Solar photovoltaic (PV) demand during 2H’12 will see increasing contributions from emerging markets in North America and Asia Pacific, with 60% of PV demand coming from these non-European regions according to new research featured in the NPD Solarbuzz PV Market Quarterly reports.

This represents an important change for the PV industry, indicative of longer-term trends in which the share of global PV demand stimulated by European countries will decline. While 50% of global demand during 2H’11 came from Germany and Italy, 54% of demand in the final quarter of 2012 is forecast to come from China, India, Japan and the US.

According to Wolfgang Schlichting, Research Director for downstream PV markets at NPD Solarbuzz, “The expansion in global PV end-markets during 2H’12 requires new sales and marketing approaches to exploit the significant revenue opportunities in North America and Asia Pacific. Understanding the changing PV landscape across utility, ground-mount and leasing projects forces a shift in corporate strategies to more diversified downstream business operations.”

Growth in Utility, Ground-Mount and Leasing Projects

During 2H’12, utility-scale projects will accelerate PV growth across North America and Asia Pacific, representing 57% of demand in those regions. To realize projects on-time and within budget, the role of project developers will become increasingly important, especially in accessing finance and coordinating necessary permits and EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) providers. Downstream companies that can provide monitoring, performance guarantees or project maintenance to ensure the quality of electricity delivered will also benefit from this segment growth.

The expiration of the federal cash grant is a big change to the US market in 2012. Q1’12 was still driven by projects that met the qualifications for the grant at the end of 2011. The most notable effect of the cash grant on downstream channels was the rise in residential PV leasing. Although the impact of the cash grant will decline, more than 60% of 2012 US demand will occur during 2H’12, driven by utility-scale projects towards RPS (renewable portfolios standard) compliance in California and other states, as well as residential lease expansions to the east coast.

Read the full NPD Solarbuzz press release.