China, the world’s largest solar PV market, has been soaring solar installations since the beginning of the third quarter. The installation boom became stronger in the fourth quarter, triggering price uptrend of PV cells and modules. Most PV cell and module manufacturers are producing products under their full capacities to meet the enormous orders.
A president of a renewable energy technology company in China pointed out that the fourth quarter is the traditional peak season for both installations and spot prices. “We expect, for some companies, this quarter could be profitable enough to offset the loss in the prior three quarters of 2015!”
The Beijing government plans to cut the FiT rates for solar installations in 2016, meaning that the earlier the project is completed and interconnected, the more money it can earn by selling electricity generated to the national grid – for the next 20 years. This explains why the installation booms so rapidly.
The trend of solar installation is projected to last to, until, the end of the first quarter of 2016, which is traditionally the low season for solar installations. The Chinese solar industry hence expects high order visibility and an upward trend of PV supply chain prices.
Demand to double glass PV modules is rising in China. Double glass modules are more resistant in extreme environment or places where are highly humid or are suffered from sandstorms, according to a Chinese media.
Jifan Gao, Chairman and CEO of Trina Solar, and VP to CCCME, expects a business jump in the solar industry amidst the intensive installations. By 2015, China will cumulatively reach 43GW of solar installation nationwide, taking off Germany’s crown and ascending as the king of solar application.