According to a report by NanoMarkets - which you probably won't buy because it costs 1000s of dollars - the forecast rate of growth for thin film is way faster than that of the PV industry as a whole (put at 30 - 40% per annum, depending on who you believe). The world thin-film photovoltaics (TFPV) market is forecast to reach $7.2 billion by 2015 up from $1 billion today. A seven fold increase in 7 or so years is pretty amazing.

So after taking another look at our list of solar stocks here, I thought it would be helpful to list out separately, those solar players engaged in the business of thin film pv;

The Thin Film Solar PV Players

1. Daystar Technologies
2. Energy Conversion Devices
3. First Solar
4. PowerFilm Solar
5. Solar Integrated Technologies

What stands out to any solar industry observer, is that none of these companies are from Germany, or very involved in it - unusual, considering Germany is the mainstay of the global solar market. They also have next to no exposure to Chinese manufacturing, the solar low-cost manufacturing route.

That's because thin film is a very high tech bet on a high tech industry. And Energy Conversion Devices, notably, failed to convert the technology into sales a few years ago. Now there are new players, including the unlisted Nanosolar which has the added PR benefit of investment by google founders.

In another 3 years, I think we'll be able to see better how this all pans out and whether thin film will still be the future or as good as they say it is. It's just that at about this point, many observers are anticipating a possible fall in silicon prices, negating the need for lower efficiency, although less costly thin film in the first place . . . ?