Darkness falls for French solar panel manufacturer
by AFP Staff Writers
Lyon (AFP) Jan 24, 2025
Regarded as one of France’s last manufacturers of solar panels — owned by a division of the state-owned EDF energy conglomerate that oversees the country’s nuclear power facilities, might be shut down as no buyer has come forward.
EDF Renewables stated on Friday that all possible measures to rescue Photowatt were examined, which has been incurring losses between 20 and 30 million euros (dollars) per year.
However, after failing to secure an agreement with a buyer “the option selected by management was to terminate the company,” an EDF Renewables representative informed AFP.
Situated just outside the eastern city of Lyon, Photowatt employs 162 staff.
It was acquired by EDF Renewables out of bankruptcy protection in 2012 after facing challenges from lower-priced Chinese imports.
Ultimately, it ceased the production of solar panels to focus on manufacturing the silicon wafers used for solar panel production.
Last year, the EU launched an initiative to assist the few remaining domestic solar panel manufacturers, highlighting that the bloc imports the majority of its needs, with 97 percent of imports sourced from China.
It pointed out that solar energy is the fastest growing renewable energy sector in the EU and could be crucial for the bloc in achieving its 2030 target of renewables making up 42.5 percent of energy generation.
Data released on Thursday by climate think tank Ember indicated that renewables constituted 47 percent of the EU’s electricity generation last year, predominantly driven by solar energy.
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