Publication

Services in Global Value Chains: Solar Panel Manufacturing in China

This case study of a Chinese solar panel producer investigates the role of services in manufacturing value chains, and highlights the effect of government policies on photovoltaic industry development and international trade flows.

Up to 40 types of services are required to manufacture solar panels, of which most tend to be outsourced, rather than supplied in-house. At this point in the photovoltaic value chain, services account for one quarter of the total cost of production. The case illustrates how both domestic and foreign government policies can impact solar panel manufacturing and export. The study was conducted in partnership with the Fung Global Institute (FGI), a Hong Kong-based think tank and forms part of a broader FGI study on services in global value chains.