Chinese solar exports soar

• Europe continues to be the leading destination for PV modules making up 56% of global demand, claims Wood Mackenzie

China's solar exports grew 64% to $52bn in 2022 in spite of worldwide trade tensions, according to most current analysis from Wood Mackenzie.

China's exports were generally dominated by modules in 2022-- Europe remained the nation's leading solar module export market with 56% share, according to Wood Mackenzie findings.

Yet solar cells saw greater than 100% growth as the worldwide PV market increased, with south-east Asia taking 31% share of China's solar cell exports.

US tariffs on Chinese-made modules have actually driven module manufacturing to south-east Asia, where numerous making facilities import cells from China.

" Trade tensions have actually taken a rear seats to high power rates driven by the power situation, and this is creating customers and designers from all over the world to buy even more solar panels from China," claimed Alex Whitworth, research study director from Wood Mackenzie.

Chinese modules maintained their cost-competitiveness versus other markets in 2022 and depended on 57% less costly than US and also EU produced modules.

This cost void was mostly driven by material expense, where China holds the advantage as a result of low power expenses, scale advantages as well as government support, whereas US and EU solar module production is not affordable without aids.

In addition to residential supply demands, Chinese export capacity for upstream wafers and also cells is anticipated to grow to more than 230GW in 2026, greater than sufficient to meet international market need outside China of 170GW by that year.

Available module capacity for export in China is additionally expected to grow progressively to 149GW by 2026, leaving some room for various other markets to broaden module production.

A lot more makers are buying upstream sectors which are extra profitable than modules.

Whitworth said: "The United States is relying on the IRA, which will allot at least $41bn to promote domestic manufacturing.

" But prices still favour imported modules, as well as also as more regional module production comes online in coming years, there will certainly be consistent dependence on imports of parts from Asia."