L R AS Published on Sunday 12 December 2021 - n° 386 - Categories:Europe
Europe's panel trade balance
According to Eurostat, the European Union had a trade deficit of 6.2 billion euros for the purchase of solar panels in 2020
(€8bn in imports and €1.8bn in exports). Three quarters of imported panels came from China.
The value of panel imports in 2020 was 250% higher than in 2015. The value of Europe's solar panel exports last year was about the same as eight years earlier.
China is among the largest export markets for European-made panels, accounting for about 8% of shipments. The United States was the main export market for European solar panel manufacturers, accounting for 18% of exports last year, with 14% of shipments going to Singapore, 11% to the UK and 7% to Switzerland. Malaysia and Taiwan each accounted for 6% of the export market.
PV Magazine of 6 December 2021
Editor's note It is clear that imports of solar panels have risen sharply over the past decade and that everything comes from China. On the other hand, it is curious to note that Europeans sell some panels to China and that sales to Singapore are not negligible, whereas Chinese or Asian products should be hegemonic
