Cheap Chinese solar panels are flooding the EU market and threatening the viability of homegrown companies. Europe's solar industry warns it faces an "existential threat" and that unless action is taken soon, it could collapse in a matter of months.
To be clear up front, solar panels from the companies listed below are excellent performers with at least 25 years of expected life. As a rule, Chinese solar panels are as good as any others on the market. China produces around 80% of all solar panels, so like any product, there are cheaper offerings from less well-known companies.
The goal of competing against low-cost Chinese solar panels might soon clash with the long-term climate targets introduced by the bloc, which will require a massive deployment of renewable systems to completely do away with fossil fuels.
Wholesale prices plummeted by almost half in 2023 and have fallen another 25 per cent in 2024. Chinese manufacturers are competing for customers by cutting prices far below their costs, and still keep building more factories. The price slashing has taken a severe toll on China’s solar companies.
But China’s solar panel domestic industry is in upheaval. Wholesale prices plummeted by almost half in 2023 and have fallen another 25 per cent in 2024. Chinese manufacturers are competing for customers by cutting prices far below their costs, and still keep building more factories.
Currently, solar panels manufactured in Europe account for only 3% of the market. However, SolarPower Europe believes that this could rise to 40% by 2030. The Chinese impact not only endangers companies but also hampers the bloc's industrial autonomy.