Cheaper

While many reports primarily emphasised that Jinko Solar shipped more modules than market leader Trina Solar in Q1/2016 (TaiyangNews did as well – see Jinko Solar Q1/2016), my top slide of  Jinko's presentation was the one on module production cost. Jinko produced in-house modules at 37 US cents per W, that's 5 cents or 12% lower than 1 year ago, and even 2 cents less than in the previous quarter.  That's simply amazing!

At the same time, the Minimum Import Price (MIP) for Chinese modules to the European Union is at 56 Euro cents ( about 62 US cents). Imagine how much cheaper solar power could be in Europe if such lowest-cost modules would be offered at market prices at the Continent. It explains to a certain extent also why Europe's solar markets are not thriving as many other regions of the world. It is a shame that policy support for solar is barely existing in most European countries, but the solar sector needs at the very least access to the lowest cost product to manage its way in today's tough solar environment on the Continent.