Facing China’s dominance in the solar panel market, the EU is exploring perovskite solar cells (PSCs) as a strategically important alternative to diversify its supply chain and reduce reliance on China-controlled materials and manufacturing. Amid growing geopolitical tensions and urgent climate goals, PSCs stand at the crossroads of energy and strategy, where Taiwan brings deep expertise, while the EU brings strong policy momentum.
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In response to China’s monopoly in the solar panel market, the European Union has launched investigations into Chinese solar panel manufacturers suspected of receiving market-distorting subsidies, aiming to ensure fair competition. Concerns about China’s dominance in the solar panel market were further legitimized by past events, such as CEFC China Energy’s investment in the Czech Republic, which triggered widespread alarms over financial opacity and political influence. To address these concerns, the EU has taken concrete steps to revitalize its critical industries. For instance, Belgian chemicals group Solvay launched an initiative to restart rare earth metal production, aimed at strengthening regional supply chains. At the same time, the EU is actively exploring technological alternatives.
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Taiwan’s PSC development builds on its existing panel industry infrastructure, where many production processes can be directly applied to perovskite cells. Techniques such as wet coating, layer assembly, and module integration are already in place. While some large-scale production still depends on facilities in China, Taiwan maintains strong capabilities in regulation, flexible manufacturing, and research. By focusing on quality and practical applications, Taiwanese firms are finding ways to reduce reliance on China and strengthen their roles in the future solar technology market.
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Both Taiwan and the EU have demonstrated strong ambitions in advancing the development and deployment of PSCs. Amid growing concerns in European countries over their excessive reliance on China for critical materials and clean technologies, the need for diversified and resilient partnerships is more urgent than ever. Establishing cooperation with trusted and credible partners is crucial, as developing PSC technology not only reduces European countries’ dependence on China but enables to achieve their clean technology goals.
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Given China’s ambitions to take over Taiwan, is making a supply chain dependent on Taiwan really “de-risking” it? In semiconductors we have seen the risk from Chinese aggression motivating the spread of chip fabs to other countries apart from Taiwan.