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Solar panels: French producers in difficulty facing Chinese competition
In Loire-Atlantique, a solar panel company saw its production divided by five in just a few months. A decline which can be explained by competition from China, whose panels are sold four times cheaper than those made in France.
(France 2)
In Loire-Atlantique, a solar panel company saw its production divided by five in just a few months. A decline which can be explained by competition from China, whose panels are sold four times cheaper than those made in France.
In Carquefou (Loire-Atlantique), the 87 employees of Systovi, a solar panel company, saw their production divided by five in just a few months. They are now waiting for a buyer. They face competition from China, which is flooding the market by slashing prices.
It costs 200 euros for a panel made in France, compared to only 50 euros for a Chinese panel, or four times cheaper.
Encourage the purchase of French panels
For Paul Toulouse, general director of Systovi, the European Union must get back into the race. He proposes to “make access to the European market a little less easy for foreign manufacturers”or even“helping businesses grow”.
Another solution would be to encourage the purchase of French panels, particularly for communities. In Nantes (Loire-Atlantique), the municipality would like to be able to buy local, but the price, which is the main criterion for calls for tenders, encourages it to equip itself with foreign products.
