CHINA SOLAR PV NEWS UPDATE: WEEK 23

Here is our Weekly China Solar PV News Overview, which provides select stories on solar developments in the world's largest PV market that have been published on?TaiyangNews - All About Solar. If you are interested in weekly solar updates on China, please subscribe. For our global daily newsletter, check our website https://taiyangnews.info/

MARKETS

China relaxes minimum utilization rate for renewable energy: In a notice titled Guidelines for Ensuring High-Quality Development of Renewable Energy Consumption, the National Energy Administration has allowed regions with favorable resource conditions to lower the minimum renewable energy utilization rate target from the current 95% to 90%. The notice emphasizes the construction of several supporting grid projects, including the commissioning of 33 and the start of construction on 37 grid projects. It says China will open a “green channel” for major projects such as large-scale wind and photovoltaic bases and integrated water, wind, and solar bases, accelerating the inclusion of supporting grid projects in the national plan.

China targets non-fossil energy generation to reach 39% in 2025: The State Council of China has released the “2024-2025 Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction Action Plan.” The plan sets targets for 2025, including non-fossil energy consumption accounting for around 20% and non-fossil energy generation reaching about 39%. It aims to save approximately 50 million tons of standard coal and reduce CO2 emissions by about 130 million tons in key sectors. The plan also accelerates the construction of large wind and solar power bases in deserts, Gobi, and other arid areas, as well as inter-provincial and cross-regional transmission capacities. By the end of 2025, all new urban buildings must adhere to green building standards, and new public institution buildings and factory rooftops will aim for 50% solar PV coverage. The renewable energy substitution rate for urban buildings is set to reach 8%, and the area of new ultra-low energy and near-zero energy buildings is expected to increase by more than 20 million square meters compared to 2023. The plan also encourages the construction of photovoltaic power facilities along transport hubs and road networks and strengthens the recycling of industrial equipment, ICT, wind, solar, and power batteries.

BUSINESS

Production / Cells & Modules

Astronergy’s 8 GW cell & module fab to enter Phase II construction: The second phase of Astronergy’s high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) production base in Yueqing City, Zhejiang Province has entered the construction planning permit approval stage. The fab, being constructed for a total investment of RMB 8 billion ($1.11 billion), will double its current production capacity to 8 GW each for n-type solar cells and modules. The first phase, with 4 GW capacity each for cells and modules, has been completed and is entering the pre-acceptance and trial production stage. The Chint Group subsidiary recently announced that it has started installing equipment at its new 5 GW TOPCon solar module manufacturing base in Fuyang District (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

Central Low Carbon gets EIA pre-approval for solar cell & module fab: A subsidiary of Central New Energy Holdings, Central Low Carbon has received the pre-approval for its environmental impact assessment (EIA) report. The company plans to set up a solar cell and module manufacturing facility in Anhui Province for an investment of RMB 6.17 billion ($857.78 million). Once complete, the facility will have 16 GW of annual production capacity for high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells and 4 GW of modules. To be constructed in 2 phases, Phase I will aim to build 8 GW of annual capacity for solar cells, with Phase II adding another 8 GW capacity for solar cells and 4 GW for modules.

DAH Solar mass-produces full-screen DBB modules: PV module developer and manufacturer DAH Solar has announced that it has successfully mass-produced the 1st batch of full-screen Dense-Busbar (DBB) modules at its Hefei module manufacturing base. The DBB series modules use a new generation of busbar-free cells, which eliminates the need for printed front and back busbars. They have a frameless full-screen design, which enables them to avoid power generation losses due to water and dust accumulation. The company says that it reached the mass production stage and reached a yield of over 99% within 3 months of starting construction on the production line.

Jinenu Solar’s Yuexi Base and Hexian Base roll out 1st modules: Customized producer of PV modules Jinenu Solar has announced that 2 of its new module bases have rolled off their 1st modules. The Yuexi base’s 3.6 GW module fab involves a total investment of RMB 1.1 billion and is spread over 150 acres. The company says that this production line can customize the production of n-type high-power, large-size module products above 400-710 W. With the launch of the production line at its 3.6 GW module fab at the Hexian base, Jinenu Solar’s 6 major production bases having been fully released, totaling 20 GW production capacity.

JA Solar delivers 1st batch of modules to Ulanbuhe wind and solar base: JA Solar has announced that it has delivered the 1st batch of n-type modules to the Ulanbuhe Desert PV power project. When complete, the project will have a capacity of 1 GW. This is said to be the 1st batch of modules to arrive at the project site, kicking off the construction at the Ulanbuhe Desert wind and solar base. Last month, JA Solar announced an extension to the commencement date of its high efficiency HJT cell R&D pilot project (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

Production / Cells & Modules / TOPCon

LESSO Solar’s Shunde Base rolls out 1st 210R PV module: PV systems manufacturer LESSO Solar has announced that its Shunde base has rolled out the 1st TOPCon 210R module. The Shunde base consists of 8 fully automatic module production lines. The company has up to 3.2 GW of production capacity, catering to various types of modules, including p-type 182, p-type 210, and n-type 183.75 and 210R modules.

Astronergy starts installing equipment at 5 GW ZBB-TOPCon module manufacturing base: Chint Group subsidiary Astronergy has announced that it has started installing equipment at its new 5 GW TOPCon solar module manufacturing base in Fuyang District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. Having begun construction on the facility in October 2023, the company expects the 1st module to roll off the production line next month. The facility includes 4 production lines with a total capacity of 5 GW, all utilizing its ZBB-TOPCon modules based on low-stress, grid-free technology. Astronergy secured TüV Rheinland certification for its ASTRO N module in October 2023 and delivered its 1st order in February 2024.

Production / Cells & Modules / HJT

Cando Solar launches ‘firm-light-HJT-0BB’ PV modules: Cando Solar has launched the “firm-light-HJT-0BB” series of its PV products, designed for scenarios with the best reliability, highest power generation, and best cost-effectiveness. The company says that the module retains the glass, backplane and frame, and weighs only 6 kg/m2. With a full-screen invisible frame, the company says its rigidity makes it suitable for industrial, commercial and distributed PV, while being 50% lighter makes it ideal for most factories and roofs, eliminating the cost of reinforcing tiles. Cando Solar says the module can withstand a level 15 typhoon and up to 100 kg of weight, which makes it safe and reliable. The 0BB+HJT technology has been found to generate a 5.14% power gain in a third-party outdoor test (see China Solar PV News Snippets ). Having obtained TüV Rheinland certification, these firm-light modules have been applied in 1.33 MW projects in Yangzhou with projects in Changzhou and Yancheng also under construction.

Production / Glass

Taiheyuan New Energy starts construction on 1.5M-ton PV glass manufacturing facility: PV glass manufacturer Taiheyuan New Energy has broken ground on its annual 1.5 million ton PV glass manufacturing facility. The 1 sq. km. facility is located in the Qin Chuan Mining Park in Lanzhou City, Gansu Province and involves RMB 3.589 billion ($498.47 million) in investment. The facility, expected to come online in April 2026, will consist of 4 kilns with a capacity of 1,200 t/d kilns, and 5 production lines for PV rolled glass.

Power Plants

Jilin Electric Power to raise RMB 5.54B for RE projects: Power grid operator Jilin Electric Power has announced its plans to raise up to RMB 5.539 billion ($769.31 million) to fund 5 hydrogen and renewable energy projects, including the Da’an wind-solar green hydrogen + synthesis ammonia integration demonstration project and 4 other wind power projects. The Da’an project will feature 100 MW of solar PV capacity and 700 MW of wind power capacity, providing energy for producing 32,000 tons of green hydrogen and 180,000 tons of green ammonia annually.

Equipment

Mubang Hi-Tech subsidiary wins slicer equipment bid: PV equipment supplier Mubang Hi-Tech has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Jierui Electromechanical Equipment has won a bid from Shijing Technology. The winning bid is worth about RMB 194 million ($26.8 million). The Shijing Technology High-efficiency Solar Cell R&D and Production Project is located in the Sancaowan area of Ziyang Airport Economic Zone, spread over 443,000 sq. m. Shijing Technology plans to build an intelligent manufacturing facility with 20 GW annual capacity each for monocrystalline silicon wafers and high-efficiency solar cells. Once complete, it is expected to generate RMB 20 billion ($2.76 billion) in annual revenues.

Company Performance

LONGi expects to reach 30 GW of BC module shipments in 2024: As part of an investor relations communication , leading PV module maker LONGi has said that it expects to reach 30 GW of back-contact (BC) module shipments in 2024. LONGi says that its Hybrid Passivated Back Contact (HPBC) 1.0 cells cost the same as TOPCon cells, which it has achieved through continuous optimization and production efficiencies. The company recently launched its Hi-MO 9 module, based on its HPBC 2.0 cell technology, with a bifaciality of 70%±5, which it says delivers significantly improved module power, better temperature coefficient, weak light response and reliability. These modules are rated for 660 W of maximum power and up to 24.43% efficiency. LONGi says it is currently in the capacity-building stage for its HPBC 2.0 cells and expects to start mass shipments in Q4 2024. It projects its BC cell production capacity, based on its new TaiRay silicon wafers, to reach 100 GW over the next 3 years. The company expects to reach 200 GW of annual monocrystalline silicon wafer capacity, with TaiRay silicon wafers accounting for more than 80%. As part of its 2023 Sustainability Report, LONGi Green Energy recently announced that its renewable energy consumption for the year accounted for 31.1% of its total electricity consumption (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

Efficiencies & Certifications

GCL SI subsidiaries get TüV SüD certification: Solar PV cell and module manufacturer GCL System Integration has announced that its 5 subsidiaries have received the organizational carbon verification statement certification by TüV SüD. The company says it engaged TüV SüD to conduct this verification based on ISO 14064-3 and ISO 14064-1 standards. This certification comes after a comprehensive review of production activities, including direct emissions, energy indirect emissions, emissions from transportation, and product usage emissions. The company says this is the first time it has included “Scope 3 emissions” (all other indirect emissions occurring in the value chain) in its organizational carbon verification. Last month, GCL Si announced its plans to launch its proprietary GPC cell in Q4 2024 (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

Gold Stone Energy’s hybrid BC module achieves 25.50% efficiency: High efficiency solar cell production solution provider Gold Stone Energy has announced that its hybrid BC module has achieved a conversion efficiency of 25.50%. This module, developed by the company’s National Engineering Research Center for High-efficiency Solar Cell Equipment and Technology, combines heterojunction (HJT) and TOPCon technologies. Having surpassed its previous record of 24.88% full-area conversion efficiency set in September 2023, the company says that this achievement has been certified by TüV Nord.

4 major DAS Solar production bases ISO 14064 certified: PV cell and module supplier DAS Solar has announced its production bases in Quzhou, Taizhou, Zhangzhou and Bengbu have passed TüV SüD’s carbon verification. They have been awarded the ISO 14064 greenhouse gas verification statement. The company says that this demonstrates its efforts towards reducing carbon emissions throughout the product life cycle, and also provides strong evidence for its commitment to promoting sustainable development on a global scale.

GCL Perovskite’s 1 x 2 m module gets IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 certifications: GCL Perovskite has announced that its 1 x 2 m single-junction perovskite module has received the IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 certifications for module safety and reliability from TüV Rheinland. The company says that this module exceeds industry standards in several key parameters. It further said that the module demonstrated exceptional durability and long-term stability during the MQT13 DH1000 damp heat test, ensuring optimal energy conversion even under harsh environmental conditions. GCL Perovskite recently signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Hongjun New Energy (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

JinkoSolar’s TOPCon perovskite tandem cells hit 33.24% efficiency: JinkoSolar has announced that its n-type TOPCon perovskite tandem cell has achieved a conversion efficiency of 33.24%. The company says that this achievement has been verified by the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology (SIMIT). Having surpassed its previous record of 32.33%, the company says that this is the 26th time that it has broken efficiency and power world records for photovoltaic (PV) products. The cell utilizes JinkoSolar’s in-house n-type high-efficiency single crystal passivated contact TOPCon cell as the bottom cell and incorporates multiple material technology innovations, including ultra-thin poly passivated contact technology, new texture light trapping technology, and perovskite interface mixed material passivation enhancement technology. Recently, JinkoSolar has earned a spot on the 2024 Fortune China ESG Impact List (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

Tongwei’s HJT and TOPCon module power hit new highs: Tongwei Solar has announced it has set new power records for its high-efficiency THC 210 and TNC 210 modules based on HJT and TOPCon cell technologies, respectively. The THC 210 module, with a standard size of 2,384 x 1,303 mm, achieved a maximum output power of 765.18 W and a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 24.63%, as tested by TüV SüD. The TNC 210 module reached a maximum output power of 743.2 W and a conversion efficiency of 23.93%, as tested by TüV Rheinland. Tongwei says it has set a new power record 8 times for HJT and 3 times for TNC modules since 2023. Tongwei has set up a new PV Testing Center at the Nantong manufacturing base (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

Partnerships

Jinko Technology establishes energy storage industry fund: Jinko Technology has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiaries have signed a partnership agreement with Shanghai Guosheng Capital Management to establish the Tangshan Energy Storage Industry Fund. The fund will focus on investing in various types of energy storage power station projects. The fund targets a total subscription amount of RMB 1 billion ($138.89 million), with an initial round of RMB 500 million ($69.44 million). In the first round, Jinko’s subsidiaries will contribute a combined RMB 499.9 million ($69.43 million), representing 99.98% of the total, while Guosheng Capital, as the general partner, will contribute the rest and represent 0.02% of the total. Jinko Technology aims to leverage Guosheng Capital’s local resources in Tangshan, Hebei Province, to identify and develop high-quality energy storage projects.

Reports

Trinasolar releases 2023 sustainability report: Vertically integrated solar manufacturer Trinasolar has released its 2023 Sustainability Report. The report highlights the company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) achievements. Trinasolar invested $785 million (RMB 5.68 billion) in R&D in 2023. The report claims that the company reduced cell and module GHG emissions by 43% and 61% from 2020 baselines. Trinasolar’s Yiwu Technology factory obtained the Zero-Carbon Factory certificate, which it says is the first in the PV industry. The report also emphasizes international certification of its products, diversity and inclusion efforts with 26.06% female employees, and high governance standards with ISO 37301:2021 certification. Trinasolar says that it has received several ESG-related awards and has also joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and a low-carbon future. Trinasolar recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CSC Energy and SolarTEQ to develop 100 MW of solar projects in South Korea by the end of 2025 (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

LONGi achieves 31.1% RE usage in 2023: As part of its 2023 Sustainability Report, LONGi Green Energy has announced that its renewable energy consumption for the year accounted for 31.1% of its total electricity consumption. In kWh terms, its renewable energy consumption reached 3.815 billion kWh, equivalent to reducing 2.1244 million tons of CO2 emissions. The company invested RMB 558.33 million ($77.54 million) in environmental protection, which increased 22% Year-over-Year (YoY). LONGi says that as of 2023, it is the first Chinese photovoltaic (PV) company to pass the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) certification. LONGi’s Jiaxing manufacturing base is the world’s 1st solar module manufacturing base to become part of the WEF’s Global Lighthouse Network (GLN). At the end of 2023, LONGi’s silicon wafer and module products have cumulatively received 62 carbon footprint/EPD certificates worldwide. LONGi recently joined the stream of companies offering modules based on rectangular wafer formats with its Hi-MO X6 Max series (see New Rectangular Wafer Based Module From LONGi ).

TAIYANGNEWS REPORT

1st Market Survey On Floating Solar Technology

Among the solar industry’s efforts to optimize utilization of land and find and boost alternatives to traditional ground-mounted applications, an interesting option is increasingly emerging – Floating Photovoltaics (FPV), also called floating solar or floatovoltaics. Simply put, FPV is a configuration where solar systems float on water bodies. This brings several benefits compared to land-based solar parks – from conservation of land, protection of water quality, lower water evaporation, and the potential for higher system yields.

While there are already some FPV reports available, they are mostly about market potential or best practice recommendations. Our 1st Market Survey on FPV focuses on the commercial products on offer today. We have talked to FPV manufacturers around the world to provide product level details of the key system components, like floaters, and discuss other important aspects of a floating solar system. This TaiyangNews survey lists 13 products with technical specs from 9 suppliers, including the market leaders in this segment.

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