U.S. Companies Expand Photovoltaic Manufacturing

In 2006, shipments of photovoltaic cells and systems from the U.S. totaled 337 MW (206 MW were domestic shipments), according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). At the same time, imports of photovoltaic cells and systems are growing rapidly, from 91 MW in 2005 to 174 MW in 2006, according to EIA.

The new factories would add 135 MW of capacity by 2009, when the Schott plant is expected to come on line, significantly increasing the national capacity. Jennifer Pecha, marketing and communications manager for Schott, thinks that demand is growing: “The market is ripe for explosive growth,” she told