Watson solar panels at below-market rates defends 'right' of China to sell

He added, "If we are going to help developing countries cut their reliance on fossil fuels we have to create a mass market for  solar panel."

He said, "In the end, it is in our interests for the price of solar panels to fall, so I do not oppose Chinese manufacturers making and selling solar panels at a lower cost."

His comments come amid an ongoing anti-dumping investigation against China by the commission.

Meanwhile, a coalition of European grid operators and NGOs have signed a joint declaration calling for the "greening" of Europe's electricity grid.

Watson signed the declaration on behalf of the climate parliament, a world-wide network of MPs and MEPs from all mainstream political parties campaigning to increase investment in renewable energy and electricity grids.

He said, "Building a new integrated European grid tie inverter is a pre-requisite for the sharing of electricity from renewables across Europe and creating a stable green energy supply."

The British Liberal member added, "What do you build first, the cars, or the roads that cars need to drive on to get around? It's a no-brainer."

Some believe it is cheap and reliable solar cells imported from China which have spurred that rapid growth, by quickly bringing down the costs of solar power in countries such as Germany.

Even so, the commission launched its request for an investigation into the export or 'dumping' of below market price solar products from China.

At issue are concerns that Chinese solar manufacturers have access to government-sponsored credit at below-market rates, with loans that may be written off if they cannot be paid back.

The latest trade battle between the EU and China is said to have badly damaged both China's solar photovoltaics (PV) industry and the EU's solar panel supply chains.

It also cast a shadow on the recent UN climate talks in Doha.

Graham Watson, a former ALDE group leader in parliament, has now entered the fray by tabling a parliamentary question to the commission on the issue in which he strongly defends China's position.

The written question says, "In its investigation into alleged dumping by the People's Republic of China (PRC) of solar panels on the EU market, will the commission take account of the extent of involvement of EU companies in the production of solar panels in the PRC?"

It goes on, "In other words, will it recognise that some EU countries have seized the opportunity to source production in the PRC for legitimate competition reasons?

Watson, who chairs a global network called the climate parliament, insists that the cost of manufacturing solar panels must be cut in order to meet the EU's renewable energy targets.

The solar photovoltaics (PV) industry has taken off over the last decade and, in 2010, more solar PV capacity was installed in the EU than new wind power inverter.