China solar firms pivot to batteries as panel sales slow
Major manufacturers including JinkoSolar and JA Solar are increasing battery exports to offset falling margins in the solar panel market. JinkoSolar expects to nearly triple its storage capacity this year as global demand for renewable energy storage is forecast to grow 30 percent in 2026.
China solar manufacturers are pivoting to high-margin battery exports as photovoltaic sales growth slowed to 4.7% in 2025. The shift aims to offset record-low panel prices and weakening domestic installations by leveraging rising global demand for renewable energy storage. This transition into integrated energy systems creates a new revenue hedge for manufacturers facing a saturated global solar market.
### Solar Majors Pivot to Storage JinkoSolar Holding Co-ADR plans to increase its battery manufacturing capacity to between 13-14 GWh by the end of this year, up from 5 GWh. Executives at the SNEC industry gathering said the expansion targets the intermittency of renewable energy. Titus Koech, a regional technical head at JinkoSolar, said the company is making massive investments to meet this demand.
