The Carbon solar gigafactory project at Fos-sur-Mer in France has been liquidated in May 2026. The 45-hectare site had been labeled a national interest project promising 1.5 billion euros in investment, 3,000 direct jobs, 9,000 indirect jobs, and 10 million panels produced annually.
Founder Pierre-Emmanuel Martin blamed EU free trade agreements that extended Made in Europe status to Turkey, Vietnam, and India. China controls 85 percent of global photovoltaic production and opened one 50GW factory in 2024 alone. Similar failures hit Meyer Burger in Germany and other European sites.
Besides using cheaper coal, China heavily subsidizes the solar sector as well as other industries. The panels are sold at a loss just to capture market share. In addition, China doesn't have to worry about labor laws or environmental damage. They just don't give a sh*t. That has been China's business model for years to eliminate competition by undercutting on price. Once they corner the market, then they raise prices and weaponize the product for political reasons. This is the EU's own fault. They are so owned by China at this point that they don't dare pass regulations to protect their own industries for fear of pissing off the Chinese.
The Carbon solar gigafactory project at Fos-sur-Mer in France has been liquidated in May 2026. The 45-hectare site had been labeled a national interest project promising 1.5 billion euros in investment, 3,000 direct jobs, 9,000 indirect jobs, and 10 million panels produced annually. Founder Pierre-Emmanuel Martin blamed EU free trade agreements that extended Made in Europe status to Turkey, Vietnam, and India. China controls 85 percent of global photovoltaic production and opened one 50GW factory in 2024 alone. Similar failures hit Meyer Burger in Germany and other European sites.
SOURCE: https://x.com/supernewbiepro/status/2059316644737171643 SOURCE (nitter): https://nitter.com/supernewbiepro/status/2059316644737171643
Besides using cheaper coal, China heavily subsidizes the solar sector as well as other industries. The panels are sold at a loss just to capture market share. In addition, China doesn't have to worry about labor laws or environmental damage. They just don't give a sh*t. That has been China's business model for years to eliminate competition by undercutting on price. Once they corner the market, then they raise prices and weaponize the product for political reasons. This is the EU's own fault. They are so owned by China at this point that they don't dare pass regulations to protect their own industries for fear of pissing off the Chinese.
This is a sad State of affairs.
Sad but true.