China’s solar energy exports rose about 18 percent to $7.42 billion from a year ago in the first half of 2014 as manufacturers held onto market share in the U.S. and Europe, an industry group said.

Solar cells and modules formed most of the exports, which totaled $12.3 billion for the whole of 2013, said Sun Guangbin, secretary-general of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products.

Asia accounted for 51 percent of the overseas shipments in the first six months of this year, followed by Europe and North America, Sun said at a conference in Beijing today. He expects exports to the U.S. to decline in the remainder of 2014 because of tariffs imposed by the U.S.

The U.S. on July 25 called for anti-dumping duties ranging as high as 165 percent for some Chinese manufacturers and 44 percent for those in Taiwan. It was a victory for the U.S. unit of SolarWorld AG, which accused China of shifting production to Taiwan to avoid earlier levies.

Sun said China may enjoy record solar installations this year. More than a half of solar capacity in China still depends on sales abroad.

Sun said he expects the world to add 46 gigawatts of solar power in 2014. About 38.3 gigawatts were installed last year, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance data. Japan is the biggest export market in Asia, he said.

China had 354 companies selling solar cells and panels abroad in the first half, almost half of the number two years ago, Sun said. The number will be further reduced as China works to consolidate the industry through mergers and acquisitions, he said.