TW (Tongwei) Solar ahead of schedule in asserting global presence buffered by new module segment success

China’s target to mitigate climate change, under its so-called "dual carbon" goals, aims to?peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. Under these goals, the Chinese PV industry and global PV development prospects are experiencing rapid growth momentum with market demand and technology iterations in the PV industry growing at an unprecedented pace.

In line with this trend, Chinese PV manufacturer TW (Tongwei) Solar?has made comprehensive efforts in product line expansion and new technology deployment in recent years. It has also increased its research and development (R&D) investments, pursuing technological innovation and product upgrades.

Having built up experience over several years upstream in polysilicon, wafers and cells, TW (Tongwei) Solar?recently expanded further downstream into PV modules and the capacity and strength of this module business segment has demonstrated the company's deep experience and forward-thinking innovation.

Indeed, in August 2022, TW (Tongwei) Solar?won a bid for 3GW of PV modules ?in the fifth batch of China Resources Power's centralized procurement, with a price of 1.942 yuan (US$0.27)/Watt, causing a major shock in the PV market.

Previously, TW (Tongwei) Solar?was “not considered a strong competitor” in the module sector by the industry, TW (Tongwei) Solar’s Vice General Manager of Module Sales, Li Yan, told PV Tech. However, based on its strong presence in the high-purity crystalline silicon and solar cell space, TW (Tongwei) Solar?boldly embraced the trend of vertically integrated industry development and began to focus on the module business track in the second half of last year, achieving impressive results with shipments of 7.94GW throughout the year.

?Regarding the expansion of the module business, Li Yan added that TW (Tongwei) Solar?Solar has been committed to continuously improving production efficiency and product quality keeping up with the rapid changes within the PV industry.

Relying on self-produced high-purity polysilicon and low-cost advantages, the Chinese manufacturer rapidly gained a foothold in the module market, forming a closed-loop PV product supply chain across polysilicon, cells and modules, with significant economies of scale, advantageous transaction costs and organizational costs greatly enhancing TW (Tongwei) Solar' s market competitiveness.

Mitigating competition with rapid global expansion

TW (Tongwei) Solar?still faces fierce competition from major players in the industry. The module track is becoming increasingly crowded, so as a newcomer, TW (Tongwei) Solar?needs to think about how to deal with intense competition with more technology R&D breakthroughs and competitors always around the corner.

Li Yan stated that TW (Tongwei) Solar?is approaching this challenge brought about by the intense concentration of industry competition from the following angles: improving product efficiency and performance, strengthening brand marketing and service systems, enhancing technological innovation and talent development, and establishing a global presence.

TW (Tongwei) Solar?is also advancing its capacity expansions at a "super speed", said Li Yan. At present, The company has manufacturing bases in Jintang, Hefei, Yancheng and Nantong, China, and by the end of 2023 the company's capacity is expected to reach 80GW. At the same time, TW (Tongwei) Solar?plans to invest in the construction of module manufacturing capacity with an annual output of 20GW in Shuangliu District, Chengdu.

According to PV Tech's?observation, TW (Tongwei) Solar's capacity planning is not just blindly following trends. Although there is still a considerable gap between the company’s module shipment volumes at the end of 2022 and the 80GW capacity goal, TW (Tongwei) Solar?has quickly gained market share since its strategic entrance into the module sector. It has successfully established cooperative relationships with key customers in various domestic and international markets and secured customer contracts. In domestic bidding, TW (Tongwei) Solar's results also rank at the forefront of the industry.

Despite downward fluctuations in prices across the industrial chain this year, TW (Tongwei) Solar?has been able to calmly withstand the impact of declining high-purity polysilicon and cell market prices by relying on its module business to offset losses. The firm has also further developed its advantages in industrial chain integration, introducing high-efficiency modules to the global market.

A rising star aiming at the top: focus on the global stage

Already famous for its leadership in high-purity polysilicon and cells, TW (Tongwei) Solar?aims to position itself as the new top player in the PV module industry. The company has also been accumulating capital resources and preparing strategies for the next-generation of advanced technologies.

Asked to describe TW (Tongwei) Solar' s advanced cell & module technology business, Li Yan said: "Firstly, in terms of cell manufacturing, TW (Tongwei) Solar?has accumulated profound expertise in technologies such as PERC and TOPCon, which gives us significant advantages in improving cell efficiency and reducing costs. Secondly, in module manufacturing, we have been implementing a multi-faceted approach to new technology deployment in recent years, continuously increasing R&D investment, and consistently pursuing technological innovation and product upgrades. TW (Tongwei) Solar' s 210 THC bi-facial module has achieved three consecutive records for heterojunction (HJT) module power, reaching 732.6W in 2023, marking a giant leap towards the era of 730W+ output."

Li Yan added that TW (Tongwei) Solar’s main international market strategy is based on product quality and technological innovation with particular focus on overseas markets such as France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, the South American markets of Brazil and Chile and other developed countries and regions.

"To enter the international market, we have implemented various strategies, including collaboration with local partners and establishing overseas offices,” added Li Yan. “Additionally, we actively participate in international exhibitions and join local associations in different countries to expand our overseas recognition and influence."

For example, TW (Tongwei) Solar?has pushed its brand "TW (Tongwei) Solar?Intelligent Manufacturing" to consolidate its presence worldwide through various exhibitions and exchange events.

New modules on show

While, at this year’s Intersolar Europe Exhibition held in Munich, Germany, TW (Tongwei) Solar?showcased its latest R&D innovations including its optimized TWMGG-72HD module with large rectangular silicon wafers, an upgrade based on the mainstream 182-72 format, with a power increase of 25-30W. The power output of a single one of these modules can exceed 600W. During the Exhibition, Li Yan expressed confidence in an interview with PV Tech?that this product possesses great advantages in meeting customer demands and gaining market share.

"N-type modules are quite popular in the market and TW (Tongwei) Solar?has always been at the forefront of technological innovation. The mass production efficiency of our self-developed TNC cells has reached a record high of 25.7%,” Li Yan told PV Tech.

Another product showcased by TW (Tongwei) Solar?at the exhibition was the TWMHF-66HD bifacial module with 210 THC. It incorporates several breakthrough technologies, including the industry's first THL technology, ultra-thin silicon wafers, double-sided microcrystal technology, superimposed high-performance target doping, and light injection. The TWMHF-66HD module achieves an impressive power output of 730W+ and represents a significant breakthrough for the company.

At the exhibition, TW (Tongwei) Solar?also became the world's first PV manufacturing company to successfully pass the SEE on-site evaluation.