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Market Chatter: China Solar Installations Fall for Fourth Month in April Despite Export Surge

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New solar installations in China fell for the fourth straight month on a year-over-year basis in April, with new capacity additions at 9.52 gigawatts, according to a Bloomberg report, citing China's National Energy Administration.

While the figure marks an improvement from March, at 8.91 GW, it is a fraction of the 45.22 GW installed during the same period last year when policy changes resulted in a spurt of new installations.

This has since led to a 26% decline in solar cell output, even with exports resilient having grown 60% year-over-year. That growth was despite the Chinese government scrapping tax rebates on exports, making Chinese solar PV more expensive.

China added 5.49 GW of new wind capacity during April, while thermal capacity additions were significantly lower at 3.49 GW, according to the NEA.

The China Photovoltaic Industry Association, a non-profit trade group headquartered in Beijing, did not immediately respond to' request for comment on this story.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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