Tin Markets for Photovoltaics

Tin is a vital component of the transparent conductive electrodes in thin-film PV (TFPV) cells, but its use is often overshadowed by that of indium, which is much more costly. Tin is used along with indium in indium tin oxide (ITO) and also without indium as tin oxide, which is frequently doped with other materials. ITO has been falling out of favor for TFPV electrodes over the past decade but still accounts for roughly one-third of the market. Tin oxide is one of two major alternative TCOs gaining market share for TFPV electrodes (the other being zinc oxide, similarly doped with other materials). Tin oxide's growing penetration within the TFPV market is mainly due to two factors: a trend of substitution for ITO in amorphous silicon (a-Si) PV and the growth of CdTe PV, which almost universally uses tin oxide.

Growth in the TFPV industry will boost PV-related demand for ITO and tin oxide. However, the high cost of ITO and the high-temperature deposition conditions required for tin oxide will have implications for the long-term growth of these materials in the PV industry, and these implications are discussed in the report. The focus of the report is on the tin used within PV materials. The report begins with a review of the state of the PV industry and then analyzes tin's roles in each of the PV segments. Finally, the report quantifies the opportunities for tin in the PV space through an eight-year forecast.

Report Highlights
The focus of the report is on the tin used within PV materials. The report begins with a review of the state of the PV industry and then analyzes tin's roles in each of the PV segments. Finally, the report quantifies the opportunities for tin in the PV space through an eight-year forecast.
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Executive Summary

E.1 Overview of Tin Use in PV Manufacturing
E.2 Key Developments and Trends in the Use of Tin-Containing Materials in PV Manufacturing
E.3 Opportunities for Mining, Refining, and Distribution Firms
E.4 Opportunities for Tin-Based Materials Firms
E.5 Opportunities for PV Manufacturers
E.6 Summary of Eight-Year Forecasts
Chapter One: Introduction

1.1 Background to this Report
1.1.1 TCOs in PV: Market Evolution
1.1.2 ITO and Its Tin Component
1.1.3 Tin Oxide
1.2 Objectives and Scope of this Report
1.3 Methodology of this Report
1.4 Plan of this Report
Chapter Two: Photovoltaic Markets and Technology

2.1 Introduction: PV Markets Overview
2.2 Photovoltaic Markets and Technologies
2.2.1 Crystalline Silicon PV
2.2.2 Thin-Film Silicon PV
2.2.3 CdTe PV
2.2.4 CIGS PV
2.2.5 Organic and DSC PV
2.2.6 Other PV
2.3 Specialty Metal Usage within PV Technology
2.4 Key Points Made in this Chapter
Chapter Three: Markets and Opportunities for Tin in Photovoltaics

3.1 Introduction: Overview of Tin's Role in Photovoltaic Technology and Markets
3.2 ITO's "Other" Part: Tin's Place in a Material Market Dominated by Indium
3.2.1 Intermediate Forms of ITO
3.2.2 Sputtering and Other Vacuum Deposition Materials and Methods for ITO
3.2.3 Printing of ITO
3.2.4 Other Deposition Materials and Methods for ITO
3.3 Tin Oxide as a Transparent Conductor for PV
3.3.1 Deposition Methods for Tin Oxide
3.4 Alternatives to Tin Oxide and ITO for PV Applications
3.4.1 Zinc Oxide
3.4.2 Non-TCO Transparent Conductors
3.5 Technology-Specific Aspects of ITO and Tin Oxide Consumption for PV
3.5.1 Thin-Film Silicon PV: A Split Market for TCOs
3.5.2 CdTe PV: Tin Oxide Dominates
3.5.3 CIGS PV: Zinc Oxide and Some ITO
3.5.4 OPV/DSC: ITO, Then Anything Else
3.6 Other Developments in Tin Use for PV
3.7 Impact of Broader Tin Markets on Tin for Photovoltaics
3.7.1 Tin Commodities Pricing
3.7.2 Tin Production and Recycling
3.8 Safety, Health, and Environmental Concerns with Tin Production and Use
3.9 Key Points Made in this Chapter
Chapter Four: Eight-Year Forecasts of Tin in Photovoltaics

4.1 Forecasting Methodology
4.1.1 Data Sources
4.1.2 Some Notes About the Downturn
4.1.3 Scope of Forecast
4.1.4 Alternative Scenarios and Other Factors Taken into Consideration
4.1.5 Some Notes on Pricing
4.2 Forecasts of Tin Consumption in PV by PV Technology
4.2.1 Tin Consumption by Crystalline Silicon PV
4.2.2 Tin Consumption by Thin-Film Silicon PV
4.2.3 Tin Consumption by Cadmium Telluride PV
4.2.4 Tin Consumption by CIGS PV
4.2.5 Tin Consumption by OPV/DSC
4.2.6 Tin Consumption by Other PV
4.3 Forecasts of Tin Consumption in PV by Tin Material Type
Acronyms and Abbreviations Used In this Report
About the Author
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Exhibit E-1: Value of Tin Consumed for the PV Industry by Tin Material Type ($ Millions)
Exhibit E-2: Value of Tin Consumed for the PV Industry by PV Technology ($ Millions)
Exhibit 2-1: Eight-Year Forecasts of PV Production
Exhibit 2-2: Eight-Year Forecasts of c-Si PV Production
Exhibit 2-3: Eight-Year Forecasts of Thin-Film Silicon PV Production
Exhibit 2-4: Eight-Year Forecasts of CdTe PV Production
Exhibit 2-5: Eight-Year Forecasts of CIGS PV Production
Exhibit 2-6: Eight-Year Forecasts of Organic and DSC PV Production
Exhibit 2-7: Eight-Year Forecasts of Other PV Production
Exhibit 2-8: Major Specialty Metals Use in PV Technologies
Exhibit 3-1: Tin Price and Production Trends (Values in Metric Tons Unless Noted)
Exhibit 4-1: Alternative Scenarios for the Evolution of Thin-Film Photovoltaics
Exhibit 4-2: Prices of Selected Basic Tin Products
Exhibit 4-3: Prices of Selected Tin Oxide and Tin Oxide Precursor Materials
Exhibit 4-4: Tin Consumption by PV Technology
Exhibit 4-5: Tin Use in c-Si PV Cells
Exhibit 4-6: Tin Use in TF Si PV Cells
Exhibit 4-7: Tin Use in CdTe PV Cells
Exhibit 4-8: Tin Use in CIGS PV Cells
Exhibit 4-9: Tin Use in OPV/DSC Cells
Exhibit 4-10: Tin Use in Other PV Cells
Exhibit 4-11: Tin Consumption in PV by Tin Material Type (Metric Tons Tin)
Exhibit 4-12: Value of Tin Consumed by PV by Tin Material Type ($ Millions)
see List of Tables
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