EU Moves to Ban Chinese Inverters; 36 Companies & Institutions Jointly Voice Strong Opposition

2026-07-20

Until recently, the European Photovoltaic Industry Association finally broke its silence, demanding that the European Commission clarify how the so-called "inverter ban" would be enforced and on what basis. Prior to this, 36 European renewable energy companies and investment institutions had already taken the initiative, jointly writing a letter to European Commission President von der Leyen, warning that such restrictions could slow down the energy transition in Central and Eastern Europe. Meanwhile, the international authoritative energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie released a major report at the same time, providing the most direct evidence to support this debate.

Within just three days, the joint corporate letter, authoritative industry analysis and official statements from the solar association emerged one after another. Rather than a coincidental shift in public opinion, this sequence represents a coordinated, multi-layered campaign to pressure EU policymakers. The motivation is straightforward: the industry cannot afford further delays.

Wood Mackenzie’s analysis estimates the European Commission’s restrictions could disrupt around 14% of Europe’s projected solar PV demand between 2026 and 2030, equivalent to more than 28 GWdc of inverter capacity. Approximately 12% of planned energy storage deployments will also be affected, with utility-scale storage facing the most severe risks.

If the EU issued clear, formal regulations, market players could at least adjust their operations accordingly. Instead, the industry is plagued by pervasive uncertainty. SolarPower Europe stresses that this opaque policy landscape is undermining companies’ ability to plan projects, source equipment and secure financing.