After fifteen years of working with people committed to building a sustainable photovoltaic sector and ensuring the energy transition, Paul Toulouse, the director of Systovi, one of the last two French producers of photovoltaic panels, is feeling overwhelming sadness. Despite giving himself one month to find a buyer, no one showed up, and the Commercial Court of Nantes declared the liquidation of the company on Wednesday, April 17. Unfortunately, the extreme competition from Chinese photovoltaic panels, which are currently sold four times cheaper than French panels, made it difficult for potential buyers to make offers.
Paul Toulouse regrets that despite around fifty contacts in the sector, none resulted in a viable offer. The lack of regulatory perspective and protection tools for French or European industries has made it easy for Chinese products to dominate the market in Europe. European MP Christophe Clergeau describes Systovi as a company with profitable technologies that has fallen victim to economic attacks from China. He criticizes the passivity of French and continental authorities in protecting European companies from such attacks.
With 87 employees, two-thirds of whom voted for the company’s liquidation, Systovi’s employees are now faced with turning the page after investing in production facilities and being let down by market conditions. Despite voting for liquidation, many employees express disappointment and bitterness at the lack of support from politicians and authorities. The sudden closure of Systovi’s operations highlights the challenges in creating a viable French or European photovoltaic sector.
The closure of Systovi’s manufacturing facility comes at a time when France is aiming to double solar energy production capacities in the country. Despite this objective, Paul Toulouse believes that without strong regulatory support and protection tools for French or European industries, it will be difficult for any company operating on this scale to compete effectively against international manufacturers like China.