Reuters, two German local governments urged the European Union and Berlin to protect the German solar industry from the impact of low-cost imports of photovoltaic modules, and demanded a ban on imports of modules that do not meet EU climate and labor standards.
This year, European PV manufacturers have complained about the "massive" influx of Chinese solar modules into the European market, with prices far below manufacturing costs, forcing them to cut production.
these States call for open bidding or feed-in tariffs , Recycleability of imported panels, carbon footprint or hidden costs in manufacturing conditions should be considered.
Reuters said a document from the German Ministry of Economy seen on Thursday showed that the German government was studying various possible measures, including subsidies and trade law protection . To protect German PV manufacturers from falling global PV module prices. In response to a parliamentary question, the
German Ministry of Economy said that it was concerned about German solar manufacturers and was considering " state aid for manufacturers" as a potential solution, but that it would first need to be approved by the European Commission on a case-by-case basis.
On Friday, the German Ministry of Commerce said that due to the adjustment of US import policy, Chinese panels originally sold to the United States are now being transferred to Europe , which has brought " huge price pressure " to European manufacturers. Trade tools are available to combat unfair competition. Marius Mordal Bakke, a solar supply chain analyst at Rystad Energy, a
European research firm, said: About 40 GW of solar panels are currently in stock in European warehouses: "We have far more modules than we actually install in many regions." Zygimantas Vaiciunas of the
European Solar Manufacturing Commission said that the price of photovoltaic modules had fallen from a peak of about 0.24 euros per watt at the beginning of the year to about 0.15 euros per watt. While European manufacturers are priced at 0.An
industry source involved in the negotiations, who asked not to be named, said German solar companies were divided between installers who oppose trade barriers and manufacturers who support at least some of them. "Small groups and their uncompetitive business models cannot be protected at the expense of large industries that are stable, profitable and end-customer focused," said Boris Radke of Enpal, a
solar installer. Gunter Erfurt, CEO of
Swiss PV manufacturer Meyer Burger, said there are smarter tools to prop up European solar companies than trade tariffs. For example, Germany may require the designation of a "flexible portion" of a European-made module in a public tender.
Extended reading:
Germany's application and target setting of renewable energy is the most advanced among all EU countries.
In 2022, the German cabinet passed a package of bills to accelerate the development of new energy power in the country. These include plans to provide 80% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030; 115 GW of onshore wind capacity in Germany by 2030; and at least 30 GW of offshore wind capacity, up to 70 GW in 2045. By 2030, solar power generation capacity will increase from 59 GW to 215 GW.
However, Germany wants to get rid of the https://www.databm.
against China by banning the import of photovoltaic products from China. In recent years, Europe, which lacks energy security, is trying to build a photovoltaic supply chain. However, the higher electricity prices and labor costs in EU countries have become a constraint on Europe's creation of ." In the short and medium term, it is limited by the scale of local manufacturing, production costs, and ecological chains. European countries, including Germany, are still difficult to achieve large-scale localization of the photovoltaic supply chain in a short period of time, and it is expected that it will take a long time for China to achieve the development of its photovoltaic industry.