Why is the upstream chain important in photovoltaic industry?

It was found that the upstream chain involves specific knowledge and high technological capacity, creating greater added value and obtaining the highest profits within the global photovoltaic industry.

What is the upstream sector of a photovoltaic cell?

As can be seen in Table 2, the upstream sector includes the initial stages for the formation of the photovoltaic cell, such as silica extraction, production of solar grade silicon, silicon ingot, and silicon wafer.

What is the main value chain of distributed photovoltaic energy?

According to Haley and Schuler, 2011, Hu and Yeh, 2013, Liu and Lin, 2019, Su, 2013, Zhang and Gallagher, 2016, the activities of the main value chain of distributed generation of photovoltaic energy are divided into upstream, midstream, and downstream.

What is the difference between a midstream and a downstream sector?

The midstream sector, on the other hand, has lower entry barriers, high competition, and low added value, reaching the lowest profits in the value chain. Meanwhile, the downstream sector requires incremental adaptations of solutions to new technological opportunities in global markets.

Why are photovoltaic installations growing?

Photovoltaic installations have experienced explosive growth globally following the increasing attention of industry and policy on climate change mitigation, the decarbonization and diversification of the energy sector, and energy security.

How does photovoltaic diffusion affect solar energy generation?

Photovoltaic diffusion is influenced by the cost of other energy sources in different countries and regions. If the cost of other energy sources is higher and the costs of installing photovoltaic systems are lower, people are more likely to adopt solar energy generation (Karakaya and Sriwannawit, 2015).