Solar market share shifts seen in California
30 November 2009 | By Mark Osborne As the dominant state for solar module installations, California is the most competitive region for companies marketing their solar modules in the U.S. Until now, SunPower with its network of distributors and project knowhow has been the leading module supplier in the state but things are starting to shift rapidly, and SunPower is in danger of losing the number-one slot. However, SunPower is not alone in losing market share; a growing list of other name brands are set to see lower share of the market in ’09 compared to last year. Quarterly figures from the California Solar Initiative (CSI) and part of the Go Solar California campaign that is overseen by the California Public Utilities Commission and highlighted in a new report from Barclays Capital analyst Vishal Shah reveal the volatility in market share positions on a quarterly basis. The first chart shows that SunPower has been the most consistent retainer of market share throughout the year, yet w...