Shanghai’s Solar Carnival Belies Fight for Survival in China’s Flagship Clean Energy Industry
- China’s dominance of world’s supply chains is being tested
- Sector is focused on belt-tightening as bankruptcies loom
This article is for subscribers only.
Visitors to the world’s biggest showcase of solar power could be forgiven for not realizing just how dismal conditions are in China’s flagship clean energy industry.
Hundreds of thousands of people descended on Shanghai’s largest convention center last week for the city’s annual solar gathering, where a carnival mood prevailed. They were met by company mascots dressed as pandas and astronauts, and presenters in ball gowns hosting wheels of fortune. There were booths serving popcorn, ice cream and cocktails, and video game competitions on massive screens rising toward cavernous ceilings.