The tough negotiations concerning the import prices for modules from China are already leaving their mark. Supplies from China do, indeed, still dominate the worldwide module market; they are, however, no longer the lowest-priced PV panels in the European Union.
It is also important to differentiate between those goods imported and declared before the 6th August and those imported more recently. This results in two possible prices – the former generally below and the latter considerably above the magic number €0.56/Wp. The lower-priced goods are becoming increasingly scarce and may well disappear completely in the near future.
All well-known Chinese brands are now available in almost any quantity but at a price of around €0.60/Wp, and a waiting period for delivery is to be accepted as they must first be brought out of China. That good availability in the EU is, of course, a direct consequence of the regulated import prices. There is hardly a project of any size in the EU that can cope with this current price level, resulting in projects being shelved until more cost-effective alternatives can be found. And these alternatives are emerging from a widening range of suppliers from Southeast Asia. These newcomers, who were completely unknown and unnoticed in Europe in the past, are enjoying growing popularity due to their extremely attractive price level. The countries of origin are Vietnam, Malaysia and, of course, Taiwan. Many importers can already offer quotes on some of these new brands, the quality of which, however, is largely unverified and unknown indeed. The prices of these modules are in the region of €0.50/Wp, assuming container delivery.
A familiar challenge now awaits investors and banks: the inspection of all certificates and measures of quality assurance and the reliability of the manufacturing companies – in short, their bankability. Existing whitelists are becoming obsolete.