China PV News Snippets

Daqo brings online 100,000 MT polysilicon capacity in Inner Mongolia; Astronergy adopts Boron-LDSE in TOPCon cells; Phase I of Yuze's 30 GW silicon rod & 30 GW wafer project online; Shuangliang constructing phase III of 50 GW project; Drinda releases 2022 financial results.

Daqo's 100,000 ton polysilicon project online: Chinese polysilicon manufacturer Daqo New Energy has started commercial operations of phase I of its 200,000 metric ton (MT) high-purity polysilicon project announced by the company in December 2021 (see Daqo's 200,000 MT Polysilicon For Solar Industry). The 100,000 MT under phase I, built for an investment of RMB 8.55 billion, is now online in Baotou city of Inner Mongolia. It took 10 months for this capacity to come online since construction started in May 2022, stated Daqo in a news report of SAGSI Silicon Industry Research. It is expected to generate an annual output worth RMB 13.8 billion. Simultaneously, the company has started construction on phase II of the project that will commission another 100,000 MT high-purity polysilicon capacity for an investment of RMB 9.5 billion. It is scheduled to come online by the end of 2023. Once it is online, Daqo says its cumulative annual production capacity will scale up to 305,000 MT generating worth RMB 27.6 billion industrial output.

Astronergy introduces Boron-LDSE technology: Solar module producer Astronergy of the Chint Group says it has led the industry into completing the introduction of Boron-laser doping selective emmiter (LDSE) technology into SE-TOPCon cells, and achieved mass production of the entire factory production line. On its WeChat platform, Astronergy said the mass production efficiency of TOPCon cells has increased by over 0.2% that effectively reduces the manufacturing costs of cells and modules. It added that till now the n-type TOPCon cell efficiency research and development pilot line of Chint New Energy has achieved an average efficiency of 25.62% in large quantities. By the end of 2023, it expects to reach the average efficiency of 26% for its TOPCon cell pilot line.

Phase I of 30 GW wafer project online: Solar polycrystalline silicon ingots company Yuze Semiconductor has started production on phase I of its 30 GW n-type monocrystalline silicon rod and 30 GW wafer project in Xiban Industrial Park, Wenshan Prefecture. The company did not specify the exact capacity it has commissioned under phase I in an announcement made on its WeChat account, however it shared that 100 single crystal furnaces have been installed in the park as of March 16, 2023. It is expected to help the company report annual output of about RMB 15 billion. Phase I has come online after a year of the company announcing the decision to invest in it (see China PV News Snippets).

Shuangliang 50 GW silicon project moving forward: Solar PV production equipment maker Shuangliang Eco-Energy has broken ground on phase III of its 50 GW monocrystalline silicon project at Rare Earth High-Tech Zone. According to local media reports, the project is estimated to cost an investment of RMB 10.5 billion to come up on an area of about 823 acres. It will be equipped with 1,600 single crystal furnaces among other equipment. Once the entire facility is up and running, it will generate an output of RMB 26.08 billion. Its completion will expand the company's overall production capacity of monocrystalline silicon materials to 100 GW, that of monocrystalline silicon supporting new materials to 80 GW and solar PV module capacity to 20 GW.

Drinda's 2022 operating income up: In a stock filing, automotive instrument panel assembly producer Drinda improved its 2022 operating income by over 300% YoY to RMB 11.6 billion and net profit by over 500% to RMB 717 million. This was due to the company divesting its stake in the loss-making auto-trim business (see China PV News Snippets). It also turned cell producer Jietai Technology as its wholly-owned subsidiary last year. In 2022, Jietai shipped 10.72 GW solar cells, comprising 8.85 GW of P-type PERC products and 1.87 GW of N-type TOPCon products, representing an annual jump of 88%. Jietai's operating income last year increased by about 120% to RMB 11.115 billion, and net profit by 223% to RMB 729 million.