CHINA SOLAR PV NEWS UPDATE: WEEK 37

China’s 1st smart solar tracker system standard approved; LONGi Solar wins 德国莱茵TüV集团 awards 8th year running; China launches 1st desert sand-to-PV sand production line; Autowell gets RMB 900 million order for single crystal furnace equipment. All these and a host of other news stories from China in our Weekly China Solar PV News Overview.

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MARKETS

China’s 1st smart solar tracker system standard approved: The China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) has approved the country's first standard for smart solar tracker systems: T/CPIA 0082—2024: Testing Methods for Solar Photovoltaic Tracker System Smart Tracking Performance. Led by Trina Solar, the standard was developed by 15 companies and institutions, including mounting system manufacturers, third-party organizations, design institutes, universities, and EPCs. The standard, overseen by the CPIA’s Standardization Technical Committee, will be implemented starting September 15, 2024. The standard defines specific protocols for smart tracking technology optimization under various conditions, including high-diffuse irradiance weather, backtracking optimization, and bifacial module optimization. This unified technical standard will provide a reference for the industry and offer a benchmark for power plant owners. At its H1 2024 review meeting in July, CPIA advised Chinese solar manufacturers to be flexible in their approach while expanding overseas (see H1 2024 Chinese PV Export Volume Dropped By 35.4 Percent Annually, Says CPIA ).

Fujian Province plans to upgrade existing RE power plants for higher power generation: Fujian Province has introduced a plan to upgrade renewable energy facilities, focusing on wind, photovoltaic (PV), and hydropower systems. The plan encourages retiring wind turbines that have been in operation for over 15 years or have a capacity below 1.5 MW and replacing them with more efficient units. It urges PV power stations to upgrade low-power, low-efficiency modules to improve power generation without using additional land. Hydropower stations are advised to renew electrical equipment, including turbines and generators, to boost efficiency. The plan also promotes optimizing older units to meet the requirements of modern power systems, enhancing operational stability and efficiency across renewable energy sources.

NEA issues rules for green electricity certificate issuance and trading: The National Energy Administration (NEA) of China has published the rules for the issuance and trading of renewable energy Green Electricity Certificates (GECs). The rules will apply to various renewable energy generation projects in the country, including solar, wind, conventional hydropower, and biomass. The green certificates will be issued monthly and will be open to market-based trading, with the transaction prices being determined through market mechanisms. China has established a national green certificate issuance and trading system that provides traceability and anti-counterfeiting services throughout the certificate's lifecycle, with a validity period of 2 years from the month of electricity generation. For renewable energy generation projects started before January 1, 2024, the certificate validity is extended to the end of 2025.

BUSINESS

Production / Encapsulation Films

Sinopont’s 400 million m2 PV encapsulation film facility starts production: Solar encapsulation film manufacturer Sinopont has announced the launch of production at phase I of its Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province manufacturing facility. The company’s investment in this plant, with an annual capacity of 400 million m2, totals RMB 2 billion ($281.19 million) and is expected generate annual revenues of RMB 4 billion ($562.38 million) once fully operational. Consisting of 9 production lines, phase I is capable of producing 100 million m2 of PV encapsulation film annually. It is said to be one of the supporting facilities for JinkoSolar's 56 GW vertically integrated base in Shanxi Province, including another 13,000-ton PV ribbon plant by Jiutian New Energy.

Production / PV Sand

China launches 1st desert sand-to-PV sand production line: China has started trial production on what it calls the ‘first’ production line that converts desert sand into PV sand. Operated by China National Building Material Group Corporation (CNBM) subsidiary Tongliao Silicon Sand Industry Co., Ltd., the plant is located in the Horqin Left Rear Banner, Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia. Built for a total investment of RMB 200 million ($28.11 million), the plant has been designed to produce 300,000 tons of PV sand and 200,000 tons of low-iron feldspar annually, using flotation technology to purify high-silica sand. The trial production has achieved a silica purity greater than 99.5% and iron oxide content below 0.01% (100 ppm), meeting the criteria for PV sand. According to the local authorities, the Horqin Left Rear Banner area has verified silica sand reserves of 35 billion tons.

Supply / Cells & Modules

Nagasaki homes powered by LONGi’s full-black solar panels: Vertically integrated solar manufacturer LONGi has announced that the Calm Toshi project, led by Chopro, has installed 5.22 kW Hi-MO X6 Full-Black solar panels in Nagasaki. This is the first of 69 targeted eco-friendly homes featuring solar power systems, blending energy efficiency with architectural aesthetics, said the company. LONGi said further that its Full-Black modules were chosen for their durability and corrosion resistance, enhanced light absorption and energy conversion. The system can save households up to JPY 110,000 annually in electricity and reduce CO2 emissions by 2.6 tons. The project promotes environmental awareness while lowering electricity costs for residents.?LONGi Green Energy has published a research paper titled “Perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells with bilayer interface passivation” in the science journal Nature (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

AIKO’s ABC modules power world's highest solar supercharging station: AIKO has announced that a solar-powered supercharging station for electric vehicles in the Everest National Park is powered by its n-type ABC modules and Huawei's liquid-cooled technology. Located 4,300 meters above sea level on National Highway 318, the station is dubbed ‘the world’s highest supercharging station.’ It supports the Sichuan-Tibet Highway Supercharging Green Corridor and is capable of handling harsh weather, high UV exposure, and altitude challenges. The ABC modules generate 236,800 kWh of clean energy annually, supporting over a million tourists that visit the region each year while reducing carbon emissions. AIKO recently reported a sharp decline in its H1 2024 revenues, reporting revenues of RMB 5.16 billion ($728.74 million) (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

Seraphim supplies 776 MW of solar modules for Yunnan Province: Solar cell and module maker Seraphim has announced that it has supplied modules for a 776 MW high-efficiency solar PV project portfolio under construction in Yunnan Province. The plants are situated in multiple locations in the Province, including Chuxiong, Lincang, Qujing, and Guangnan. Initiated in H2 2023, the project primarily comprises centralized and rooftop PV installations. All projects utilize Seraphim's 182 mm bifacial modules, which combine MBB (multi-busbar) technology, high-density soldering, and half-cell technology. The modules offer a conversion efficiency of over 21.3%, with rear-side power gain ranging from 10% to 30%. Once fully completed and operational, the projects are expected to deliver 1.3 TWh of green electricity to the grid annually. Seraphim Energy Group and its affiliated company, Serawing Solar, recently commissioned their 1 GW TOPCon high-efficiency cell production line (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

Supply / Cells & Modules / HJT

Huasun delivers 1.8 GW of HJT modules for solar project in Northwest China: Huasun Energy has announced that it has delivered 1.8 GW of high-efficiency heterojunction (HJT) solar modules within 3 months for China Green Development Investment Group’s 4 GW PV project in Ruoqiang, Xinjiang. The project, located on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, highlights ecological benefits such as reducing ground temperatures and increasing soil humidity. Huasun's Himalaya G12-132 modules were chosen for their reliability, UV protection, and high bifaciality. Huasun says it has 20 GW of production capacity, Huasun has also supplied 7 GW globally, including 650 MW for Bulgaria’s INERCOM.?

Supply / ESS

JinkoSolar-supplied ESS put to work at Tencent’s Binhai Building: Solar PV and energy storage provider JinkoSolar has announced that the Dolphin SunGiga C&I ESS it supplied for Tencent’s global headquarters in Shenzhen has been put into operation. The ESS was supplied for the user-side smart energy storage project of Tencent’s Binhai Building, which is also the first new energy storage project of the base. It has a capacity of 100 kW / 215 kWh and is connected to 6 charging piles in the park. The company said that the project will meet Tencent employees’ daily EV charging needs.

Supply / Equipment

Autowell gets order for single crystal furnace equipment: Autowell Technology has announced that it has signed a contract with a leading PV company for the supply of single crystal furnaces and supporting auxiliary equipment for a total of RMB 900 million ($126 million). The announcement did not reveal much information in the commercial interests of the companies involved. It said that the contract’s impact on its 2024 financial figures is uncertain due to the timing of the delivery and acceptance, but it is certain that it will have a positive impact on 2025 financials.?

Qinghong Laser delivers GW-class laser scribing equipment: Qinghong Laser's first GW-level perovskite laser scribing equipment was successfully delivered to BOE. The equipment shipped this time includes P1/P2/P3 and other laser scribing equipment, which can process 1,200 mm x 2,400 mm large-format GW-level perovskite cells. The company claims this is the first time that GW-level laser scribing equipment has been delivered in China and the industry.

Gsuar delivers ‘China's 1st’ perovskite inkjet printing equipment: Gsuar, a new manufacturer of perovskite cell equipment, has delivered its first full-size perovskite tandem cell inkjet printing deposition line, claiming that it is the first Chinese company to do so. With a production capacity of 3,000 pieces per hour, the equipment is primarily used for perovskite film deposition on the top cells of tandem cells. It can also be used for other functional layers such as self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), hole transport layers, and electron transport layers. Gsuar plans to introduce a large-area (>0.6 m) inkjet printing mass production solution for single-junction perovskite modules, boasting a production speed at least 10 times faster than existing slot-die coating equipment. This innovation is expected to significantly reduce the fixed investment cost per megawatt for wet coating.

Floating PV

China’s 1st wave-resistant floating PV platform launched: Named ‘Yellow Sea No. 1’ and developed by China Huaneng Group, a wave-resistant floating PV (FPV) platform has been launched and is set to be installed. Claimed to be China's 1st wave-resistant FPV platform, the platform will be located in the Yellow Sea off the southern coast of the Shandong Peninsula. According to China Huaneng, this platform can withstand waves up 10 meters high, which it says is the highest wave resistance among China's existing offshore FPV systems. The platform, standing 9 m tall, 7.5 m above sea level, measures 25 m on the side, totaling an area of about 1,624 m2. Its height ensures that the solar modules are out of the reach of the waves even in extreme sea conditions, says the company. It features a hexagonal design and a truss structure supported by 64 plastic buoyancy blocks, helping it cut weight by about 25% versus traditional offshore PV platforms. 434 solar modules of 3 different technologies and 4 power ratings have been installed on the platform. The platform will be assessed over the coming year to identify the most suitable solar modules for offshore power generation.

Efficiency

Guangdong OneSolar achieves 30.41% all-perovskite tandem cell efficiency: Guangdong OneSolar Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Guangdong Runshihua Holding Group, and Prof. Jinhui Tong's team from the National Key Laboratory of New Materials Composite Technology of Wuhan University of Technology, have developed an all-perovskite tandem solar cell, which was certified by CPVT with a conversion efficiency of 30.41%. The company says it is the world's highest efficiency for an all-perovskite tandem cell and the world's highest certified efficiency for low-cost thin-film PV cells.

Certificates & Recognitions

JinkoSolar earns RETC's ‘Overall Highest Achiever’ for 5th consecutive year: Solar PV and ESS manufacturer JinkoSolar has once again been named the ‘Overall Highest Achiever’ in the Renewable Energy Testing Center's (RETC) 2024 PV Module Index Report. for the 5th consecutive year. The award honors excellence in reliability, performance, and quality based on 12 months of rigorous testing. JinkoSolar's consistent recognition reinforces its commitment to high-quality, bankable solar module production. RETC’s CEO praised JinkoSolar’s ongoing dedication to excellence in solar manufacturing.?

LONGi wins TüV Rheinland awards 8th year running: Vertically integrated solar PV company LONGi has announced that it has won 3 awards at the recent 10th All Quality Matters (AQM) Solar & ESS Congress, organized by the TüV Rheinland Group. The awards include PV Module Energy Yield Simulation, PV Module Reliability, and the PV Module Outdoor Energy Yield AQM Award (Monofacial Group). LONGi says these awards recognize the performance of its Hi-MO 9 and Hi-MO X6 modules, featuring second-generation back-contact (BC2.0) cell technology. The Hi-MO 9 module excelled in TüV Rheinland's rigorous testing, simulating extreme weather conditions to ensure long-term reliability. The Hi-MO X6 module demonstrated improved energy yield, delivering 2.84% higher power monthly on average. LONGi was in the red in H1 2024, reporting a net loss of RMB 5.24 billion compared to a net profit of RMB 9.17 billion in H1 2023 (see LONGi’s H1 2024 Solar Module Shipments Totaled 31.34 GW ).

TüV Rheinland Zero Waste and Zero Carbon factory certifications for Trina: Vertically integrated solar manufacturer Trina Solar has announced that its Dafeng base in Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province, has passed TüV Rheinland's Zero Waste and Zero Carbon factory certification audits. The company received the Zero Waste Factory Certification and the 2023 Zero Carbon Factory (Type I) 3-star certification. The company claims to be the first in the PV industry to receive the Zero Waste factory certificate from TüV Rheinland. In the evaluation of its waste management system, Trina Solar achieved a waste landfill diversion rate (WDR) of 99.58%, which it says is the highest 3-star certification. Trina Solar led the development of China’s 1st standard for smart solar tracker systems, T/CPIA 0082—2024, which was recently approved by the CPIA (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

Astronergy achieves zero-carbon certification for Jiuquan factory: Chint Group subsidiary Astronergy has announced that its Jiuquan facility has been awarded a zero-carbon factory certification by TüV Rheinland. The factory's rooftop is equipped with 1 MW of ASTRO modules, generating 940,000 kWh of green electricity annually. The company said the facility consumed 100% of the renewable energy produced while offsetting 100% of the greenhouse gases for the 2023 reporting period by recycling waste and purchasing green certificates. Astronergy claims its Yancheng facility was the world's first zero-carbon factory in the photovoltaic industry certified by TüV Rheinland in July last year, with Jiuquan second zero-carbon factory. Astronergy aims to establish eight zero-carbon factories by 2028.

ZNSHINE Solar modules achieve Italy's highest fire safety rating: ZNSHINE Solar has announced that its 136 solar module models recently passed stringent testing by Italian testing agency Istituto Giordano S.p.A., earning the highest fire safety rating (Class One) according to the Italian standard UNI 9177. The modules underwent evaluations according to UNI 8457:1987 and UNI 8457/A1:1996 standards, achieving Class One results in all small flame tests. In the radiation panel tests, conducted according to UNI 9174:1987 and UNI 9174/A1:1996 standards, the modules also met the highest level with no dripping observed and damage limited to less than 100 mm. The company highlighted that its modules, which use tempered glass backsheets, performed exceptionally well under extreme conditions such as high temperatures and open flames, ensuring stability and safety in high-risk fire scenarios. In April this year, ZNSHINE Solar launched its 710 W high-power TOPCon modules, featuring a temperature coefficient of -0.30%/°C (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).

MIIT selects UtmoLight as a ‘Little Giant Enterprise’: China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has selected perovskite solar cell manufacturer UtmoLight as one of the Little Giant enterprises in the 6th batch of China's Specialized, Refined, Differentiated, and Innovative (SRDI) enterprises. The Little Giant program organized by the ministry targets small and medium-sized enterprises that demonstrate extreme specialization, refinement, uniqueness, and innovation in niche markets. UtmoLight claims to be the first perovskite company to be recognized as a national Little Giant. The company claims further that it set new world records for perovskite module efficiency 7 times, and that its 0.72 m2 commercial perovskite module received the first TüV certification in the industry. UtmoLight is also building a gigawatt-level perovskite PV module production base, expected to be operational in 2024 (see China Solar PV News Snippets )

LONGi’s paper on silicon-perovskite tandem cells in Nature: Vertically integrated solar manufacturer LONGi Green Energy has published a research paper titled “Perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells with bilayer interface passivation” in the science journal Nature. The study reveals breakthroughs in tandem solar cell technology that surpass the efficiency limits of single-junction solar cells. LONGi developed a patented technology featuring an asymmetrical textured silicon heterojunction (HJT) solar cell. The front surface is micro-textured to facilitate the solution-based fabrication of perovskite layers, while the back surface features standard large textures to improve rear-side passivation and infrared response. This innovation led to a record-breaking 33.9% certified conversion efficiency for the perovskite/silicon tandem cell. LONGi says that this is the first time in solar cell history that tandem cell efficiency has experimentally exceeded the Shockley-Queisser (S-Q) theoretical limit for single-junction cells. Recently, LONGi announced winning 3 awards at the 10th All Quality Matters Solar & ESS Congress, organized by the TüV Rheinland Group (see China Solar PV News Snippets ).