News

Chinese Solar Players Seek Escape Paths From Market Turmoil - Energy Intelligence

Energy Intelligence · last updated

Chinese Solar Players Seek Escape Paths From Market Turmoil | Energy Intelligence
Jenson/Shutterstock Save for later Print Download Share LinkedIn Twitter China dominates the global photovoltaic (PV) market, with sky-high market shares on everything from silicone wafers to assembled solar panels, but that preeminent role is by no means easy. The industry is facing an onslaught of market troubles. A production glut, which officials deny, has led to a persistent price fall for solar equipment across the value chain. Many manufacturers are selling at a discount — below their production costs — just to stay in the market. Although the industry experienced a high-flying 55% growth in solar installations in the first quarter of 2024 versus the first quarter of last year, this was accompanied by financial losses — and installations are now falling, too, with April seeing a decline of 22% compared to last year. Not helping is low consumption due to distribution bottlenecks and geographical supply and demand mismatches.

Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: solar

State of Play

Declining costs and government encouragement have resulted in a rapid increase in solar energy production in the United States over the past 10 years, although solar’s share remains small: 1.6 percent of all electricity generation in 2018. That rapid growth is projected to continue.

More informationabout ENERGY BASICS: solar