Several New England solar energy companies have their sights trained on competing with and serving business interests of China, a country that generates cheap panels and established its heavy presence in the industry in 2008 and 2009, the Boston Globe reports.

Stellaris of North Billerica is using less photovoltaic material to devise new solar panels with a plastic case that directs sunlight to the photovoltaic material. GT Solar, Spire Corporation and BTU International have offices across from Stellaris where they manufacture equipment to sell to factories that make solar panels.

"Our first Chinese customer bought $300-million-plus of technology from us," Kedar Gupta, founder of Merrimack, New Hampshire-based GT Solar, told the newspaper. "The Chinese all had very big projects in mind, and slowly they started succeeding against the European and American companies making solar panels."

Marlborough has Evergreen Solar, which makes solar power products. Konarka Technologies in New Bedford will soon generate a higher volume of flexible solar panels for awnings, backpacks and umbrellas. Lexington has 1366 Technologies, which intends to introduce innovative methods to create silicon solar wafers, the core component of a solar panel.

In October, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology brought together a private meeting of professors, investors and entrepreneurs to discuss how MIT can assist the industry.

"One big question was how we can help companies grow and scale here," Peter Rothstein, executive director of the New England Clean Energy Council, told the newspaper.