Significant demand increases are expected for both structural materials - concrete, steel, plastic, glass, aluminium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, and zinc - and technology specific materials such as rare earths and minor metals. China has invested over USD 50 billion in new PV supply capacity – ten times more than Europe − and created more than 300 000 manufacturing jobs across the solar PV value chain since 2011. Today, China's share in all the manufacturing stages of solar panels (such as polysilicon, ingots, wafers. This special report examines solar PV supply chains from raw materials all the way to the finished product, spanning the five main segments of the manufacturing process: polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells and modules. The analysis covers supply, demand, production, energy consumption, emissions. Sinovoltaics provides a free comprehensive map resource that is designed to provide a clear and detailed view of the global solar supply chain. Can governments and companies ensure that workers in the solar supply chain benefit from safe, just, and well-compensated livelihoods—and that the communities most affected are.
