Trina claims top spot as world’s leading solar module producer

Trina Solar Limited has pipped fellow Chinese solar manufacturing giant Yingli Green Energy for the position of world number one producer of crystalline modules in 2014, new data has revealed.

Research and consulting firm GlobalData said on Thursday that the Changzhou-based Trina Solar had assumed top spot among world PV makers in 2014, with a 7.9 per cent share of global production, ending Yingli’s two-year reign.

According to GlobalData, Trina produced an estimated 3.5GW of crystalline PV modules last year, out of a global total of 44GW. The global total, meanwhile, grew at a rate of 33.3 per cent (per annum), up from 33GW in 2013.

Sameer Joshi, Director of Research and Analysis for Power and Alternative Energy at GlobalData, said Trina’s production total bested Yingli’s by around 150MW in 2014, despite Yingli’s increase in production.

“JinkoSolar Holding (JinkoSolar) jumped up two positions from fifth in 2013 to third in 2014, as its market share increased from 5.2-7.3 per cent,” Joshi said.

“JinkoSolar replaced Sharp Corporation (Sharp), which fell from the third-ranking company to the sixth due to a decrease in sales.”

Canadian Solar. retains fourth position, Joshi said, with a 5.6 per cent share in 2014, while JA Solar became the only new entrant into the top five manufacturers in terms of module production.

According to GlobalData, the world’s top five manufacturers, alone, accounted for more than one-third of overall production, which is in keeping with 2013 estimates. Yingli and Sharp were the only two companies to go down in 2014 rankings.