Europe’s solar industry is facing its deepest crisis in more than a decade as steep competition from China erodes manufacturing in the sector, rendering the continent’s hope of greater energy independence even more wishful.
More solar panels were installed than ever before across the EU last year in a boon for the bloc’s climate goals.
However, that was partially made possible by an influx of Chinese equipment, causing profits for local manufacturers to plunge.
Despite insistence to push for more home-grown energy infrastructure, governments have been slow to prop up the ailing industry.
The latest fallout became apparent on Wednesday, when Swiss panel maker Meyer Burger Technology said it may shut a production site in Freiberg, Germany – one of Europe’s largest – and redirect investments to the US.
Pending a final decision next month, the shutdown of the site may happen as early as April and would affect about 500 workers.
Solar has been at the forefront of Europe’s renewables expansion in recent years due to plummeting costs, but the trend has come at the expense of European panel producers who haven’t managed to scale up supply chains sufficiently to compete globally.
At the same time, governments are under pressure to push ahead with the energy transition, and lack the budgets that would be needed to help European producers keep up.
A key factor that complicated matters was the US’s 2022 ban on panels with components from China’s Xinjiang region.
The move aimed at ruling out forced labour, but caused equipment to flood into Europe.
Research company Rystad Energy estimated last July that about €7 billion ($7.6 billion) worth of Chinese-made panels had piled up in European warehouses, capable of producing about the same amount of energy as all the panels that were installed in the region during 2022.
Meyer Burger chief executive Gunter Erfurt called the development “dumping”.
Globally, solar module prices halved to $0.12 per watt in 2023 – about a third of Meyer Burger’s module production cost, according to BloombergNEF.
Even leading Chinese solar manufacturers have struggled to maintain profitability.
In September, Norway’s Norsun – which makes ingots and wafers used in solar cell production – announced a temporary output halt and layoffs.
German module producer Solarwatt GmbH said it will cut 10 per cent of its workforce in November, which it had previously intended to expand.
Finnish solar company Valoe Oyj filed a debt restructuring application in December to avoid insolvency. Austrian PV producer Energetica Industries opened bankruptcy proceedings that month.
“The European and German solar industry is currently being massively undercut across the board,” said Solarwatt’s chief executive Detlef Neuhaus.
The EU has said it aims to manufacture at least 40 per cent of its clean tech needs domestically by 2030, an ambition shaped in no small part by the lessons from the energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
At the moment, however, domestic suppliers meet less than 2 per cent of European demand for solar, according to business association SolarPower Europe, and about 90 per cent of components come from China.
Some manufacturers like Meyer Burger are eyeing investments in the US after President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act boosted tax cuts and incentives for end consumers.
The situation is a grim reminder of events that hurt Europe’s photovoltaic industry about a decade ago.
The European and German solar industry is currently being massively undercut across the board
Detlef Neuhaus,
chief executive, Solarwatt
Back then, the EU imposed import tariffs on Chinese solar panels after the Asian country boosted industrial policy, contributing to a steep decline in European solar deployment.
Hosts of companies closed their solar operations in Europe, such as Robert Bosch.
“Today it is as dramatic as back then,” Solarwatt’s Mr Neuhaus said.
Trade lobbies have pushed governments to ramp up support while avoiding tariffs or import bans.
The European Commision’s Net Zero Industry Act, which has yet to be finalised, aims to set criteria for renewable auctions to take into account cyber security, sustainability, and ability to deliver – something that should favour domestic wind and solar manufacturers.
In Germany, the government is debating offering producers a “resilience bonus”, which can cover the operational cost differences versus their foreign competitors, but officials are still divided over the measure as they have been busy plugging a €17 billion budget hole.
“Renewable energies are part of critical infrastructure and we should not become too dependent on other countries – especially in the current tense global situation,” said Claudia Kemfert, an energy expert at the DIW research institute in Berlin.
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20synchronous%20electric%20motors%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E660hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C100Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E488km-560km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh850%2C000%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOctober%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Race card
6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1.600m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 2,000m
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 1,200m
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 2,000m
9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,400m
Results
STAGE
1 . Filippo Ganna (Ineos) - 0:13:56
2. Stefan Bissegger (Education-Nippo) - 0:00:14
3. Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:21
4. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:24
5. Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) - 0:00:30
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 4:00:05
2. Joao Almeida (QuickStep) - 0:00:05
3. Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep) - 0:00:18
4. Chris Harper (Jumbo-Visma) - 0:00:33
5. Adam Yates (Ineos) - 0:00:39
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions:
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Honeymoonish
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elie%20El%20Samaan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENour%20Al%20Ghandour%2C%20Mahmoud%20Boushahri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E268hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E380Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh208%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Crazy Rich Asians
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeon, Gemma Chan
Four stars
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
The biog
Age: 46
Number of Children: Four
Hobby: Reading history books
Loves: Sports
