Trina Solar new global leader for crystalline module production, with an estimated 3,500 megawatts in 2014 ----Yingli Green Energy dropped to second in world rankings despite an increase in production, says analyst

LONDON, UK (GlobalData), 18 February 2015 - Trina Solar Limited (Trina Solar) became the world's foremost producer of crystalline modules in 2014, responsible for 7.9% of global production and displacing Yingli Green Energy (Yingli) as the market leader, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData.

The company's latest findings show that global crystalline module production grew from 33 Gigawatts (GW) in 2013 to 44 GW in 2014 at an annual growth rate of 33.3%, with Trina Solar producing an estimated 3,500 Megawatts (MW) last year.

Sameer Joshi, Director of Research and Analysis for Power and Alternative Energy at GlobalData, says: "Trina Solar was able to surpass Yingli's module production by around 150 MW in 2014, despite the latter's increase in production.

"JinkoSolar Holding (JinkoSolar) jumped up two positions from fifth in 2013 to third in 2014, as its market share increased from 5.2% to 7.3%. JinkoSolar replaced Sharp Corporation (Sharp), which fell from the third-ranking company to the sixth due to a decrease in sales."

The top five manufacturers alone accounted for more than one-third of overall production, which is along the same lines as 2013 estimates, according to GlobalData. Among the top five companies in 2013, Yingli and Sharp were the only two to go down in the 2014 rankings.

Joshi continues: "Canadian Solar Inc. retains fourth position, with a 5.6% share in 2014, while JA Solar Holding (JA Solar) is the only company to have entered the group of top five manufacturers in terms of module production.

"GlobalData estimates that JA Solar's production in 2014 increased by more than 53% over the previous year to 2,300 MW, equivalent to 5.2% of the market."