Compared to the "somewhat limited" market potential for rooftop solar, the largest US-based PV manufacturer views the emerging market for community projects as "infinitely scaleable", says Eran Mahrer, its senior director for utilities.
First Solar, the biggest Western solar manufacturer, and among the world's largest developers of utility-scale projects, remains stuck on the sidelines of the fast-growing US rooftop sector.
While First Solar's cadmium telluride thin-film modules are extremely competitive in the utility-scale sector, where space is less of an issue, their lower conversion efficiency compared with the crystalline silicon modules made by rivals such as SunPower and Trina means they are uncompetitive in many rooftop settings, where space is often constrained.
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