China PV News Snippets

First module produced at Trina Huai'an facility; DAS Solar releases n-type product prices; JA Solar facility in Dongtai begins construction; Tongwei lowers monocrystalline PERC cell prices.

Trina Huai'an facility produces first module: Chinese solar module manufacturer Trina Solar announced via WeChat that its Huai'an 10 GW Vertex 210+n facility has produced the first module. Currently in its first phase, the facility adopts n-type i-TOPCon cell technology, which is a new generation of advanced photovoltaic technology with supposedly the largest mass production scale in the market. This technology will further amplify the leading edge of its 210 Vertex product technology platform. The modules produced are Vertex n-type 695 W, which integrate the core advantages of high power, high efficiency, high power generation, high reliability and low cost of electricity.  In February, Trina Solar had released Vertex S+ as the upgraded version of its Vertex solar module series (see Trina Solar Touts 22.3% Efficiency For Vertex S+ Module).

DAS Solar increases prices for n-type products: Over WeChat, Chinese solar PV module and cell supplier DAS Solar released the price of its n-type products. Here are the details:

• The price of 182 bifacial monocrystalline n-type cells (mainstream efficiency ≥ 25.2%) is now at RMB 1.19/W ($0.158/W), which is RMB 0.07/W ($0.015/W) higher than the previous price, an increase of 6.25% (10.49%)
• The price of 182 bifacial double-glass n-type modules (mainstream power ≥ 575W) is now at RMB 1.95/W ($0.252/W), which is RMB 0.02/W ($0.006/W) higher than the previous price, an increase of 1.04% (2.44%)

Here are the details of the last price increase by DAS Solar (see China PV News Snippets). Meanwhile, In January DAS Solar had discussed the development of n-type TOPCon multi-GW level module production of the company with high power and low degradation at TaiyangNews Solar Module Innovations Conference (see Dengyuan Song, DAS Solar: Development of n-Type TOPCon Multi-GW Level Module Production)

Construction begins for JA Solar's Dongtai facility: Solar PV panel manufacturer JA Solar said via WeChat that its facility in Dongtai, which includes 10 GW high-efficiency cells, 10 GW high-efficiency modules, photovoltaic auxiliary materials, and photovoltaic power stations has begun construction. The first module production line and the first cell production line are expected to be put into operation respectively by July and October this year. The facility, the company said, will adopt the most advanced technology, intelligent equipment and green low-carbon system and will produce a new generation of n-type high-efficiency products. These products will be then supplied to the global market.

Tongwei lowers monocrystalline PERC cell prices: In a WeChat communication, integrated solar PV manufacturer from China, Tongwei Solar announced that it has lowered the prices of monocrystalline PERC cells. Here are the details:

• 182 (150μm) cell is now priced at RMB 1.09/W ($0.16/W), which is RMB 0.06/W ($0.0087) lower than the last released price, a drop of 5.22%
• 210 (150μm) cell is now priced at RMB 1.13/W ($0.16/W), which is RMB 0.02/W ($0.0029) lower than the last released price, a drop of 1.74%

The last price revision Tongwei did was in February this year (see China PV News Snippets). Meanwhile, at TaiyangNews Solar Module Innovations Conference held in January, an interesting discussion took place between Guoqiang Xing, CTO of PV Business at Tongwei Solar and Michael Schmela, Managing Director of TaiyangNews. Xing discussed the module technology strategy of the world's leading silicon and solar cell manufacturer during this chat session (see Executive Fire Chat: Tongwei's Module Technology Strategy)