China Solar PV News Snippets

Trina modules for Ningxia PV project; French certification for Risen's Hyper-ion; TCL Zhonghuan & Vision Industries to build Saudi wafer fab; Huaigang Special Steel's 30 MW solar PV station online; Almaden drops BIPV anti-glare coated glass plans for ultra-thin PV glass; CPIA releases PV industry standard by SPIC Huanghe.

Trina Solar's Vertex modules at 2 GW PV project in Ningxia: Trina Solar has announced that a 2 GW photovoltaic (PV) project within coal mine goafs in Ningxia, China is using its Vertex N 700W and Vertex 670W ultra-high-power modules. This is expected to save around 960,000 tons of standard coal and reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 2.62 million tons annually once connected to the grid. The company says the project is a model of using renewable energy tailored to local conditions, optimizing land resources in subsidence areas and barren hills. Recently, a study conducted by China General Certification, a third-party technical service organization concluded that Trina Solar's Vertex 600W+ series modules produced energy gain of up to 8.82% compared with that of mono-facial modules in windy areas (see China Solar PV News Snippets).

Risen Energy gets France's carbon footprint certification for HJT Hyper-ion modules: Solar panel maker Risen Energy has announced that it has received French carbon footprint certification for its heterojunction (HJT) Hyper-ion series modules. At 376.5 kg eq. CO2/kWc, the company said that this sets a new low in the industry's carbon footprint certification value. The certified ultra-low carbon and ultra-efficient heterojunction Fuxi Hyper-ion module was launched by Risen in 2022, which has passed the new standard IEC61215:2021&61730:2023 certification. The module features technologies such as laminated superimposed bifacial microcrystalline technology, low silver-containing slurry, main grid-less cells, and liter-connection stress-free cell interconnection. The module can reach an efficiency of 23.9%, a stable temperature coefficient and an ultra-high bifacial ratio of 85%±10%. Recently, DMEGC Solar's Sihong plant was awarded 4-Star Zero-Carbon Certification by TÜV SÜD (see China Solar PV News Snippets).

TCL Zhonghuan and Vision Industries to build crystal wafer fab in Saudi: At the third "One Belt, One Road" Entrepreneurs Conference, TCL Zhonghuan has signed a Joint Development Agreement with Saudi Arabia's Vision Industries to jointly build a crystal wafer facility in Saudi Arabia. Phase I targets a production capacity of 20 GW. TCL Zhonghuan says that its "Deep Blue" + AI model enhances the factory's flexible manufacturing capabilities through in-depth integration of technological innovation, process advancement, and Industry 4.0 manufacturing systems. The company will combine Saudi Vision Industries and its rich regional resources and business layout in energy, hydrogen energy, desalination, etc.

Huaigang Special Steel's 30 MW solar power station starts operations: Huaigang Special Steel has announced that its 30 MW distributed PV power generation plant has been put into operation. Dubbed the largest lightweight PVV module project in China and the world, the company says it is also the first demonstration project in China that uses lightweight modules on a 42-meter-high and 530-meter-long arched roof. The 30 MW plant, built over 270,000 sq. m. in Jiangsu Lihuai Iron and Steel Park, started construction in July 2022 and received on-site acceptance from Huai'an Power Supply Company in November 2022. A total of 67,590 Sunman Energy lightweight modules with a power of 430 W have been used in this project that utilizes unused rooftops of businesses. Once connected to the grid, the company says that the power station will adopt a "self-consumption" mode, with the power consumption ratio reaching 100%. The company expects to generate about 30 million kilowatt-hours in the first year, reducing 28,910 tons carbon dioxide emissions from the factory.

Almaden plans to change BIPV anti-glare coated glass facility to ultra-thin PV glass facility: Solar glass manufacturer Almaden has announced that it plans to make changes and adjustments to the investment projects with part of the funds raised from the non-public issuance of stocks in 2020 in order to improve the efficiency of the use of raised funds. Firstly, the company intends to drop its construction plans on the BIPV anti-glare coated glass facility. Instead, it wants to use the RMB 114.6847 million unused portion of the raised funds for new investment projects and working capital. RMB 80 million of this balance will be used for the ultra-thin PV backplane glass facility, and the remaining RMB 34.6847 million will be used to permanently supplement working capital. The company cites loss of demand due to frictions in international trade and geopolitical risks as the reasons for this change.

PV industry standard edited by SPIC Huanghe Hydropower released: The China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) has released the T/CPIA 0054-2023 "Flexible Aluminum Alloy Cables for Photovoltaic Power Generation Systems" standard edited by SPIC Huanghe Hydropower Development Xinye Company. To be implemented from October 30, the company says this standard fills the gap in relevant testing of flexible DC aluminum alloy cables for photovoltaic use in China. Recently, China's State Administration for Market Regulation (National Standardization Administration Committee) released "Technical Requirements for Desert Photovoltaic Power Stations" drafted by CGN New Energy as a national standard (see China Solar PV News Snippets).