China Solar PV News Snippets

CSI's gap reflective films for TOPCon bifacial modules; Jinko PV Material to establish junction box connector fab in Shangrao; XN Automation ships 1^st HJT IFC equipment line; 3 Cos to create BIPV solutions for C&I; China to fully purchase guaranteed RE electricity from April 1.

Canadian Solar improves TOPCon bifacial module performance through gap film technology: Canadian Solar has introduced gap reflective films into n-type TOPCon bifacial modules. The gap films, made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), replace the traditional glaze coating (grid pattern) on the back glass to improve light absorption and utilization. The company says experimental data shows that the PET films can increase light reflectivity by approximately 10% compared to white glaze, allowing the cell to capture more light. It says it has evaluated it through various tests such as material characterization and aging, and its performance is better than IEC standard requirements. The company claims that the gap film increases the bifaciality of a module by 1%. In a simulation with Canadian Solar's 210 TOPCon 700 W bifacial modules in a fixed vertical 2-row installation, using the gap film technology is said to have reduced the cost of electricity by about 0.11%.

Recently, Canadian Solar reported its Q4 and FY 2023 financial results, beating its shipment guidance for the year (see Canadian Solar Beats Q4/2023 Solar Module Shipment Guidance).

Jinko PV Material to build PV junction box connector fab in Shangrao: The Ecology and Environment Bureau of Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province, has announced its acceptance of Jinko PV Material's environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for its PV junction box connector fab. The company, a subsidiary of JinkoSolar, plans to invest RMB 120 million ($16.67 million) to establish a production facility capable of producing 130 million sets of PV junction box connectors annually in Shangrao City. It will serve as a complementary facility to the company's other manufacturing facilities in the region, including a 1 GW PV mounting system project and an aluminum set manufacturing facility.

JinkoSolar and Suzhou Shijing Technology recently signed an agreement to jointly build an R&D center and manufacturing base (see China Solar PV News Snippets).

XN Automation ships 1^st HJT IFC equipment mass production line: Solar module equipment maker XN Automation has announced the delivery of the 1^st mass production line of heterojunction (HJT) Integrated Film Covering (IFC) equipment. IFC, a technology introduced to address the industrialization of zero busbars (0BB), involves using a film to directly press the ribbon onto the positive and back sides of the cell in one step during module production, achieving series connection. It uses low-temperature technology to metallize the ribbon and cell fingers in the laminating process. The company stated that as a platform technology, IFC can be combined with 0BB cells such as TOPCon, HJT, and XBC, boasting high reliability and adaptability.

3 companies join hands to create BIPV integrated solutions for C&I users: NAHUI New Energy, Center Int and PCS Power have signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Qingdao. The tripartite partnership aims to promote the construction of green and low-carbon parks and the integration of BIPV photovoltaic roofs. The 3 parties will focus on promoting the green transformation of the park, take the integration of clean energy and technological innovation as the development path, and integrate green and low-carbon development into the strategic layout of the smart park.

China to fully purchase guaranteed RE electricity from April 1: China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has announced that effective April 1, 2024, electricity market participants are required to fully purchase 'guaranteed renewable energy' (RE) electricity according to relevant national RE consumption guarantee mechanisms and proportion targets. NDRC categorizes electricity generated from RE projects into 2 categories – guaranteed purchase electricity and market trading electricity. The market trading electricity part, whose price is based on market mechanisms, can be jointly purchased by power generation enterprises and electricity users and other relevant market participants.

Recently, NDRC called for accelerated construction of large wind and solar power bases and the integrated development and construction of water, wind, and solar power in major river basins (see China Solar PV News Snippets).