Cooperation between Chinese and European solar industries is creating a ‘win-win’ scenario, according to experts and business representatives at the recently concluded Intersolar Europe exhibition—the largest and most influential photovoltaic (PV) industry event in Europe.
Approximately 3,000 exhibitors showcased their latest products and solutions in areas such as PV modules, energy storage systems, and charging infrastructure. The exhibition, held alongside three other trade fairs from June 19 to June 21 in Munich, Germany, focused on energy transition and attracted around 111,000 trade visitors from across the globe.
Innovative Green Boosters
Solar panels, comprising numerous solar cell units that convert light energy into electricity, are a main component of PV products. At the exhibition, Chinese company LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (LONGi) announced a breakthrough by raising the photoelectric conversion efficiency of its commercial-sized silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells to 30.1 percent. The company is expected to possess the technical ability for mass production in the next few years.
This technical advancement by LONGi epitomizes China’s innovative progress in the solar industry. Markus Elsaesser, founder and CEO of the exhibition organizer German Solar Promotion GmbH, noted that 976 Chinese exhibitors participated in this year’s event, making China the largest participant for the first time since the exhibition’s inception, followed by Germany with 934 exhibitors.
Elsaesser observed numerous innovations at the exhibition each year, benefiting the decarbonization of industry and society in Europe and worldwide. “That was very much driven by Chinese manufacturers, as their global market share is very high,” he added.
According to the latest report on the global market outlook in the PV industry released by SolarPower Europe, Germany installed 15 GW of new PV capacity in 2023, increasing more than 100 percent year-on-year and ranking fourth in terms of newly added capacity globally.
European countries including Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands also recorded growth and were listed among the top 10 PV markets in 2023. As of last year, 14 of the 31 countries with a total PV installed capacity exceeding 1 GW are in the European Union.
Given the unprecedented scale of growth in the PV industry, “it needs to be highlighted that most of this global market expansion was driven by and in China,” said the report. “Without China’s strong solar investments in deployment, the solar sector’s growth would have been much more modest,” it added.
At the exhibition booth of Chinese company JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd. (JA Solar), solar panels of various powers and sizes attracted visitors and trade partners. According to the booth staff, these PV products have been used in most European countries, covering a wide range of application scenarios from private houses to large factories and supermarkets.
Zhu Daocheng, vice president of JA Solar, stated that based on the overall agenda of the global energy transition, the Chinese PV industry will play an increasingly important role in the European renewable energy market. “I am confident that, together with other Chinese companies, we could continue to perform well in the European solar market,” he said.
Win-Win Cooperation
Elsaesser views the cooperation between Chinese and European solar industries as a “win-win” situation. Noting that China has built up a complete value chain in its PV industry from raw materials to final products on a large scale, he said the country has helped Europe and the world obtain competitive products needed for green transition goals.
Chinese companies can deepen their business in Europe through further cooperation like local production. “Therefore, I think it is good to have cooperation and not to raise any barriers between countries and regions,” Elsaesser added.
Qu Shuaiyuan, CEO of Beny New Energy GmbH headquartered in China, noted that European countries like Germany, France, and Spain are blessed with plenty of sunshine and have huge demands and potential for solar power utilization, given the large number of single-family houses. The company has expanded its market in Europe by deepening cooperation with business partners to provide solar systems and solutions for balconies and roofs of local houses.
According to reports released this week by the German Solar Association, more than 60 percent of private homeowners in Germany have shown interest in investing in solar power systems. The association noted that the PV industry in Germany is experiencing a special economic boom in the area of residential solar power, as well as “a small energy revolution on domestic balconies.”
“Although this kind of distributed solar device in a single family can generate limited power, the cumulative volume of countless families in Europe is considerable,” said Qu.
German company Axitec Energy, a leading solar module provider in Europe, has cooperated with Chinese manufacturers for years by producing PV products in China and serving the European market. Cristina Lovato, marketing manager at Axitec Energy, said that with its value chain advantages, China’s PV industry has helped promote green transition in Europe.
Dennis She, vice president of LONGi, expressed optimism about the continued participation and contribution of Chinese companies in the European renewable energy market through cooperation. “Europe is committed to achieving the goal of energy transition, and related Chinese companies, with their expertise and experience, could provide high-quality PV solutions for Europe and help boost its renewable energy development through international cooperation and joint efforts,” he said.
Reference(s):
Experts hail 'win-win' collaboration in China-Europe solar industries
cgtn.com
