U.S. Develops New Solar Panel Technology, Could Challenge China’s Dominance? According to a report from the Chinese-language version of The New York Times on October 13, "U.S. solar panel manufacturers say they are on the verge of a technological breakthrough that could disrupt the entire industry and potentially threaten China’s dominant position. This new technology, known as tandem solar cells, can convert more solar radiation into electricity."
In reality, while the United States has made progress in tandem solar technology, it remains far from challenging China’s entrenched market leadership. The U.S.-based Tandem PV’s pilot production line has an annual capacity of only 40 megawatts. By comparison, GCL-Poly Energy’s single production line is planned at 5 gigawatts—125 times larger. Even if all U.S. companies’ projected capacities were combined, they would still represent a negligible fraction within China’s solar industry.
In 2024, China accounted for 86.4% of global solar module production and 93.2% of polysilicon output—the scale of which cannot be disrupted by a few pilot lines. Moreover, Tandem PV’s module efficiency stands at 29.7%, whereas Longi’s tandem solar cell efficiency has already reached 35.5%, with module efficiency at 31.4%. It is not that U.S. technology is lacking, but rather that Chinese firms have advanced more rapidly in this particular field.
More crucially, solar energy is not merely about achieving high-efficiency cells in a laboratory setting. The full value chain—from polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells, modules, inverters, auxiliary materials to manufacturing equipment—remains fully integrated across China, with world-class enterprises leading in every segment. Rebuilding such a system from scratch in the United States will require far more than incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act or trade barriers.
Indeed, the current U.S. objective appears to be “partial substitution,” not “comprehensive superiority.” With surging electricity demand driven by AI data centers, the United States urgently needs efficient solar deployment within its domestic borders. Tandem modules offer higher power output per unit area, making them well-suited for space-constrained environments. The goal is not to defeat China globally, but to establish a protective barrier at home—using tariffs and subsidies—to ensure domestic companies can secure viable operations.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1878914887819328/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.