Interview: China's PV efforts propel European decarbonization, says Intersolar Europe organizer

MUNICH, Germany, June 25 (Xinhua) -- With continuous innovations in the photovoltaic (PV) industry, China has offered Europe and the world high-quality products in recent years, significantly advancing their decarbonization efforts, said an organizer of the recently concluded Intersolar Europe exhibition.

"China has really helped the world in the last years to get those competitive PV products we need for the transition to a decarbonized society," said Markus Elsaesser, founder and CEO of the German Solar Promotion GmbH, in a recent interview.

"Therefore, I think it is good to foster such cooperation," he added, emphasizing the aspiration to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation between Chinese and European parties.

The three-day Intersolar Europe exhibition, the largest and most influential one in the European PV industry, attracted approximately 3,000 exhibitors from across the globe to showcase their latest products and solutions in such areas as PV modules and energy storage systems.

Elsaesser stressed that China, with 976 exhibitors, topped the list of participating countries for the first time since the exhibition's inception, followed by Germany with 934 exhibitors.

Innovative breakthroughs of Chinese PV manufacturers were in the spotlight at the exhibition each year, he noted.

For example, he said, manufacturers utilize fewer materials to reduce costs when developing solar panels with higher photoelectric conversion efficiency, resulting in less required installation space and a higher number of installed projects.

"These innovations are good for the decarbonization of our industry and society in Europe and globally, and that is very much driven by Chinese manufacturers as the global market share from them is very high," he stated.

In Elsaesser's view, all renewables including the PV industry are vital for Germany and the broader European landscape, given their clear objectives to decarbonize the continent.

"We are on a good track," but much remains to be done to achieve these goals, "therefore we need solar energy, batteries, as well as electric vehicles on the roads," he said, adding that such competitive, reliable and sustainable products are precisely what Chinese manufacturers can provide.

Elsaesser noted that China's PV industry has successfully established a complete value chain from raw materials to final products on a large scale, underscoring its significance for Europe.

"I hope to see more cooperation in Europe with Chinese companies in the PV field, like we have already seen in the battery sector, where Chinese firms have built production facilities in European countries like Germany and Hungary," he said.

Elsaesser pointed out that the development of the global PV industry should not be hindered by any trade barriers, particularly given Europe's increasing demands for sustainable and localized production.

Cooperation between Chinese and European entities could enhance the resilience of the European market and support Chinese companies in deepening their business operations in Europe. "So, the cooperation is a win-win situation," Elsaesser concluded.