Global photovoltaics: an increasingly concentrated and strategic market for the energy transition

Photovoltaics continues to be one of the pillars of the energy transition , but its development is no longer just a question of installed megawatts.

Today the central issue is how and by whom this technology is produced, distributed and integrated into energy systems .

The solar market is increasingly global, but also increasingly concentrated, with effects that go far beyond the price of modules and directly affect supply chains, design, and long-term strategies.

A mature market, but less widespread than it seems

In recent years, photovoltaic production has progressively concentrated in a few areas and in a small number of large industrial operators.

This has enabled economies of scale, lower costs, and the rapid spread of solar power worldwide. At the same time, however, it has made the market more dependent on long and undiversified supply chains.

For those operating in Europe, this dynamic is not neutral. The availability of low-cost modules has accelerated many projects, but it has also overshadowed the issues of industrial autonomy and system resilience. Market concentration thus becomes a strategic variable, not just a commercial one.

From module to plant: where true value is created

In such a competitive context, the value of photovoltaics no longer lies in the single technology, but in the ability to integrate it intelligently .

For buildings, industries and complex systems, solar really works when it communicates with storage , heat pumps , HVAC systems and load management .

This is where the role of system designers and operators becomes crucial. A concentrated market makes components increasingly standardized, but increases the importance of design quality, system reliability, and the ability to maximize self-consumption and overall efficiency.

An industrial issue, not just an energy one

The concentration of the photovoltaic market also opens a broader reflection on the European industrial future .

Focusing on a local supply chain means competing not just on volume, but on quality, innovation, integration, and expertise. It also means reducing exposure to geopolitical and commercial risks , at a time when energy has once again become a strategic issue.

Photovoltaics remains essential to the European energy system. But its evolution requires informed choices that combine security of supply, competitiveness, and the ability to design resilient systems.

For ExpoClima, the issue is not whether photovoltaics will continue to grow—this is now clear—but how this growth is changing the work of those who design and build systems.

In an increasingly concentrated market, competitive advantage is shifting from technology itself to the ability to build integrated, efficient, and long-lasting solutions.