U.S. semiconductor production equipment maker Applied Materials (Applied Materials) solar energy sector has forecast, due to price advantage of the efficiency of less than offset the shortcomings of the market for thin film solar cell demand growth will be traditional silicon solar cells twice.  
。 Last year, solar cells a total generating capacity is 1,800 MW, of which a glass panel of solar cells account for about 10%.  
 However, due to the use of glass panels of solar cells less expensive price, the technology is to win more supporters.  This thin-film solar cells at the senior were deposited on the glass substrate more multi-storey and a thin film of photovoltaic devices.  
 Applied Materials solar cause of Charles Gay, general manager, said: "I think that the thin-film solar cells will be the growth rate of crystalline silicon solar cells twice, or even higher than tripled."  
Charles Gay said in an interview to Reuters, said: "thin-film solar cells in continuously improve the efficiency, this technology is not a long time, we are still in the learning stage."  
 Applied Materials is the world’s largest chip production equipment suppliers, its own production of solar cells, but sales for the production of solar equipment.。 Applied Materials chief executive Mike Splinter said the company planned 2010 sales of 500 million U.S. dollars of solar cell production equipment.  

 This is the company last year sales of 9.2 billion U.S. dollars for what may not, but it is a growing field.  Applied Materials, is the main chip manufacturers, and market demand for chips has dropped to the growth rate of 8-9 percent.  
 Gay is expected, the 2010 solar energy industry will increase by about 7,500 megawatts of generating capacity, and installation of adequate equipment will increase the overall power generation capacity of about 2000 MW.  
 Applied Materials put the 500 million U.S. dollars of solar cell production equipment sales target, it will mean in solar cell production equipment market accounts for about 17 percent of the share.