China’s major solar panel manufacturers are ramping up higher-margin battery exports to boost revenue as growth in photovoltaic (PV) sales slows, reports Reuters. This comes as they are betting on rising global demand for renewable energy storage to cut reliance on fossil fuels.
The sector has been hit by weaker domestic installations, slowing exports and record-low prices, with executives expecting global demand to decline in 2026. That has pushed players including JinkoSolar, JA Solar, LONGi Green Energy and Trina to accelerate expansion into battery storage, company executives told Reuters.
Countries with high renewable penetration—including Japan, Vietnam and India, as well as Germany, the Netherlands, the U.S. and Australia–were among the largest importers of batteries from China in 2025, according to energy think tank Ember.