Solar supply chains need to be localised
The pandemic has demonstrated the downside of relying on one global centre of production and long-distance supply chains
The disruption to global solar supply chains caused by Covid-19 highlights that new, local alternatives are needed for the industry to ensure that solar remains a reliable source of power. “Solar is China,” says Steve Hanke, chairman of the supervisory board of speciality metals and mineral products producer Advanced Metallurgical Group (AMG), which trades on the stock market in Amsterdam. “If you shut China down, solar shuts down. It is the same story for rare earth [elements].” China dominates in the production of silicon metal, which is needed for silicon wafers used for solar panels. Only two companies in the West produce silicon wafers, and one of them, Elkem in Norway, is Chinese-ow
Also in this section
23 April 2024
Europe must unlock cross-border CO₂ trade if it wants to build a viable CCS sector for the long term
16 April 2024
US and European oil majors snap up smaller players and look to accelerate development in a region deemed to possess all the key elements for successful CCUS deployment
15 April 2024
Demand for credits seen rising 20% this year despite issues around integrity and standardisation
11 April 2024
Volatile allowance prices and small size of voluntary market undermine ability to drive investment, says Oxford Institute for Energy Studies