be called "smart" capabilities, creating more dimensions along which to compete such as color, transparency, and substrate conformability.

Where we envision the next stage of "true" BIPV, and sooner rather than later, is in BIPV glass with truly multifunctional and monolithically integrated products. This future will rely heavily on thin-film, OPV, and DSC technologies with the promise of lower-cost fabrication to reduce overall costs. We also anticipate a reshaping of manufacturing strategies and supply chains to develop and deliver these products, building on partnerships already been forged between alternative PV materials companies and big glass companies.

This report presents the latest trends in BIPV glass, analyzing the evolution of the technology and markets over the next eight years. We discuss the different types of BIPV glass technology, and the latest developments in PV technologies, substrates, and encapsulation. We also examine the strategies of the major BIPV glass companies and their key BIPV partners, and provide some thoughts as to potential changes in supply chains to improve odds of success.

Companies discussed in this report include: Asahi Glass, Belectric, BGT, Dyesol, Exeger, Glass2energy, Hanergy, Heliatek, IQ Glass, Issol, Prism Solar, Sunpreme, Lumos, Manz, Mitsubishi,NSG/Pilkington, Onyx Solar, Oxford PV, PolySolar, Romag, Solar Frontier, Solaria, Strathcona Energy, SwissInso, TULiPPs and others.

Highlights from the Report:

The presence and influence of large glass companies (AGC, NSG/Pilkington, and BGT as examples) will only intensify, through aforementioned partnerships with PV companies as well as with building product firms and installers. While we hear conflicting reports about whether they are still skittish since the broader PV industry upheaval, our impression is that they do seem directly committed—though they may view "true" BIPV revenue opportunities as quite smaller and on a longer timeline than others believe.
A central question for BIPV glass is whether key PV vendors (notably Heliatek in OPV, and Dyesol and Oxford in DSC) stay on target with planned production volumes around 2017-2018. There is much ado over the new wonder-material perovskite, but the storyline is the same: whether it too can achieve volume scales and deliver products to the market in a reasonable timeframe.
We think selling BIPV glass as part of a "green" theme is broadly losing steam with increased scrutiny of regional and national PV policies. That said, two specific areas seem to be robust: zero-energy buildings, and highly urban areas. We see revenues for BIPV glass in zero-energy buildings surging past $800 million in 2018 and more than $2.5 billion by 2022.
n-tech expects BIPV glass will unlock residential building demand in a more medium-term timeframe, approaching $200 million by 2018 and surpassing $1.3 billion by 2022.

About n-tech Research:

n-tech Research is the leading provider of market research and industry analysis for the advanced materials sector, with a special focus on the latest functional and smart materials. Visit http://www.ntechresearch.net for a full listing of the firm's services.

SOURCE n-tech Research