Does China have a competitive advantage in the solar PV industry?

During the last two decades, the solar PV industry experienced decisive changes of its global business network configurations where Chinese firms comparatively have gained competitive advantages. Chinese inter-organizational business network patterns differ from their competitors originated in the United States of America and Canada.

Where is the solar PV industry Upstream Network competence?

In the past, solar PV industry upstream network competence was mainly concentrated on the US, Germany and Canada. Chinese firms have gained significant upstream network positionings in recent years through fine-grained and intensified relationship engagements, targeting to improve their research and development and component supply quality.

Why are inter-organizational relationships important in the solar PV industry?

Inter-organizational relationships along the value chain are of vital importance to gain competitive advantage in the solar photovoltaic industry. During the last two decades, the solar PV industry experienced decisive changes of its global business network configurations where Chinese firms comparatively have gained competitive advantages.

Which countries have the most solar PV market shares?

Entering the markets as an industry latecomer in the early 1990s, China has gained impressive market shares, whereas solar PV firms originated in the western hemisphere comparatively have lost (European Commission, 2022).

Does the EU have enough solar PV component supply and manufacturing capacity?

In course of implementing the United Nations SDGs goals, for example, the EU seeks to sharply increase renewable energy generation potentials but currently lacks sufficient local solar PV component supply and manufacturing capacities such as cost-efficient module assembly and semi-conductor manufacturing.

Which countries are leading the solar PV industry in 2023?

With a considerable distance, China is followed by the United States of America Huang et al., 2023). Meanwhile, a couple of EU politicians confirmed, that the development of the solar PV industry has been hindered in recent years due to limited local component supply, manufacturing and distribution capacities (European Commission, 2022).