China’s photovoltaic industry is expected to show significant growth and development by 2025, with a substantial increase in the supply of photovoltaic raw materials, technological progress, and outstanding export performance. According to statistics from the China Photovoltaic Industry Association, in 2025, polysilicon production reached 1.43 million tons, a growth rate of 67%; wafer production was 622GW, a year-on-year increase of 67.5%; cell production reached 545GW, a growth rate of 64.9%; and module production reached 500GW, a growth rate of 69.3%. These figures show a substantial increase in production and highlight the optimization of the industrial structure and technological progress.
Annual supply of polysilicon and year-on-year growth
Photovoltaic silicon wafer output and year-on-year growth
Solar cell production and year-on-year growth
PV module production and year-on-year growth
In terms of exports, China’s PV product exports also achieved high growth in 2023. The export volumes of wafers, cells, and PV modules reached 70.3GW, 39.3GW, and 211.7GW, respectively, with year-on-year growth rates of 93.6%, 65.5%, and 37.9%. This leap forward shows the competitiveness of Chinese PV products in the global market and reflects the high degree of international market dependence on Chinese PV products. Regarding export market distribution, Europe and Asia are the main export destinations, accounting for 42% and 40% of total exports, respectively. The Netherlands, Brazil, Spain, and India remain among the top four export markets for Chinese PV products.
Conclusion
Energy saving and emission reduction is now a common goal worldwide, and the introduction of net-zero carbon emission targets in various countries will further stimulate the increase in demand for PV. 2025 PV InfoLink forecasts that annual demand will reach 214GW, with non-Chinese demand coming in at 139GW, an increase of 11.6% year-on-year, which is not as rapid as the previous year’s increase but is still a positive development for China’s module exports.
