CHINA SOLAR PV NEWS UPDATE: WEEK 34

LONGi Solar supplies Hi-MO X6 modules to ZTE Industrial Park; AIKO Energy ’s n-type ABC cells for Brunel Solar Team’s solar car; Astronergy Solar supports 400 MW plant in China; Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. TOPCon panels & BESS for GWI project in Japan.

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BUSINESS

Production / Cells & Modules

Photon Crystal's 100 MW perovskite pilot line starts production: Perovskite-focused technology company Photon Crystal Energy has announced the start of production at its 100 MW perovskite pilot production line. The pilot line is located in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, and features fully localized equipment and automated continuous production, with industry-leading performance indicators says the company. The pilot line uses a proprietary ink formula and full printing technology to produce perovskite PV modules with dimensions of 1.2 m x 0.6 m. At the launch event, Photon Crystal also announced that it had secured over RMB 100 million ($13.94 million) in Series A+ financing, led by Dingfeng Sci-Tech Innovation, to prepare for the subsequent mass production of GW-scale perovskite products.

Production / Cells & Modules / HJT

Haitai Solar delays 2 GW HJT module manufacturing plant: Green energy company Haitai Solar has announced delays for 2 of its projects. Having raised RMB 560,151,922 ($78.09 million) in November 2022, the company had announced that it would construct a 2 GW HJT module R&D and manufacturing plant, a 10 GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing plant, and expand its R&D laboratory using the proceeds. Originally slated for completion within 2 years, the company planned to invest RMB 300 million ($41.82 million) in the 2 GW HJT plant. In its announcement dated August 14, Haitai Solar stated that it will now be completed by March 31, 2025. Along the same lines, the R&D laboratory expansion project’s timeline has been extended to December 31, 2025. In May 2024, Haitai Solar launched its first 210R high-efficiency solar module (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

Production / Solar Cell Encapsulation Film

TKD's 10 GW solar film facility receives environmental approval: TKD Science and Technology Co., Ltd. (TKD), a solar film manufacturer, has received approval for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for its 10 GW solar cell encapsulation film manufacturing plant. TKD plans to invest RMB 600 million ($83.61 million) to construct this facility in Suqian City, Jiangsu Province. To be executed in 2 phases, the first phase will involve an investment of RMB 350 million ($48.79 million) to build 7 EPE and POE production lines, while the RMB 250 million ($34.84 million) second phase will involve 5 additional production lines. Once fully operational, it is expected to produce 100 million sq. m. (10 GW) of solar cell encapsulation films annually, including 4,400 sq. m. of EVA films, 3,400 sq. m. of EPE films, 1,000 sq. m. of POE films, and 1,200 sq. m. of white and black films.

Supply / Cells & Modules

DMEGC Solar modules for Jiangsu fishery-PV complementary project: Vertically integrated solar module manufacturer DMEGC Solar has announced that it is supplying 940 MW of high-efficiency n-type 630 W modules for a fishery-PV Complementary project in Jiangsu, China, set to be grid-connected by October. The project is expected to generate 1.609 billion kWh annually, reducing coal consumption by 496,400 tons and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 1.2374 million tons. This initiative enhances local fishery operations, promotes industrial growth, and boosts local incomes, demonstrating the economic and environmental potential of sustainable energy projects. DMEGC Solar, a global Tier 1 solar manufacturer, continues to lead in the photovoltaic industry with its reliable products and solutions. Late last month, DMEGC Solar announced that it will inject RMB 799 million ($108.57 million) into its wholly-owned subsidiary Dongshang New Energy (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

LONGi supplies Hi-MO X6 modules for ZTE Industrial Park: Vertically integrated solar module manufacturer LONGi has announced a collaboration with Chinese communications service provider ZTE Corporation, to develop the solar project at ZTE Industrial Park in Xi'an. The project will focus on installing distributed solar systems on the rooftops and carports of ZTE’s Chang’an base and Yanta R&D Center, with a total installed capacity of 3.9 MW. The project will utilize LONGi’s Hi-MO X6 series solar modules and is expected to generate an 4.45 million kWh of electricity annually once operational. The project is said to ensure a stable power supply during peak and normal usage hours, with most of the generated electricity consumed by the park and any surplus fed into the grid. Last month, LONGi completed its first vertical installation of 2.58 kW Hi-MO X6 All-Black solar modules in Hokkaido, Japan (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

AIKO’s n-type ABC cells for Brunel Solar Team’s solar car: Solar PV manufacturer AIKO has announced a strategic partnership with the Brunel Solar Team to equip the Dutch team's new solar car, Nuna 12S, with its high-efficiency n-type ABC cells. The car is set to compete in the 2024 Sasol Solar Challenge in South Africa from September 13 to September 20. The challenge will see participating teams drive from Johannesburg to Cape Town, aiming to cover the longest possible distance using solar power over 8 days. AIKO emphasized that its n-type ABC cells boast the highest mass-production conversion efficiency in the industry, and this partnership will showcase the cells' outstanding performance in real-world applications, highlighting the significant potential of solar in transportation.

Astronergy supports 400 MW plant in China: Solar PV module manufacturer, Astronergy, said in an announcement that it is the module supplier for a 400 MW solar-grazing integrated plant in Qinghai, China. The company had provided 240 MW of its high-efficiency ASTRO Series modules for this facility. These modules are efficient, reliable and are highly adaptable to diverse environmental conditions, especially high-altitude, the company added. Recently, Astronergy had displayed its latest TOPCon 4.0 technology-based product offerings for residential and utility applications at the SNEC 2024 event in Shanghai (see Astronergy’s TOPCon 4.0 module portfolio on display at SNEC 2024 ).

Guangdong Electric Power Development releases bid results: Chinese energy developer Guangdong Electric Power Development Co., Ltd., announced the shortlisted candidates for its 335 MW of solar module procurement in 2024. Here are the details:

·??????? Section 1 involved the procurement of 150 MW of 182 n-type modules, each with a minimum front-side power output of 580Wp. Hunan Redsolar emerged as the winner with a competitive bid of RMB 0.698/W ($0.0978/W), closely followed by Astronergy, which submitted a bid of RMB 0.720/W ($0.1009/W).

·??????? Section 2 focused on securing 185 MW of 210 n-type modules, which required a minimum front-side power of 700Wp. Trina Solar bagged the top spot in this category with a bid of RMB 0.755/W ($0.1058/W), while Tongwei Solar was marginally behind with a bid of RMB 0.756/W ($0.1058/W).

Supply / Cells & Modules / TOPCon

Jinko TOPCon panels & BESS for GWI project in Japan: In an announcement, leading module supplier, JinkoSolar, said that a 5.24 MW PV plant along with a 15 MWh, 2-hours-duration battery energy storage system (BESS) has used its Tiger Neo N-type TOPCon panels, and 72 units of its flagship liquid cooling BESS. Located in Japan and commissioned by GWI, this project will enable excess electricity generated by the PV facilities to be captured and released during periods of high demand. It will also provide grid stability and backup capacity to ensure the security of supply.

Supply / Liquid-Cooling ESS

JinkoSolar to supply liquid cooling for Qinghai ESS plant: Module supplier JinkoSolar said that it will be providing its two-hour liquid-cooling energy storage system (ESS), SunTera, for an ESS plant in Qinghai. SunTera G2 adopts an advanced intelligent liquid cooling system to regulate the temperature. The liquid-cooling-flow design controls the operating temperature difference of the ESS within 2.5° Celsius, enabling the system to handle higher thermal loads while maintaining a low-temperature operation, the company added. Recently JinkoSolar supplied its TOPCon panels & BESS for a Japan project (see China PV News Snippets ).

PV Plant

CGN expands with 1 GW solar project in Laos: China’s new energy and nuclear energy developer China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) has signed a development agreement with the Laotian government in Vientiane for the second phase of its Clean Energy Base. This new agreement builds on the initial first phase of the 1 GW solar project, with plans to further develop an additional 580 MW in Luang Namtha Province and 420 MW in Oudomxay Province. The Clean Energy Base is a key project under the Belt and Road Initiative, aimed at fostering the China-Laos community of shared future. The first phase, a 1 GW solar project in Oudomxay, has already entered the engineering preparation stage.

SPIC subsidiary's 700 MW Saudi PV plant begins operation: State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) announced that the 700 MW solar PV plant in Saudi Arabia, which has been developed by its subsidiary, Huanghe Hydropower Development Co., Ltd. (Huanghe Hydropower), has successfully passed the acceptance test by the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC). It has now achieved full-capacity production, officially entering commercial operation. Located in the Al Qassim region of Saudi Arabia, this plant is a key renewable energy project supported by the Saudi government's Vision 2030 and Green Saudi initiatives.

New Energy Project

AIKO & Shandong Railway Green Energy partner for 1 GW new energy projects: Chinese solar cell producer, AIKO, has inked an agreement with Shandong Railway Green Energy, who invests majorly in renewable energy projects, including wind, solar, and energy storage power stations. As per the agreement, AIKO’s high-efficiency n-type ABC modules will be combined with Shandong Railway’s extensive investment portfolio in the renewable energy sector. Together, the companies aim to co-develop 1 GW of new energy projects in Shandong Province within the next 1-2 years.

ESS

JinenU Solar to set up manufacturing base in Indonesia: JinenU Solar has announced its plans to set up a manufacturing base in Indonesia, which will be its 1st production site overseas and its 7th overall. The company made this announcement at an event attended by representatives from Chinese and Indonesian PV industry for the signing of Suntech- JinenU Solar Overseas Indonesia Photovoltaic Materials Ecosystem Cooperation. During the event, Dao De Investment (a China’s private equity fund company), Suntech Power, and JinenU Solar, along with several Chinese PV industry companies, signed a cooperation agreement with Batang Integrated Industrial Zone (KITB). JinenU’s Indonesian production base, along with 6 other planned production sites, is expected to add 30 GW of new solar module capacity to its current 20 GW production capacity in China.

Risen Energy join hands with Uzbekistan's Power Company: Chinese solar panel maker Risen Energy announced that it has partnered with Uzbekistan's Power Company, a major integrated power enterprise in Uzbekistan. As per the deal, over the next three years, Risen Energy will develop a 300 MW solar PV storage power station project in partnership with the Power Company. Phase I of the project will begin in the third quarter of 2024. Risen has also established a local office in Uzbekistan this year and has been catering to solar distribution across Central Asia. Earlier this year, it showcased its Hyper Ion' 750 W+ HJT module at SNEC 2024 (see Risen Energy Showcases HJT Product Line At SNEC 2024 )

EPC

SPIC subsidiary pauses distributed PV EPC collaboration with Jolywood: Shanghai Yuanye New Energy Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of SPIC, has announced that it has suspended its residential distributed PV EPC partnership with Jolywood's subsidiary. The 2 parties had signed an EPC general contract agreement for residential PV projects in 2021, with plans to build at least 1.2 GW of residential PV EPC capacity in the first year and annually increase it by at least 1.5 GW per year from the 2nd to the 5th year, accounting for a cumulative installed capacity of over 7.2 GW over 5 years. While Jolywood disclosed in a recent announcement that its subsidiary had delivered 231 MW of PV stations to Shanghai Yuanye from January to July 2024, the 2 companies have jointly agreed to pause the business in light of the prevailing PV market conditions. The 2 parties plan to reassess the situation and, situation permitting, seek to restart the business in the future.

Efficiencies

Yingfa Ruineng's n-type 210R cell efficiency exceeds 27.02%: The Yingfa Group subsidiary, Yingfa Ruineng, said that the efficiency of its n-type 210R solar cell has touched a new high of 27.02%. Developed independently by the company, the back side uses poly multi-layer film technology and short-time variable temperature annealing technology, which enables the cell to achieve improvement in efficiency and output.

Company Performances

S.C New Energy H1 2024 net profit up over 63%: Solar manufacturing equipment supplier Shenzhen S.C has released its financial results for the first half of 2024. The company reported revenues of RMB 6.62 billion ($923 million), up 62.19% Year-over-Year (YoY), while its net profits were up 63.15% to RMB 1.23 billion ($171 million). On the operational front, the company said that the average HJT cell conversion efficiency at its pilot line reached 25.6% (ISFH standard) during the period, while also achieving mass production of its large-chamber RF dual-sided microcrystalline technology. As of the end of June, the company’s inventory net value stood at RMB 21.64 billion ($3.02 billion), with 91.02% comprising goods shipped but not yet accepted. It cautioned that in case of downstream customers failing to accept these deliveries, it may face backlog/depreciation risks. In July, the company had projected its H1 2024 net profits to range from RMB 1,164.86 million ($160.27 million) to RMB 1,352.74 million ($186.04 million) (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

Han's Laser positive results for H1 2024 despite a decline in new energy equipment revenue: Releasing its financial results for the first half of 2024, solar laser equipment manufacturer Han's Laser has reported a 4.41% Year-Over-Year (YoY) increase in its revenues for H1 2024, totaling RMB 6,355,209,952.09 ($885.67 million). The company's net profit was up 184.81% to RMB 1,224,912,036.76 ($170.72 million), while net profit excluding non-recurring items grew 15.23% to RMB 220,413,500 ($30.72 million) for the period. Despite these overall gains, the company reported that its new energy equipment business experienced a significant downturn, with revenue declining 39.65% YoY to RMB 696 million ($97.02 million). The company said this drop was due to the slowing expansion pace of domestic power cell and PV manufacturers. However, the company’s information industry equipment and general industrial laser processing equipment sectors performed strongly, contributing to a slight overall increase in revenue.

GCL Technology releases H1 2024 performance forecast: Leading global supplier of polysilicon based out of China, GCL Technology, released its 2024 first-half performance forecast. As per the forecast, the company is expected to incur a net loss of about RMB 1.45 billion ($0.2 billion). The main reason for the loss, the company said, is the sharp drop in the prices of polysilicon and silicon wafer products in the first half of the year, as well as the inventory impairment caused by the decline in product prices.

Recognitions & Certifications

Huasun tops PV list in Hurun China Renewable Energy Companies with Potential 2024: Heterojunction (HJT) solar manufacturer Huasun Energy has been recognized as one of the most promising companies in China's renewable energy sector, ranking 7th overall and top in the photovoltaic (PV) sector on the Hurun China Renewable Energy Companies with Potential 2024 list. Specializing in high-efficiency HJT technology, Huasun has achieved significant milestones, including record-breaking power output and module efficiency. With a production capacity of 20 GW, Huasun claims to lead the industrialization of HJT technology and says that it is committed to low-carbon manufacturing.

Several Tongwei subsidiaries receive ISO37301 certification: Integrated solar manufacturer Tongwei Group has announced that several of its subsidiaries have received ISO37301 compliance certification. Tongwei Co., Ltd., Yongxiang New Energy, Meishan Tongwei Solar, and Hefei Tongwei Solar, have all passed the annual surveillance audit for the ISO37301 compliance management system. In addition, Sichuan Yongxiang Polysilicon and Chengdu Tongwei Solar have passed the certification audit and received compliance management system certification. BSI, the international certification organization, conducted a comprehensive audit across 11 compliance topics, including compliance obligation identification, risk assessment, and risk response. As a result, Tongwei Co., Ltd. and its subsidiaries have been awarded the ISO37301 compliance management system certification. Recently, Tongwei announced its plans to acquire a majority stake in Runergy (see Tongwei Makes Offer To Acquire Majority Stake In Fellow Chinese Company ).

Ultra-low degradation seen in Trina Vertex N 720W modules: Chinese solar module manufacturer Trina Solar said that its Vertex N 720W modules have excelled in a stringent UV test. The modules showed a degradation of 1.6% after being exposed to 300kWh/m2 of frontal UV irradiation (UV300). This was certified by the China General Certification Center (CGC). From the perspective of long-term reliability, the performance of the PV modules under UV irradiation is critical, and Trina modules have excelled and shown no visible defects. In fact, the performance of each module cell has been highly consistent after the UV300 test. Meanwhile, In June this year, Trina had introduced colored BIPV & C&I Storage solution (see Trina Solar’s Latest BIPV & BESS Solution At SNEC 2024 )

Indonesia SNI certification for Suntech Power PV modules: Chinese solar cell and module manufacturer, Suntech Power said that its C72/Nsh+ module products have obtained the Indonesian SNI certification mark. This certification indicates that Suntech Power's high-efficiency module products have been authorized by the Indonesian government, allowing its citizens to enjoy the company’s products and services.