Energy developer China Huaneng's Zhangye Green Power Hydrogen Production Demonstration Station has successfully achieved full-load hydrogen production. The project is recognized as China's largest PV-compatible electrolytic hydrogen production system to date. Located in Zhangye, Gansu Province, the project was developed by a subsidiary of China Huaneng and includes an 8 MW solar PV power station. The high-purity hydrogen produced is transported via high-pressure tube trailers, covering the entire process of "PV power generation - hydrogen production - refueling" within the station. The project's core equipment features China Huaneng's proprietary electrolyzer with a capacity of 1,300 standard cubic meters per hour, paired with an 8.3 MW fully controlled rectifier hydrogen power supply (rated current exceeding 30,000A), making it the largest single-unit IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) hydrogen production power supply in operation. In the next phase, the PV-compatible electrolytic hydrogen production system will leverage a self-developed energy management system to operate in a direct PV-to-hydrogen mode, providing a new paradigm for flexible microgrid hydrogen-electricity coordination.
Recently, China Huaneng announced plans to develop a 2.7 GW wind-solar-coal-storage multi-energy project in Inner Mongolia (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
Fanxing Energy's CdTe manufacturing plant
Anhui Fanxing Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (Fanxing Energy) plans to establish the first phase of a 2 GW high-efficiency cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar cell facility in Mengcheng County, Bozhou City, Anhui Province. According to the environmental impact assessment report submitted to the local ecological and environmental bureau, the new factory will produce high-efficiency CdTe module production. Upon completion, the project is expected to achieve an annual production capacity of 20.7 MW for conventional modules, 182 MW for transparent modules, 27.3 MW for BIPV modules, and 100 MW for distributed electronic modules, totaling 330 MW. Additionally, in 2024, the company announced plans to invest RMB 100 million ($13.81 million) in a CdTe agrivoltaic industry park.
Last month, China imposed export controls on the supply of some critical materials, including CdTe (see China Announces Export Controls On Cadmium Telluride).
CNNP Optoelectronics’ rigid single-junction perovskite module achieves 19.7% conversion efficiency
CNNP Optoelectronics, a subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) specializing in perovskite research and manufacturing, has achieved a certified conversion efficiency of 19.7% (forward scan: 19.42%, reverse scan: 19.7%) for its 1.2 × 0.65 m² rigid single-junction perovskite module under standard testing conditions (STC). This efficiency has been certified by TÜV NORD. The company stated that the certified large-area module was produced using fully localized equipment in an uncontrolled humidity and temperature environment. Currently, CNNP Optoelectronics is advancing the construction of a fully automated 1.2 × 1.6 m² mass production line, scheduled to commence production in Q2 2025.
Microquanta recently announced that it has achieved a power conversion efficiency of 24.12% for its 19.48 cm² perovskite module (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
Yicheng New Energy and CATL collaborate on energy storage
Solar cell and module maker Pingmei Longji’s parent company Yicheng New Energy has announced the signing of a framework cooperation agreement with Zhongzhou Times New Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CATL. The 2 companies plan to collaborate on the design, integration, installation, operation, and application of energy storage systems in Henan Province, with a focus on expanding energy management and new energy storage projects for commercial and industrial users. Under the agreement, Zhongzhou Times and its affiliates will provide Yicheng New Energy with core technical support and energy storage equipment, including energy storage battery systems, PCS, EMS, and other key components. The collaboration aims to develop large-scale commercial and industrial (C&I) energy users, covering new energy storage projects, wind and solar power station resource development, application (consumption) scenarios, and customer expansion. The framework projects for energy storage are expected to reach a total capacity of 500 MWh by 2025.
Upward trend in polysilicon prices, but transaction prices remain stable in China
According to the latest data from Antaike, a nonferrous metal industry consultancy, polysilicon transaction prices in China remained stable this week. The transaction price range for n-type recycled silicon feedstock was RMB 39,000 ($5,387) to RMB 46,000 per ton ($6,355 per ton), with an average price of RMB 41,700 per ton ($5,762 per ton). The transaction price range for n-type granular polysilicon was RMB 38,000 ($5,248) to RMB 41,000 per ton ($5,664 per ton), with an average price of RMB 39,000 per ton ($5,387 per ton). The transaction price range for p-type polysilicon was RMB 32,000 ($4,421) to RMB 36,000 per ton ($4,974 per ton), with an average price of RMB 34,000 ($4,698) per ton. While leading companies have increased their latest quotations, actual transaction prices have remained unchanged, with spot prices staying stable. As of now, nearly all polysilicon enterprises in China are operating at reduced capacity, and Antaike maintains its forecast for total polysilicon production in March at approximately 97,000 tons.