Climate Changed
China's Solar Appetite Eats Into India's Clean Energy Effort
- Panel prices not falling as much as India’s developers hoped
- Risk of lower returns is making solar developers more cautious
Chinese workers install a solar panel project on the roof of a 47 story building in Wuhan, China., on May 15.
Photographer: Kevin Frayer/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Indian solar projects banking on a continuous supply of ever-cheaper panels are now under threat as China’s appetite props up prices.
The global spot market price for solar panels in the second quarter fell at the slowest pace since the three months ended in December 2015, according to data compiled by PVinsights. While the decline has picked up slightly this month, they’re down 10 percent since the beginning of the year, compared with a 35 percent drop in 2016.