Thin Film Solar Cell Market Report 2025

The thin film solar cell market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $14.44 billion in 2024 to $15.73 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to government incentives and subsidies, reduced material costs, increased focus on sustainability, scalability and flexibility, improved manufacturing processes, global energy demand.

The thin film solar cell market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $22.28 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to market competitiveness, evolving consumer preferences, energy storage integration, increasing adoption in emerging markets, advancements in materials science, enhanced performance in low-light conditions, strategic investments in manufacturing capacity. Major trends in the forecast period include technological advancements and efficiency improvements, tandem and multijunction thin film solar cells, increased adoption in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), cadmium-free thin film technologies, rural electrification and off-grid applications, focus on recycling and sustainability.

The growth of the thin film solar cell market is expected to be propelled by the increasing demand for electricity in remote areas. Electricity demand, representing the rate at which a home or business consumes electricity, is on the rise, particularly in remote areas. Thin-film solar panels play a pivotal role in meeting this demand by converting solar energy into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect. These solar cells find applications in powering various infrastructure in remote locations, including pumps, traffic lights, and street lights. As an example, a research report by the Energy for Sustainable Development in February 2022 highlights a 38% annual increase in electrified zones in Nepal's rural areas. Additionally, projections indicate that electricity demand in the West African region is expected to increase fivefold by 2030. The surge in electricity demand in remote areas is a significant driver fostering the growth of the thin film solar cell market.

The growing demand for renewable energy sources is another factor expected to drive the expansion of the thin film solar cell market. Renewable energy sources, characterized by their sustainability and environmental friendliness, are becoming increasingly popular alternatives to traditional fossil fuels. Thin film solar cells harness renewable energy sources to capture sunlight through semiconductor layers, generating electricity without depleting finite resources. Notably, the Energy Information Administration reported a 13.2-quadrillion-British-thermal-units increase in renewable energy consumption in the United States in 2022 compared to 2021. This growing demand for renewable energy sources contributes to the overall growth of the thin film solar cell market.

Strategic partnerships are emerging as a significant trend in the thin film solar cell market. Leading companies in this sector are actively seeking collaborations to bolster their market presence. For example, in April 2024, Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW), a German research institute focused on renewable energy and hydrogen technologies, announced a strategic research partnership with First Solar, Inc. This collaboration aims to advance thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technology by enhancing performance and exploring the development and optimization of all-thin-film tandem technologies at a gigawatt scale. First Solar, Inc., a US-based solar technology company, is recognized as a global leader in the production of environmentally friendly and sustainably manufactured solar modules.

Major companies in the thin film solar cell market are concentrating on innovative products, such as silicon-based heterojunction (HJT) solar cells, to gain a competitive advantage. HJT solar cells are photovoltaic devices that incorporate various semiconductor materials with different bandgaps to boost efficiency. For example, in June 2023, Anhui Huasun Energy Co., Ltd., a solar company based in China, introduced N-type silicon-based heterojunction (HJT) solar cells. These cells represent a type of photovoltaic technology that merges two technologies into a single cell: a crystalline silicon cell situated between two layers of amorphous thin-film silicon. N-type silicon-based heterojunction (HJT) solar cells feature an emitter and back surface field (BSF) created through the low-temperature growth of ultra-thin layers of amorphous silicon (a-Si) on both sides of meticulously cleaned monocrystalline silicon wafers. Additionally, they utilize bifacial microcrystalline technology to enhance efficiency.

In May 2023, First Solar, Inc., a US-based company specializing in thin film photovoltaics (PV), acquired Evolar AB for approximately $38 million. The agreement also includes the potential for an additional $42 million, contingent upon meeting specific technical milestones. This acquisition enhances First Solar's position in advanced PV technologies, focusing on expanding its capabilities in thin film solar innovation. The transaction is anticipated to affect 2023 operating expenses by $2-4 million, excluding the impact of purchase price accounting. Evolar AB is a Sweden-based company that specializes in perovskite solar cell technology.

Major companies operating in the thin film solar cell market are Ascent Solar Technologies Inc., Filsom AG, First Solar Inc., Hanergy Mobile Energy Group Ltd., Miasole Hi-Tech Corp., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Shunfeng International Clean Energy Limited, Solar Frontier K.K., NanoPV Solar Inc., Oxford Photovoltaics Ltd., Global Solar Inc., Solara GmbH, Toledo Solar Inc., Flisom Ltd., ENN Energy Holdings Ltd., Sharp Corp., Kaneka Corp., NexPower Technology Corp., Greatcell Solar Ltd., Exeger Operations AB, Fujikura Europe Ltd., G24 Power Ltd., Heliatek GmbH, Hanwha Qcells Co. Ltd., AVANCIS GmbH, Solbian Energie Alternative Srl, JA Solar Technology Co. Ltd.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the thin film solar cell market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the thin film solar cell market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the thin film solar cell market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

A thin film solar cell is a device that effectively converts light energy into electrical energy by utilizing micron-thin layers of photon-absorbing materials on a flexible substrate. These solar cells are ideally suited for solar farms and are commonly used to power traffic signals and streetlights.

Various types of thin film solar cells exist, including cadmium telluride, amorphous thin-film silicon, copper indium gallium selenide, microcrystalline tandem cells, thin-film polycrystalline silicon, among others. Cadmium telluride-based solar cells use thin layers of cadmium telluride as a semiconductor to convert absorbed sunlight into electricity. These technologies operate either on-grid or off-grid and find applications in residential, commercial, and utility sectors.

The thin film solar cell market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides thin film solar cell market statistics, including thin film solar cell industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with thin film solar cell market share, detailed thin film solar cell market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the thin film solar cell industry. This thin film solar cell market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

The thin film solar cell market consists of sales of n-type silicon, p-type silicon, glass, polyimide, photon materials, metal. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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