Skyworth Solar mulls global expansion

With the global energy market facing challenges such as unstable supply and surging demand due to the leapfrogging development of artificial intelligence, Skyworth Solar Co Ltd is upgrading itself into an industrial operator providing integrated services of production, synergy, deployment, trading and added value.

As part of the company's five-year strategy unveiled on June 3, Skyworth Solar will make Germany and Italy its centers for Europe, while Thailand will be its center for Southeast Asia. This year, the company will extend its services to 12 countries and reach new markets such as Indonesia and the Philippines. Explosive growth can also be expected in the United Kingdom, said Qu Wanfei, executive president and general manager of the overseas business division at Skyworth Solar, and chief investment officer of parent company Skyworth Group.

On June 3, Skyworth Solar also announced its cooperation with Joybuy — JD's global online site — under which the two companies will explore new channels to deliver China's new energy solutions to global customers.

Qu said the expansion into overseas markets is by no means simply selling products, but building a whole system covering local distribution channels, storage, service delivery, technology support and after-sales services.

"Energy mix, power pricing, building typologies and user needs vary significantly from country to country. For example, European users prioritize energy independence and product quality, while Southeast Asian users focus more on adaptability to high temperatures, high-humidity and overall return-on-investment efficiency. Experiences in mature markets can help us with technology innovation and service improvement," Qu said.

Founded in 2020, Skyworth Solar has built over 800,000 power plants, with its cumulative grid-connected capacity exceeding 29.3 gigawatts as of the end of 2025.

As Qu further explained, electricity is still expensive, especially in regions with geopolitical tensions and unstable power supply. But the cost of solar power has dropped by 90 percent over the past decade, with an easy process of installation and application.

It only takes six months to build a solar-powered farm and only one day for a rooftop PV system, said Sonia Dunlop, CEO of Global Solar Council. No other energy source is as fast, modular and globally adaptable as solar, Dunlop said.

The global newly installed solar PV capacity reached 700 GW in 2025, a figure that seemed utterly "unimaginable" a decade ago. The cumulative global solar PV capacity stands at 2.2 terawatts now, and is expected to rise to 8 TW in 2030 when energy storage capacity will also reach 1.5 TW, Dunlop added.

Rentia van Tonder, head of renewable energy, power and infrastructure for Johannesburg-based Standard Bank, said they need cooperation with Chinese partners as they are looking for better market understanding, ideas, and operational experiences in different markets and countries. More participation of engineering, procurement and construction companies and an enriched supply of products and services from China will also help the development of clean energy in South Africa.

According to China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), the country will build 100 national-level zero-carbon parks, with planning of the first 52 already released.

"This is a very specific target. A zero-carbon park is a very complicated scenario combining factories and devices, which requires diversified but precise deployment of power," Qu said.