How has China halved the emissions intensity of solar PV Manufacturing?

Continuous innovation led by China has halved the emissions intensity of solar PV manufacturing since 2011. This is the result of more efficient use of materials and energy – and greater low-carbon electricity production.

How has global solar PV manufacturing capacity changed over the last decade?

Global solar PV manufacturing capacity has increasingly moved from Europe, Japan and the United States to China over the last decade. China has invested over USD 50 billion in new PV supply capacity – ten times more than Europe − and created more than 300 000 manufacturing jobs across the solar PV value chain since 2011.

Is polysilicon a bottleneck for solar PV?

Global capacity for manufacturing wafers and cells, which are key solar PV elements, and for assembling them into solar panels (also known as modules), exceeded demand by at least 100% at the end of 2021. By contrast, production of polysilicon, the key material for solar PV, is currently a bottleneck in an otherwise oversupplied supply chain.

Does China make solar panels?

China has invested over USD 50 billion in new PV supply capacity – ten times more than Europe − and created more than 300 000 manufacturing jobs across the solar PV value chain since 2011. Today, China’s share in all the manufacturing stages of solar panels (such as polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells and modules) exceeds 80%.

Where will Zhonghuan's solar cells be produced?

All solar cells produced at the factory will be supplied for Zhonghuan's PV module products. Haitai Solar says it has canceled an investment deal in the city of Yancheng, Jiangsu province, for a 10 GW TOPCon cell factory, citing uncertainty over land-related concerns.

How has China shaped the solar industry?

The injection of capital has played a decisive role in catapulting China to the forefront of the solar industry. The Chinese government has poured more than USD 50 billion into new solar supply capacity – a figure ten times higher than that of Europe since 2011.