The PV industry has recently witnessed the launch of a new wave of high-efficiency, high-power modules incorporating state-of-the-art technology. As China and other countries around the world embrace grid parity, modules with higher conversion efficiency and output are becoming increasingly favoured by the market.
As cell output tops 20GW and annual revenues exceed RMB 10 billion, PV Tech’s Carrie Xiao speaks to Tongwei Solar to determine the secrets behind its success.
Much has been written and voiced over the past couple of months in the PV industry, following the so-called China-531 policy announcement that finally provided a wake-up call to Chinese manufacturers that their domestic end-market was not going to be allowed to maintain its near-exponential growth characteristics.
Major metallization paste producer Heraeus Photovoltaics has extended its supplier status with major China-based integrated PV module manufacturer, Tongwei Solar to collaborate on next-generation high-efficiency wafer and solar technologies.
There are many key metrics worth listing at the end of each year in the solar industry. In terms of the upstream/manufacturing side, two jump out as leading indicators for the year ahead.
The first is to rank the top-10 producers of the solar cells during the year.
Three major Chinese PV manufacturers, Longi Silicon Materials, Trina Solar and Tongwei, via its polysilicon subsidiary, Sichuan Yongxiang, are to form a Joint Venture (JV) to own and operate a previously planned 5GW monocrystalline silicon ingot pulling production plant in Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, China, by Longi.
