The European solar PV sector continues to be one of the attractive end-markets for module supply globally. Again in 2024, almost every PV module supplier has a European shipment target and strategy, feeding into both rooftop and ground-mount segments.

Last year, in 2023, PV module supply to Europe went out of control. While the fundamentals of European solar demand – collectively across a range of high-growth regions – remained attractive last year, PV module supply was far in excess of what downstream channels could deal with. As a result, inventories grew in the second half of the year, and it was not until the first half of 2024 that this stock had been worked through in a meaningful way.

From a PV module supply perspective, Europe is still a 100-GW-level opportunity. As a result, the market in Europe sees strong representation from known, established PV module suppliers, but also from a host of relatively new entrants to the sector in the past couple of years; especially, new Chinese companies that have set up cell/module fabs in China recently with more than 10 GW capacity each.

Understanding PV module supply for European project deployment has never been more challenging. Not simply in knowing who all these new players are, but also gaining full visibility on the technologies, supply-chains, traceability and ESG metrics for the entire supply universe. Module buyers in Europe now have many of the purchasing questions to address that counterparts in the U.S. have been forced to factor into supplier due-diligence over the past few years.

PV ModuleTech Europe 2024 returns to Malaga, Spain on 26-27 November 2024, providing an invaluable two days of informative presentations, interactive discussions, and invaluable networking activities. Session themes and topics address head-on the critical questions impacting module buying in Europe going into 2025:

• Will TOPCon modules remain mainstream during 2025 and how are module suppliers optimizing the field reliability and performance of solar plants using this technology?
• Who will be the leading PV module suppliers to the European market in 2025 and beyond?
• How can module buyers fully understand module supplier traceability and ESG concerns?
• Has the average selling price (ASP) of PV modules in Europe bottomed out and will there be a rebound to 2022 pricing in coming years?
• Is there a move to standardize European PV module dimensions and cell/wafer sizes?
• Where is the growth from heterojunction module types coming from?
• How many of the PV module suppliers to the European market are now high-risk buying options, following a year of potential loss-making for PV manufacturing?
• How are PV modules in Europe being tested by third-party labs and are there new tests that need to be introduced going forward?
• Is 2025 going to finally be the year of strong investments into European module assembly and will this funding come from European or Asian companies?
• Is the growing trend to outsource manufacturing to Eastern Europe and Turkey a short-lived trend or something that will grow in coming years?
• How are PV module suppliers addressing low-carbon footprint manufacturing requirements to participate in selected end-markets across Europe today?

The two day conference provides an ideal platform for utility-scale module buyers and technology specialists, roles now being prioritized in Europe by all the major developers, EPCs, asset owners and financial investors. Join us in Málaga on 26-27 November 2024 to learn about the rapidly evolving European module supply landscape, while also enjoying a well-earned, year-end trip to one of the most desirable places in Europe to visit, Málaga in Spain!

Finlay Colville, Head of Market Research, PV Tech