Every year, GTM Research embarks on the slow, tortuous process of collecting data on annual PV cell and module production. In keeping with our mission of providing critical market information to the industry, we are pleased to announce the release of a research note and downloadable Microsoft Excel file with global 2009 cell and module production data, as well as the outlook for 2010 (in case you were wondering, yes, it's nearly June, but most production data isn't released till after the first quarter of the year).

Inside, you will find data and trends on production by technology and region as well as a listing of the top producers for each region. 2009 was another record-breaking year for the global PV industry with 7 GW of modules installed, total module production of 8.95 GW, and cell production of 10.66 GW. Cell production alone increased 51 percent over 2008. More growth is anticipated in 2010, but the timing and pattern of sales will be impacted by policy considerations such as changes to the German feed-in tariff. Thus, solar remains a large, yet volatile, opportunity.

And the best part: the report and data are free. If you have even a passing interest in the global PV manufacturing landscape, this report is for you. The research note and Excel file can be downloaded here. As always, please let us know how useful you found these resources.