What happened to Europe's solar power industry?

Europe was once the world’s largest solar power manufacturer, producing 30 per cent of all photovoltaic panels in 2007. But Beijing’s big industrial policy push caused Chinese production to increase and prices to decline, just as Europe was suffering the after-effects of the 2008 financial crash.

Why is Europe's solar industry facing a crisis?

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. Read a German version of this article. Subscribe to our German newsletter.

Is Germany reviving the solar industry?

Germany was a pioneer in the solar power industry, but succumbed to competition from China. Now, Germany — and the European Union — are trying to revitalize the industry once again.

Will Germany resurrect a solar power industry?

For Germany, it would mean resurrecting a solar power industry that last experienced a boom more than a decade ago and has since succumbed to competition in China, which has come to dominate the market.

Why are European solar panels shutting down?

The closure, which in one sweep reduced European solar panel production by 10%, comes despite a boom in wind and solar energy in Europe. Additions to renewable energy capacity, including solar panels, are running at record pace, according to data from the International Energy Agency.

What happened to Germany's solar industry?

The industry collapsed. Seventy thousand people in Germany's solar industry lost their jobs, and Heckert found itself one of the lone manufacturers left in this once-popular renewable energy park known as Saxony's Solar Valley outside of Chemnitz. "The industry moved from Germany to Asia," says Krautwurst.