The past 2.5 years I have worked and lived in Shanghai and specialized in solar products that are produced in China.

In the beginning I simply traveled from factory to factory to learn about different technologies and to build a network of contacts amongst the manufacturers in China.

The toughest thing about visiting over 120 solar panel factories in China is not the time away from home, it’s not the traveling or the language barrier…

The toughest thing are the endless diners and the rice wine that need to be drunk during factory visits to gain a factories’ trust. I assure you, Chinese business culture is not always good for your health!

Nowadays I run a company in Shanghai specialized in quality control. Also I manage our own production facility where we design and produce Off-Grid solar systems.

Back then there was few information available about Chinese solar manufacturers, and some companies feared quality issues. Such companies were spreading the word: “We’re not selling Chinese solar panels, as we’re only selling quality solar panels made in Europe”.

I don’t need to explain that the majority of solar cell and solar panel production has moved to China during the past two years and companies that sell solely ‘Europe made’ solar panels are becoming rare.

Also in 2011 Chinese cell and solar panel manufacturers will continue to take market share from European and American competitors.

As a result, in order to compete in nowadays market, many companies purchase directly from a manufacturer in China. It’s a logical step, however it’s also where often the problems start..

Solar installation companies often work with close deadlines. This applies to solar installers with residential projects and to pv plant developers with MW projects.

Good planning is especially important when you have an installation team on the… Read more…