The researchers first found that the physical potential of solar PV, which includes how many solar panels can be installed and how much solar energy they can generate, in China reached 99.2 petawatt-hours in 2020.
Amid falling costs of the key material, polysilicon, due to excess supply, leading Chinese manufacturers Longi Green Energy Technology, TCL Zhonghuan and Tongwei Solar slashed prices by as much as 27 per cent, the China Silicon Industry Association said last week.
Oversupply pushed prices of finished solar panels in China down 42% in 2023, making Chinese panels more than 60% cheaper than U.S.-made equipment, with some module-only manufacturers taking orders at negative margins to preserve market share, said Wood Mackenzie analyst Huaiyan Sun.
China accounts for 80% of solar module production capacity after years of subsidies, driving oversupply that has triggered a collapse in global prices and provoked import duties from trading partners to stave off being swamped by low-cost equipment.
The cut in solar panel prices by Chinese manufacturers is expected to benefit Europe significantly as the continent diversifies its energy sources to deal with reduced gas supplies from Russia.
China has already made major commitments to transitioning its energy systems towards renewables, especially power generation from solar, wind and hydro sources. However, there are many unknowns about the future of solar energy in China, including its cost, technical feasibility and grid compatibility in the coming decades.