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Longi founder Li Zhenguo is laying off thousands of staff in an industry grappling with oversupply The solar industry is cyclical, resulting in periods of boom and bust. Analysts have warned that massive job cuts across the industry are inevitable after several years of excessive focus on output rather than on sustainable profits. Xuyang Dong of Climate Energy Finance, an Australian think-tank, noted that at of the start of this year, China had more than 1,000GW of solar module production capacity in development for domestic and international markets, a far higher amount than current domestic demand. China needs around 280-320GW of new solar capacity a year until 2030 to reach its dual carbon targets. “The amount of money saved by laying off staff is insufficient compared to the 40-50 per cent decline in prices in the market over the last 12 months,” she said. Read more

On the Planet A podcast dive into the world of renewable energy and decarbonization with Tim Buckley, Director of Climate Energy Finance – an engaging discussion on the future of energy, global energy markets, and how we are becoming a multi-polar world. Read more

In an interview with SBS Chinese, Xuyang Dong, an energy analyst at the independent think tank Climate Energy Finance, explained that China’s large-scale production capabilities enable it to occupy the “most dominant” position in the global new energy supply chain. “China mass-produces cheap components and then exports cheap, high-quality solar cells.” Dong believes that the rapid development of China’s photovoltaic industry cannot be separated from strong and clear policy promotion. Although Australia cannot deploy the new energy industry through similar “hard planning”, it can also implement policies to guide industrial development. Read more

Solar pioneers are exploring ways to replace conventional silicon solar panels with lighter and more efficient solar cells printed on flexible plastic films to disprove the thesis that Australia “doesn’t do” advanced manufacturing. Energy analyst at independent think tank Climate Energy Finance, Xuyang Dong, said clear policy targets had helped led China to yield more than 80 per cent of the world’s solar manufacturing capacity. She said Australia had the opportunity to capitalise on the manufacturing of emerging solar technologies through similar “hard” policy planning. “China’s central government sets energy goals, such as its renewable energy development targets in the 14th Five-Year Plan, which compels state-owned energy enterprises to undergo transformations in line with these policies. It’s not a recommendation, it’s a compulsory command,” Dong said. Read more

As Tim Buckley and Annemarie Jonson write, the Coalition’s Luddites are at it again, doing what they do best – wrecking the joint as they try to blow up the renewables transition. Meanwhile, investment in the clean energy that will solve the climate crisis and deliver permanent energy bill relief to consumers is skyrocketing Read more

“The result is that China has a dramatically larger capacity to export solar modules as 2024 and 2025 unfold, and the resulting global oversupply is pushing [solar] module prices down dramatically,” said Tim Buckley, Sydney-based director of Climate Energy Finance. China’s export prices of modules have halved, and their efficiencies have improved dramatically because of investments in research and development, he said. “All of this is increasing the commercial viability of solar relative to alternative sources of electricity, both within China and in the wider Asian markets and globally,” Buckley said. Though its early days, China should be able to leverage its leadership with trade partners in Asia, Africa and South America, he added. Read more

According to a recent analysis by analyst Xuyang Dong of Climate Energy Finance, a new Australian think-tank, China is on track to exceed Beijing’s target for a 50 per cent boost in the installed capacity of renewable energy generation over the period of the state’s 14th five-year plan, from 2021 to 2025. Read more

Tim Buckley, the director of think tank Climate Energy Finance, also says China will need less Australian thermal and coking coal in the future. Buckley says China, which makes up 80 per cent of the world’s solar manufacturing capacity, has transformed the world’s capability to deliver on decarbonisation, and is driving costs down for other countries. He says solar module costs have fallen more than 40 per cent this year, making them more viable. Read more

In October, Australia’s government doubled low-interest loan funding for miners and critical mineral processors, taking the pot to $4 billion – an “entirely insufficient” figure, said Tim Buckley, a financial analyst and director at thinktank Climate Energy Finance (CEF). What the government fails to appreciate, Buckley said, is the race for green industry and supply chains is not a free market because “America has thrown a trillion bucks at the problem.” With China now a command economy, said Buckley, “our number one customer doesn’t actually believe in free markets.” Read more

Tim Buckley of Climate Energy Finance reflects on the commitment by 118 countries to treble their renewable energy and double their energy efficiency by 2030, set out at COP28 summit. He points out that while this ambitious goal is set, much hinges on which year gets used as the baseline. Tim emphasises China’s efforts in increasing their installation rates of wind and solar energy solutions. He sees this pledge as a potential turning point. Read more

China Energy Policy Analyst Xuyang Dong spoke with Michelle Chen from SBS Madarin about CEF’s recent report – Decarbonising China & the World: Chinese Energy SOEs Supercharge Renewable Investment in Response to the 14th Five Year Plan. Xuyang told SBS that after tracking the investment trends of China’s five largest energy-focused state-owned enterprises, we found that these enterprises’ huge investments in new energy sources have significantly accelerated China’s decarbonisation. The report states that China’s demand for Australian coal will be significantly reduced and calls on the government to create a national strategic investment plan to secure the future of Australia’s energy exports. Read more

Our Chinese energy SOEs report by Xuyang Dong mentioned in Australia Financial News – An Australia-based Chinese-language news outlet. Read more