The PV Market Alliance foresees a rather stable global PV market in 2017 and 2018.

After having properly foreseen the 2015 and 2016 PV markets, with respectively 51 and 76 GW installed, the PV Market Alliance expects a slightly growing global PV market (China not included) around 45 GW in 2017 and 2018, compared to 40 GW in 2016 and 35 GW in 2015.

China will hold the key of the final market numbers with 2017 establishing reasonably around 75 GW and possibly above 80 GW. A significant but expected decline of the Chinese PV market in 2018 would lead to a market contraction, but most probably still in the 70 GW range.

While the global PV market could anyway go below 70 GW or above 80 GW in 2017, such an evolution remains less probable due to the current developments in India, US, Europe and Japan. In 2018, under the current policies and market dynamics, the market could stabilize. However, new policies could accelerate market development in emerging countries and revitalize the European PV markets.

Under a stable global market, the PV industry could suffer from durably low prices and endanger the financial stability of many actors. This will accentuate the pressure to open new markets and consolidate existing ones.