Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
September 29, 2025
Europe's Solar Industry Revival: Study Shows Path to Compete with China
TLDR
- European solar manufacturing can gain competitive advantage with policy support, reducing reliance on Chinese imports and creating new market opportunities.
- SolarPower Europe and Fraunhofer ISE found European solar modules cost 10.3 cents more per watt, representing only a 14.5% price difference in final electricity.
- Reshoring solar manufacturing strengthens European energy independence, creates local jobs, and builds sustainable infrastructure for future generations.
- Europe's solar industry could challenge Chinese dominance with strategic policy changes, offering surprising potential for regional manufacturing revival.
Impact - Why it Matters
This development matters because it represents a potential turning point in global renewable energy manufacturing and energy security. For decades, China has dominated solar panel production, creating supply chain vulnerabilities and geopolitical dependencies for Western nations. If Europe can successfully reshore solar manufacturing, it would create thousands of skilled jobs, reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, and strengthen energy independence at a time when geopolitical tensions highlight the risks of concentrated manufacturing. For consumers and businesses, this could mean more stable pricing, reduced import costs, and greater confidence in the long-term availability of clean energy infrastructure. Additionally, local manufacturing supports circular economy principles, making recycling and end-of-life management more sustainable. The relatively small price gap identified in the study suggests that with strategic policy support, European solar could become cost-competitive, potentially transforming the continent's energy landscape while advancing climate goals through domestically produced clean technology.
Summary
A new study reveals that Europe's solar industry could potentially compete with Chinese dominance if policymakers implement strategic measures to reshore manufacturing capabilities. The comprehensive analysis, conducted by SolarPower Europe and Fraunhofer ISE, crunched the numbers and found that while European-made solar modules currently cost approximately 10.3 cents per watt more than Chinese imports, this translates to only a 14.5% price difference in the final electricity generated. This relatively modest gap suggests that with proper policy support and strategic investment, European solar manufacturing could become economically viable and competitive on the global stage.
The study emphasizes that whether Europe seizes this opportunity depends heavily on how seriously policymakers take the challenge of rebuilding an industry that has largely shifted to China over the past decade. As the continent gets its act together to reshore solar manufacturing, companies like PowerBank Corporation (NASDAQ: SUUN) (Cboe CA: SUNN) (FRA: 103) are positioned to explore emerging opportunities in the revitalized European solar market. The research provides a clear roadmap for what it would take to bring solar manufacturing back to European soil, offering hope for energy independence and industrial revitalization in the renewable energy sector.
The findings come at a critical juncture for Europe's green energy transition, with the study suggesting concrete steps that could help level the playing field against Chinese solar dominance. The relatively small price differential in final electricity costs indicates that strategic policy interventions could make European solar manufacturing competitive, potentially creating thousands of jobs and strengthening the continent's energy security while advancing climate goals through locally produced clean energy solutions.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by InvestorBrandNetwork (IBN). Read the original source here, Europe's Solar Industry Revival: Study Shows Path to Compete with China
