Overproduction in China and massive government subsidy programmes in the United States mark the struggle to stay profitable for a business that used to boom in Germany.In Bitterfeld-Wolfen, a solar cell plant opened in 2021 by the Swiss group Meyer Burger on the site of defunct German producer Q-Cells is a sign of a possible renaissance.
Thousands of jobs were cut in Solar Valley, while Chinese competitors took the top spot in the industry.Today, Chinese companies make up an estimated 80 percent of photovoltaic production worldwide, just as Germany is looking to reduce its reliance on the Asian giant and expand renewable energy capacity.Berlin's aim to produce 80 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2030 has been boosted by the revival of its domestic industry.