China's Photovoltaic Products are Exploding in Europe

In recent years, China's new energy sector has developed rapidly, among which photovoltaic products are well received by the European market. As Europe speeds up its green transition, PV industry insiders in Spain and Portugal are optimistic about the prospects of cooperation with Chinese companies in the solar power sector.

The Francisco Pizarro Solar Farm in the southwestern Spanish autonomous region of Extremadura is the largest operational photovoltaic power plant in Europe. It was built and operated by Spanish power company Iverdrola Group and opened in the summer of 2022. It uses solar panels entirely from China.

With an installed capacity of 590 megawatts, the Francesco Pizarro solar plant consists of 1.5 million solar panels, 13,700 trackers and 313 inverters, providing green and clean energy for 334,000 homes, Jose Belliot, the company's renewable energy development commissioner for Extremadura region, said at the site.

'There have been no problems with the Chinese-made panels after they have been put into operation,' Mr. Bellet said. 'Chinese photovoltaic products fit our needs just right.'

Spain is Europe's second-largest market for solar power. According to a report published by the European Solar Energy Industries Association at the end of 2022, Spain's total installed PV capacity is expected to reach 26.4 gigawatts by the end of 2022, with 7.5 gigawatts added in 2022 alone. Data show that 41.1 gigawatts of new PV capacity were installed in the EU in 2022, up 47 percent from 2021.

Jose Donoso Alonso, secretary-general of the Spanish Photovoltaic Association, said that the quality and cost advantages of Chinese photovoltaic products are obvious to all. At present, Spain imports mainly inverters and photovoltaic panels from China, which are very competitive.

Mr Alonso said Spain planned to have 30 gigawatts of total installed PV capacity by 2030, but this could be raised to 55 gigawatts to 65 gigawatts, given the interest shown by investors and the state of the industry. Alonso believes that the cooperation between Spain and China is crucial to promoting the development of the global photovoltaic industry, and the large-scale development of the photovoltaic industry in Spain will also help China explore the European market.

Portugal is also a big importer of Chinese photovoltaic products. Pedro Amaral Georgiou, CEO of the Portuguese Renewable Energy Association, said that Chinese-made photovoltaic panels, which account for about 85 percent of the market in Portugal, have obtained the highest quality certification and are recognized by power companies, financing institutions and others.

Portugal aims to have 9 gigawatts of total installed PV capacity by 2030, but the government may raise the target to 18 gigawatts to 20 gigawatts, Jorge said. Portugal must strengthen cooperation with China if its total installed PV capacity is to reach 20 gigawatts. We look forward to more construction and investment by Chinese companies in the European PV industry.