Manufacturer Solarcells plans to produce around 100,000 solar panels in the coming years for the Luxembourg market in the Grand Duchy.

This would represent around a fifth of all solar panels installed annually in Luxembourg. As well as making energy production greener, the company hopes to show that Asian manufacturers don't have to dominate the market.

Production started in October in the heart of the capital, with the company working out of their Hollerich headquarters. 125,000 tons of machinery can produce a solar panel within 15-20 minutes, and the company plans to put 40,000 units on the market in 2024.

Director Michel Thein explains that the machines are capable of taking the individual pre-cut cells and welding them together with copper, resulting in each panel containing 108 cells. By 2026/27, the business hopes to sell around 100,000 units a year in Luxembourg. Today, around 250 per day are sold.

The business will distribute two models, limited to two companies.

Co-owner Marc Thein says the business only wants to sell in Luxembourg. "If our panel is used for an installation which does not work properly, it will affect the business' reputation, as Luxembourg is so small. So we shouldn't just rely on the best quality panels, but also the best installation."

The actual cells used for the panels will still be imported from China, the current major leader in the market. But there are plans to produce the cells in Europe over the next few years, says Marc Thein.

"There are manufacturers in Europe and there are plans to create more, but there is nothing concrete on the way just yet. In Turkey, for example, they are looking at producing the cells, but it is a complicated process."

For decades, the European solar industry has dealt with the massively subsidised price pressures from China, but quality remains a key concern.

Marc Thein explains: "If you order a box of panels from China, or another Asian country, you'll receive 3,200 panels instead of the 3,000 orders. Because they know that a percentage of the delivery won't work properly from the outset."

In Europe, the number of manufacturers has slowly increased over the past few years. Although Asia-produced solar panels are half the price, government subsidies can offset the price difference, particularly  during installation, according to Thein.