China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is seeking public comments on a new national industry standard, "Grading and Classification of Photovoltaic Products Part 1: PV Modules." The draft standard outlines requirements, test methods, and evaluation criteria for PV product grading, aiming to guide technological innovation and differentiated development within the industry. The standard proposes grading PV modules based on climate adaptability, special application scenarios, reliability, photoelectric conversion efficiency, and green attributes (recyclability and carbon footprint).
For photoelectric conversion efficiency, the standard introduces A+, A, B, and C grades, with specific efficiency targets for different module technologies. Among this, A+ rated TOPCon, HJT, and BC modules would need to achieve efficiencies of 25%, 24.8%, and 25.2%, respectively.
The public consultation period for the draft standard, closes on July 12, 2026.
Solar cell equipment manufacturer Laplace plans to raise up to RMB 2.201 billion through a private placement of no more than 122 million shares to a maximum of 35 specific investors. The proceeds, after deducting issuance expenses, will primarily fund a high-end PV and semiconductor equipment R&D project, the 2nd phase of its Wuxi PV equipment base, a digital and intelligent upgrade project, and supplementary working capital.
Laplace stated that the capital will enable the company to advance core technological R&D in high-end PV and semiconductor equipment, developing new processes and tools for next-generation high-efficiency solar cells such as TOPCon, XBC, and perovskite. It will also help it focus on key semiconductor equipment like advanced integrated circuit packaging tools.
Guohua Investment under CHN Energy has fully commissioned its Rudong "integrated solar-hydrogen-storage" project, billed as China's largest of its kind. Located in Rudong Yangkou Port,Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, the project integrates a 400 MW solar power plant, a 60 MW/120 MWh energy storage system, and a green hydrogen production facility with a capacity of 1,500 standard cubic meters per hour. This setup enables integrated "source-grid-load-storage-hydrogen" coordinated operation and a complete "green power production—storage—conversion" value chain.
The solar power plant is projected to generate 468 million kWh annually, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by over 300,000 tons per year. The hydrogen production facility will produce 482 tons of high-purity green hydrogen annually, primarily for the Yangtze River Delta region, supported by a co-located hydrogen refueling station, creating a closed-loop, zero-carbon "green electricity to green hydrogen" system.
Solar PV and energy storage manufacturer Canadian Solar has successfully released an interbank Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), marking the country's 1st REIT product backed by grid-side independent energy storage power plants. The underlying asset for this product is a 200MW/800MWh grid-side independent energy storage plant located in Suzhou, Jiuquan City, Gansu Province, developed by the company.
Canadian Solar stated that the successful listing of this REIT signifies the standardized pricing and circulation of energy storage assets in the capital market. It provides a new pathway for the deep integration of new energy infrastructure with capital markets and broadening financing channels for the new energy industry.
IT infrastructure services provider GDS Holdings has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Ulanqab municipal government in Inner Mongolia. Over the next 5 years, GDS plans to invest over RMB 30 billion to develop multiple high-density and GW-scale data center parks in the city. These facilities will aim to achieve over 80% green power coverage through direct green power connections and transactions, establishing a large-scale zero-carbon data center cluster to support artificial intelligence (AI) computing demands.
Ulanqab, a core hub in China’s integrated computing network, offers abundant wind and solar resources and a cool climate, with an average annual temperature of 4.3°C. GDS noted that Ulanqab is emerging as a key hub for large-scale data centers, benefiting from direct optical links to Beijing and supportive business conditions.