Solar Wars: The Solar Sector Is Poised For An Unprecedented Round Of M&A.
By: Ainsley Brown
With a 50% fall in prices over the past 18 months, coupled with lower subsidies coming from Europe, the global photo-voltaic (PV) sector is poised for dramatic change.
Look for a wave of mergers and acquisitions lead by either large US or Chinese firms. Most of the targets, consisting of smaller companies who can no longer produce economically at scale, will be from Europe. I also anticipate that some of the smaller European players will attempt to consolidate their operations with varying degrees of success.
One firm to watch in this sector is the UK’s Solar Press, whom if their technology pans out could, according to their own claims, further cut the cost of PV by up to 80%. Solar Press claims to have invented an “ink” technique where by quite literally the electronic materials are pressed on to panels. The ink consists of three electronic components dissolved in a solvent which after being applied to panels can be run through an oven where the solvent evaporates leaving the electronic components impressed on the panel. This creates a PV cell that according to Solar Press is more durable and cheaper than convention PV cells.
