China’s Solar Manufacturers Turn to Energy Storage as Panel Growth Slows

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China’s leading solar panel manufacturers are accelerating their move into energy storage as photovoltaic panel sales face slower growth, weaker demand, and record-low prices. The shift reflects a broader market transition: solar companies are no longer competing only on panel supply, but increasingly on integrated solar-plus-storage solutions for global renewable energy projects.

Article

China’s major solar manufacturers are expanding into battery energy storage as growth in photovoltaic panel sales slows. The move is driven by weaker domestic installations, slowing exports, and record-low panel prices, which have reduced the growth outlook for traditional solar module sales.

Companies including JinkoSolar, JA Solar, LONGi Green Energy, and Trina Solar are increasing their focus on storage products. JinkoSolar plans to raise its battery manufacturing capacity from 5 gigawatt-hours to 13–14 gigawatt-hours by the end of the year, reflecting expectations that renewable energy developers will need more storage capacity to manage intermittency.

The shift was visible at SNEC, one of the world’s largest solar industry events, where storage products received more attention across company displays and customer discussions. JA Solar’s storage business, for example, was presented more prominently than in previous PV-focused exhibitions. LONGi also highlighted solar-plus-storage integration as a central part of its market positioning.

Market data points to a clear contrast between solar panel and battery growth. Solar panel exports grew 4.7% in 2025, the slowest pace since 2018. By comparison, energy storage battery exports are forecast to rise by 30% to 150 gigawatt-hours in 2026. Major importing markets for Chinese batteries in 2025 included Japan, Vietnam, India, Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, and Australia.

This transition brings solar manufacturers into closer competition with major battery producers such as CATL and BYD. However, solar companies are betting that their advantage lies in offering integrated solar-plus-storage solutions rather than standalone battery products. For project developers, purchasing solar and storage from the same supplier can simplify procurement, technical integration, and long-term service relationships.

IKOS Observation

For IKOS, this development is important because it signals a structural change in China’s clean energy export model. Chinese solar manufacturers are no longer relying only on module volume and price competitiveness. They are moving toward bundled clean energy solutions that combine panels, batteries, system integration, and long-term project support.

This matters for overseas markets where renewable penetration is rising and grid stability has become a practical constraint. Countries with growing solar deployment increasingly need storage to make renewable power dispatchable and bankable. As a result, the commercial opportunity is shifting from selling individual components to supporting complete project packages.

For cross-border business development, the key implication is that Chinese suppliers may become more relevant to international developers, distributors, and commercial energy users that want integrated systems. At the same time, competition will become more demanding: buyers will evaluate not only price, but also battery safety, warranty strength, financing support, certification, after-sales capability, and compliance with local market requirements.

This topic is suitable for continued internal tracking because it connects directly with Chinese clean technology exports, overseas project development, supply-chain positioning, and the future of solar-plus-storage business models.

Suggested Tags

China solar industry; energy storage; battery exports; solar-plus-storage; clean technology exports; renewable energy supply chain; global solar market; IKOS analysis