EU imports €11.4bn in green energy products as solar panel trade falls

The European Union imported €11.4 billion worth of solar panels, biofuels and wind turbines in 2025, while exports of the same products totalled €4.6 billion, according to figures published by Eurostat. The data showed a mixed picture across the three categories, with solar panel and biofuel imports declining in value, while wind turbine imports increased sharply. Solar panel imports fell by 27.7 per cent year-on-year to €8 billion, although the volume imported dropped by just 4 per cent, indicating that average import prices decreased. China remained by far the EU’s largest supplier, accounting for 98.6 per cent of all solar panel imports in 2025. Imports of biofuels were valued at €2.7 billion, down 7.9 per cent from the previous year, while their volume declined by 11.6 per cent. Malaysia was the largest supplier of liquid biofuels, accounting for 21.9 per cent of EU imports, followed by the United States at 16.1 per cent, Argentina at 12.4 per cent and the United Kingdom at 12.3 per cent. China’s share of EU biofuel imports fell sharply from 24.2 per cent in 2024 to 1.3 per cent in 2025, while Malaysia’s share increased from 15.3 per cent and that of the United States rose from 8.4 per cent. Wind turbines moved in the opposite direction, with import values rising by 40.6 per cent to €700 million and import volumes increasing by 69 per cent. China accounted for 59.6 per cent of wind turbine imports, followed by India with 22.2 per cent, with China overtaking India as the leading supplier after increasing its share from 41.3 per cent in 2024. On the export side, EU sales of solar panels were valued at €500 million, down 23.6 per cent year-on-year, despite a 2.6 per cent increase in the volume exported. Biofuel exports fell more sharply, with their value dropping by 45.9 per cent to €1 billion and their volume declining by 46.2 per cent. Wind turbines were the EU’s most valuable export category among the three products, generating €3.1 billion in 2025. Their export value increased by 10.8 per cent compared with 2024, while the volume exported rose by 9.5 per cent. The figures show that the EU remained a net importer of the three green energy product categories, with imports worth substantially more than exports during 2025.