China Solar PV News Snippets

Astronergy commences production at Yiwu Base; Mellow Energy's flexible perovskite module efficiency breaches 21%; Hongyuan Energy brings silicon manufacturing facility online; JA Solar and Ralco Energy complete Anami PV plant installation.

Astronergy rolls out 1^st TOPCon cell & module from Yiwu Base: PV module manufacturer Astronergy, a subsidiary of Chint Group, has announced via WeChat that it has officially commissioned its Yiwu Intelligent Manufacturing Base. The TOPCon 8 GW cell + 8 GW module facility is the company's 7^th intelligent manufacturing base, and its second largest in Zhejiang. The Yiwu base coming online helps Astronergy in reaching its annual production capacity target of 55 GW. Costing RMB 11.3 billion ($1.55 billion) in total investment, the plant is being constructed in 2 phases, with the capacity to produce 8 GW high-efficiency PV cells and 4 GW of modules in the 1^st phase, which started construction at the beginning of 2023. The 2^nd phase, consisting of an additional 4 GW module capacity, is planned to start operations in 2024. All new production capacity at the Yiwu base is based on the n-type TOPCon 3.0 technology. At completion, the facility is expected to generate revenues of RMB 12 billion ($1.65 billion) annually.

Mellow Energy's flexible perovskite PV module breaks through 21% efficiency: PV module manufacturer Mellow Energy has announced that the conversion efficiency of its trans-structure flexible perovskite PV module (aperture area: 21.07 cm²), has reached 21.09%, as certified by China National Photovoltaic Industry Metrology and Testing Center. This new record comes closely on the heels of the company's large-scale perovskite PV module (30 × 30 cm, aperture area 800.9 cm²) achieving a world-record 21.50% efficiency (see China PV News Snippets).

Hongyuan Energy's 50,000-ton high-purity crystalline silicon facility starts production: Hongyuan Energy announced that the 1^st phase of its 50,000-ton high-purity crystalline silicon has commenced operations. Built over an area of about 1700 mu with a total investment RMB 11.8 billion ($1.62 billion), the facility will supply raw materials for the production of downstream crystal wafers. The production process adopts the advanced modified Siemens method process, which delivers a high conversion rate, low cost, high purity and quality.

JA Solar and Ralco Energy complete Anami PV Plant installation: Leading PV supplier JA Solar has announced that the installation of Israel-based Marom Energy's Anami PV plant is complete and has been connected to the grid. JA Solar has supplied 13.06 MW of high-efficiency modules for this project, located on privately owned land in Abu Kurniat in southern Israel. Ralco Energy, JA Solar's partner, has provided full services for this project, including technical, logistical and pre- and post-sales support. The company recently said that its offshore module shipments contributed to its positive financial results in H1 2023 (see 43.5% Annual Increase In JA Solar's H1/2023 Revenues).

Autowell subsidiary announces collaboration with Xinjiang Middle Hoshine Silicon Industry: XuRi Technology, a subsidiary of PV equipment manufacturer Autowell Technology, has announced a collaboration with Xinjiang Middle Hoshine Silicon Industry Co., Ltd. Under the RMB 380 million ($52.2 million) contract, XuRi will provide PV cell and module production equipment to Hoshine Silicon. Previously, XuRi had secured a PV cell and module equipment procurement contract with DAS Solar New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (Xinzhou). Through the collaboration with DAS Solar, XuRi won bids for more than 10 production lines. In August, XuRi was selected by Jiangsu Runergy's subsidiary Yunnan Runergy Century PV Technology Co., Ltd., to provide equipment for 12 production lines. This follows the RMB 130 million ($17.85 million) contract it had won for 12 production lines at Jiangsu Runergy's n-type solar cell production facility in August of 2022.