China PV News Snippets: Talesun, Shangji Automation, Qingdao

• Talesun Solar and Zonergy sign strategic cooperation agreement
• Wuxi Shangji Automation to publicly issue convertible bonds to raise RMB 2.47 billion ($0.39 billion) for wafer production facility
• Qingdao Gaoce and Tonghe New Energy seal RMB 124 million ($19.44 million) sales contract for photovoltaic cutting machine
• Polysilicon prices for June to hit average price of RMB 200/kg

Talesun Solar and Zonergy signed a strategic cooperation agreement: Chinese solar cell and module maker Talesun Solar and Zonergy have signed a strategic cooperation agreement, as per a news report. Now both the parties will leverage their respective technological advantages and core competitiveness in the photovoltaic industry chain, integrate their resource advantages, and carry out in-depth cooperation in areas such as the development of new energy markets along the "Belt and Road", technological innovation, and smart energy. Zonergy is a Chinese energy company active in solar and biomass power plant development with telecom giant ZTE as its major shareholder. Last year, Talesun had claimed to have increased its PERC solar cell power conversion efficiency to 23.56%, exceeding the 23.50% mark (see Talesun Solar Claims 23.56% PERC Cell Efficiency).

Shangji Automation to raise RMB 2.5 billion: In an announcement, PV production equipment maker and mono-wafer company Wuxi Shangji Automation said that it plans to publicly issue convertible bonds to raise RMB 2.47 billion ($0.39 billion), which will be used in Baotou's annual production capacity of 10 GW monocrystalline silicon wafers and supporting production projects. This project will use advanced technology such as fully automatic monocrystalline furnaces. Earlier this year, Shangii Automation had entered into a joint venture with GCL-Poly Energy Holdings to develop and produce 300,000 MT granular silicon (see GCL-Poly & Wuxi Shangji Announce Joint Venture).

Qingdao & Tonghe sign PV cutting machine sales contract: Wire cutting machine producer Qingdao Gaoce Technology announced that the company and photovoltaic equipment and component manufacturer Tonghe New Energy have sealed a RMB 124 million ($19.44 million) sales contract for PV cutting machines.  In February this year, Qingdao had entered into an agreement with wafer producer Suzhou GCL Photovoltaic Technology (see China PV News Snippets: DK Electronic, GCL, Xinyi Energy).

Polysilicon prices for June hit RMB 200/kg: Releasing the latest photovoltaic supply chain price information, PVInfoLink reported that the spot price of polysilicon for Prime Mono wafers in June will be up to RMB 220/kg ($34.49/kg), and the average price will be RMB 200/kg ($31.35/kg). The consultants suggested that continuous price hikes may impact end-user demand.