Leading solar manufacturer LONGi has won the module supply contract for Phase 1 of the photovoltaic-sand control integration project led by Inner Mongolia Energy Group. Located in Dalate Banner, Ordos, Inner Mongolia, this 500 MW project integrates renewable energy with desertification control, alongside agricultural and livestock farming activities. Said to be China's largest utility BC solar PV project to date, it will deploy LONGi's Hi-MO 9 modules based on its second-generation BC technology, featuring a maximum power output of 660 W and a conversion efficiency of 24.43%. LONGi emphasized that this contract represents a significant breakthrough for its BC second-generation technology in the utility-scale solar power market.
CR Power recently announced LONGi as the winner of Section 2 of its auction for 550 MW of 182 x 210 mm cell-based modules (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
The government of Changshan County, Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province, has signed an agreement for a 5 GW perovskite solar cell manufacturing base with a total planned investment of RMB 4 billion ($562.85 million). Phase 1 of the project includes an investment of RMB 1.5 billion ($211.07 million) to establish a 1 GW perovskite solar cell production line, while Phase 2 includes investment of RMB 2.5 billion ($351.78 million) to construct an additional 4 GW line.
While the investment entity has not been officially disclosed in the Changshan government’s latest document, in late 2023, the government mentioned its discussions with Microquanta for a 5 GW perovskite solar cell project, which would include two ultra-clear, ultra-thin perovskite conductive PV glass production lines (600 tons/day each).
On the perovskite module manufacturing front, UtmoLight has commissioned its 1 GW perovskite solar module production line in China (see World’s ‘1st’ GW-Scale Perovskite Solar Module Fab Online In China).
According to China's New Energy Consumption Monitoring and Early Warning Center, the nationwide solar PV power utilization rate stood at 96.8% in 2024, down from 98% in 2023. Wind power utilization also fell to 95.9%, compared to 97.3% the previous year. Regionally, Fujian province, Zhejiang province, and Shanghai recorded the highest solar power utilization rates at 100%. Among provinces with the largest cumulative PV installations, the 2024 utilization rates were: Shandong – 98.5% (76.13 GW installed capacity), Hebei – 96.1% (72.02 GW installed capacity), and Jiangsu – 99.9% (61.64 GW installed capacity).
Canadian Solar, in collaboration with the China Electronics Standardization Institute and several other organizations, has spearheaded the IEC TS 63624-1 ED1 international standard project, titled "Test methods for UV-induced power degradation - Part 1: Crystalline Silicon." The proposed standard defines UVID testing methods for solar modules, specifying parameters such as light source, test conditions, irradiation dose, sample requirements, metastable stabilization, and recovery processes. The goal is to quantify UV degradation risks, identify UV-resistant module material combinations, and mitigate outdoor UV-induced power losses. The IEC is said to have already held 2 expert committee meetings with 8 representative experts, with a committee draft expected to be submitted by the end of 2025.
Recently, Canadian Solar submitted an EIA report for its proposed 5 GW silicon ingot manufacturing facility in Inner Mongolia (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
According to Antaike, a Chinese state-owned consultancy in China's non-ferrous metals industry, China’s domestic polysilicon output in January 2025 totaled 96,700 tons, marking a month-on-month decrease of 6.84%. For manufacturers with an annual capacity of over 100,000 tons, the average operating rate dropped to 38.11%, continuing its downward trend from the previous month. Most polysilicon producers were either shut down, undergoing maintenance, or voluntarily reducing production loads.
In the wafer sector, China’s January wafer output reached 44.71 GW, down 2.61% month-on-month.
Looking ahead to February, polysilicon production is expected to decline further to around 94,000 tons (-3% MoM), while wafer output is projected to reach approximately 44 GW, reflecting a slight reduction from January.
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