How many solar cells are produced a day in China?

Several dozen of these cells are then bundled together into a solar module. The factory, which is owned by LONG i Green Energy Technology, a giant of solar manufacturing, can churn out about 16m cells a day. China’s solar industry is dominant across every stage of the global supply chain, from the polysilicon to the finished product.

How big is China's solar industry?

China’s solar industry is dominant across every stage of the global supply chain, from the polysilicon to the finished product. Module production capacity in the country reached roughly 1,000 gigawatts (GW) last year, almost five times that of the rest of the world combined, according to Wood Mackenzie, a consultancy.

Why are solar companies struggling in China?

Many of China’s provinces are struggling to service their debts. Solar companies must also compete for government largesse with firms in other industries that are grappling with overcapacity as China’s economy slows. More than a fifth of Chinese industrial firms were unprofitable last year, according to analysis by Rhodium, another consultancy.

Are Chinese solar producers fighting each other?

Chinese solar producers, they argue, are fighting each other in an exceptionally fierce battle for market share, which is forcing them to make constant heavy investments in new production lines making the latest generation of technology. This tussle is set to calm down, Wood Mackenzie’s team reckons.

How many solar cells can a factory produce a day?

All that turns them into solar cells, which convert sunlight into electricity. Several dozen of these cells are then bundled together into a solar module. The factory, which is owned by LONG i Green Energy Technology, a giant of solar manufacturing, can churn out about 16m cells a day.

Which Chinese solar companies have been hit the hardest?

The share prices of other Chinese solar giants, including Trina Solar, JA Solar and Jinko Power, have also been battered (see chart 2). Smaller companies have been hit even harder. Yana Hryshko of Wood Mackenzie explains that the big firms are typically diversified, helping them weather the collapse in solar prices. Others are not so lucky.