The Japan government will reportedly hike energy efficiency standards for imported PV modules in 2013 from 250W currently to 255-260W for a module made of 60 monocrystalline silicon solar cells and from 235-240W to 245W for one made of 60 polycrystalline solar cells, according to Taiwan-based makers.
As the Japan government began to offer a feed-in tariff rate of JPY42 (US$0.53)/kWh for electricity generated by PV systems in July 2012, Japan has become a target market for Taiwan- and China-based solar cell or PV module makers because production costs in Japan are significantly higher, the sources pointed out.
The hike in energy efficiency standards for PV modules is equivalent to an increase in energy conversion rate for monocrystalline silicon solar cells from 18.2% currently to 18.8%, and that for polycrystalline ones from 16.8-17.1% to 17.4%, the sources indicated.
The hike is expected to pose challenges for Taiwan- and China-based makers because costs incurred in improving energy conversion rates are likely to be much higher than the lost business opportunities due to being unable to meet the requirements, the sources indicated. Especially since Japan-based vendors have increasingly asked Taiwan- and China-based makers to lower quotes as international prices for PV products are on the decline, the sources pointed out.
