{"id":300840,"date":"2024-02-09T10:20:04","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T09:20:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=300840"},"modified":"2024-02-09T10:20:07","modified_gmt":"2024-02-09T09:20:07","slug":"dead-in-a-few-months-china-wipes-out-eus-solar-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=300840","title":{"rendered":"Dead in a few months: China wipes out EU\u2019s solar industry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"723\" data-attachment-id=\"300844\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=300844\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?fit=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1024,1024\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image-138\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?fit=723%2C723&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?resize=723%2C723&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-300844\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?resize=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?resize=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?resize=450%2C450&amp;ssl=1 450w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?resize=60%2C60&amp;ssl=1 60w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?resize=550%2C550&amp;ssl=1 550w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">CAN EU SAVE THE SOLAR PANELS?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>GREEN TRANSITION VS. CRITICAL DEPENDENCY:&nbsp;<\/strong>Make no mistake, this is one of the most consequential dilemmas facing the European Union. Does it want to be green&nbsp;<em>or<\/em>&nbsp;strategic, if being green&nbsp;<em>and&nbsp;<\/em>strategic is not an option?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As much as the European Union needs to turn itself carbon-free, it\u2019s increasingly dependent on imports from China, which it labels as an economic competitor and, worse, systemic rival. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/newsletter\/china-watcher\/dead-in-a-few-months-china-wipes-out-eus-solar-industry\/\">POLITICO<\/a> has the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>By earmarking billions of euros<\/strong>&nbsp;to speed up installation of solar panels across Europe, it\u2019s building up an overwhelming reliance on Chinese products \u2014 including those from the region of Xinjiang which is the focus of human rights abuses, as documented by the U.N.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Such a business model is also killing Europe\u2019s last few enterprises that specialize in making solar power panels, going against what France and others hope to be a period of European reindustrialization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How bad is the solar situation?<\/strong>&nbsp;Very. The EU industry warns that it has only&nbsp;<em>weeks<\/em>&nbsp;left before the sector implodes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe situation is really, really, really troublesome,\u201d&nbsp;<strong>Johan Lindahl<\/strong>, secretary general of the European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC), which represents local producers, told my colleague&nbsp;<strong>Victor Jack<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Quote du jour:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/em>\u201cWe might lose a majority of the European industry in the next couple of months if there\u2019s no strong political signal,\u201d Lindahl said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lukewarm response from Eurocrats:\u00a0<\/strong>The European Commission has begun\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/article\/eu-mulls-emergency-aid-for-collapsing-solar-producers\/\">early-stage talks<\/a>\u00a0to discuss options for helping producers \u2014 but it made no concrete commitments during a hotly-anticipated debate in the European Parliament on Monday that many in the industry hoped would show the bloc was taking the issue seriously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018<strong>Work closely\u2019 blah blah blah:&nbsp;<\/strong>Low prices are \u201cclearly a challenge to EU solar panel producers,\u201d the European Commission\u2019s financial services chief&nbsp;<strong>Mairead McGuinness&nbsp;<\/strong>told European lawmakers during a session in Strasbourg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She added the EU executive would \u201cwork closely with the EU industry to deploy every effort at technical and political level\u201d to help manufacturers. Doesn\u2019t sound like a great deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Read the full story <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/newsletter\/china-watcher\/dead-in-a-few-months-china-wipes-out-eus-solar-industry\/\">here<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chinese firms now control over 80 percent of the global supply chain for silicon solar panels. On the other hand, the EU produced 3 percent of the solar panels it installed last year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":300844,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Chinese firms now control over 80 percent of the global supply chain for silicon solar panels. On the other hand, the EU produced 3 percent of the solar panels it installed last year.","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818341,691826818,691819303,691819960],"class_list":["post-300840","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-china","tag-eu-solar-panel-producers","tag-european-commission","tag-european-union","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-138.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1ggg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":300598,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=300598","url_meta":{"origin":300840,"position":0},"title":"Europe Wanted Cheap Solar Panels. Now China Is About To Totally Take Over The Industry","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/07\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Europe has set aside billions of euros to massively increase its reliance on\u00a0solar panels\u00a0to generate power, and the continent\u2019s rush to go green has resulted in increased dependency on cheaper Chinese products that benefit from Chinese subsidies,\u00a0according\u00a0to Politico.","rel":"","context":"In \"China\"","block_context":{"text":"China","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=china"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/00German-Solar-Panels.jpeg?fit=1200%2C563&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/00German-Solar-Panels.jpeg?fit=1200%2C563&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/00German-Solar-Panels.jpeg?fit=1200%2C563&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/00German-Solar-Panels.jpeg?fit=1200%2C563&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/00German-Solar-Panels.jpeg?fit=1200%2C563&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":313051,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=313051","url_meta":{"origin":300840,"position":1},"title":"How China captured the sun \u2013 and cast a shadow over Europe","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"03\/26\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Europe\u2019s ambitious plans to expand green energy generation with \u201cMade in EU\u201d solar panels face a distinctly cloudy future as the continent faces a massive glut of the devices.","rel":"","context":"In \"China\"","block_context":{"text":"China","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=china"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/00solar-panels-europe-a03.jpg?fit=1200%2C655&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/00solar-panels-europe-a03.jpg?fit=1200%2C655&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/00solar-panels-europe-a03.jpg?fit=1200%2C655&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/00solar-panels-europe-a03.jpg?fit=1200%2C655&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/00solar-panels-europe-a03.jpg?fit=1200%2C655&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":300092,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=300092","url_meta":{"origin":300840,"position":2},"title":"EU mulls emergency aid for collapsing solar producers","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/06\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The European Commission is in early-stage talks on emergency measures to buoy drowning EU solar manufacturers who say Chinese subsidies are suffocating the industry, according to two people familiar with the matter.","rel":"","context":"In \"Chinese mass production\"","block_context":{"text":"Chinese mass production","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=chinese-mass-production"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/0K79982_web.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/0K79982_web.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/0K79982_web.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/0K79982_web.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/0K79982_web.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":436115,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=436115","url_meta":{"origin":300840,"position":3},"title":"The Strait of Hormuz\u2019s Bitter Lesson for the European Union","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/01\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The crisis in the Strait of Hormuz reveals a truth that many European policymakers have ignored: Humanity remains structurally dependent on oil. This reality, first highlighted during the 1973 oil shortage and reinforced by the 1979 version\u2009\u2013\u2009triggered by Iran\u2009\u2013\u2009continues to be neglected, even openly dismissed, by certain political elites.","rel":"","context":"In \"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)\"","block_context":{"text":"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=carbon-dioxide-co%e2%82%82"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Strait-of-Hormuz-Siege.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Strait-of-Hormuz-Siege.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Strait-of-Hormuz-Siege.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Strait-of-Hormuz-Siege.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Strait-of-Hormuz-Siege.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":305703,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=305703","url_meta":{"origin":300840,"position":4},"title":"Don\u2019t Let the Sun Go Down on\u00a0EU","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"03\/04\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"EU solar firms are worried about an imminent collapse of their industry. In part this is said to be due to \u201cheavily subsidised\u201d Chinese competition.","rel":"","context":"In \"EU Commission\"","block_context":{"text":"EU Commission","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=eu-commission"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0-solar-maduls-China.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0-solar-maduls-China.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0-solar-maduls-China.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0-solar-maduls-China.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0-solar-maduls-China.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":398411,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=398411","url_meta":{"origin":300840,"position":5},"title":"&#8216;Green&#8217; Europe&#8217;s Industrial Masochism","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"08\/28\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"If a self-described leader finds that nobody is following, is leadership present? Perhaps. The next question might be, where is the leader headed?","rel":"","context":"In \"Energiewende (Energy Transition)\"","block_context":{"text":"Energiewende (Energy Transition)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=energiewende-energy-transition-2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQPQaac8NLNiiqnpJyGa_LBl3e7O_w-pW84gECAaiukR6Wz2Aq-lexFtZMG9EEGAkbYYnc9igZnm7Y33pouJhP6dwk0GUC2CyIPja_YT-uiZ4-t7RA8BPE7It1jGBePPeZ5g1WKTHi4u4k5FI2xBN0PSVjKD.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQPQaac8NLNiiqnpJyGa_LBl3e7O_w-pW84gECAaiukR6Wz2Aq-lexFtZMG9EEGAkbYYnc9igZnm7Y33pouJhP6dwk0GUC2CyIPja_YT-uiZ4-t7RA8BPE7It1jGBePPeZ5g1WKTHi4u4k5FI2xBN0PSVjKD.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQPQaac8NLNiiqnpJyGa_LBl3e7O_w-pW84gECAaiukR6Wz2Aq-lexFtZMG9EEGAkbYYnc9igZnm7Y33pouJhP6dwk0GUC2CyIPja_YT-uiZ4-t7RA8BPE7It1jGBePPeZ5g1WKTHi4u4k5FI2xBN0PSVjKD.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQPQaac8NLNiiqnpJyGa_LBl3e7O_w-pW84gECAaiukR6Wz2Aq-lexFtZMG9EEGAkbYYnc9igZnm7Y33pouJhP6dwk0GUC2CyIPja_YT-uiZ4-t7RA8BPE7It1jGBePPeZ5g1WKTHi4u4k5FI2xBN0PSVjKD.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQPQaac8NLNiiqnpJyGa_LBl3e7O_w-pW84gECAaiukR6Wz2Aq-lexFtZMG9EEGAkbYYnc9igZnm7Y33pouJhP6dwk0GUC2CyIPja_YT-uiZ4-t7RA8BPE7It1jGBePPeZ5g1WKTHi4u4k5FI2xBN0PSVjKD.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300840","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=300840"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300840\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":300845,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300840\/revisions\/300845"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/300844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=300840"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=300840"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=300840"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}