As the solar industry pushes for higher output and leaner manufacturing, pushing performance limits requires more than cutting costs. True market success depends on ensuring that next-generation designs can endure decades of field operations without unexpected degradation.
The TaiyangNews Reliable PV Module Design Online Conference, taking place on Thursday, October 15, 2026, from 09:30 to 13:00 CEST, will bring together leading module manufacturers, material and component suppliers, testing organizations, and other industry experts to discuss the latest module products and design concepts, material choices, quality considerations, and reliability challenges, from cells, glass, encapsulants, backsheets, and interconnection technologies to complete module architectures.
At the conference, Ling Zhuang, Product Manager at Trinasolar, will speak on Trinasolar’s approach to building reliability into TOPCon 3.0.
Register for free here.
Vertically integrated PV manufacturer LONGi and Chinese electric vehicle brand NIO have launched an off-grid solar-plus-storage battery-swapping station on the G30 Lianhuo Expressway at Xingxingxia. LONGi describes it as the world’s first zero-carbon off-grid solar-plus-storage battery-swapping station. Located in a grid-free section of the Gobi Desert, the facility relies entirely on its PV and energy storage systems for power.
The project uses LONGi BLOCK mobile energy stations and the OneNexus H2D off-grid microgrid energy storage system (ESS). The BLOCK units integrate PV modules, mounting structures, inverters, and power distribution equipment in standard prefabricated enclosures, allowing deployment without civil works and enabling power generation within hours. The H2D ESS stores surplus daytime electricity for use at night.
LONGi said the project serves as a model for similar applications at mines, on islands, and at remote telecommunications base stations.
Recently, LONGi signed an agreement to supply a LONGiBank liquid-cooled ESS to Shanxi Dingxin Logistics for its heavy-truck charging station in Yuncheng, Shanxi province (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
Inner Mongolia’s energy regulator has published an implementation list covering five PV desertification-control projects in Alxa League, with a combined capacity of 5.5 GW and sand-control measures spanning approximately 14,667 hectares. CGN has two 1 GW projects on the list, while POWERCHINA and China Huaneng each have a 1 GW project. The remaining project, developed by China Huadian, has a capacity of 1.5 GW.
Alxa League selected and submitted the projects, the autonomous region’s authorities reviewed them, and they were included in the implementation list. They form part of a broader national initiative integrating PV development with desertification control. In 2024, the National Energy Administration and National Forestry and Grassland Administration issued requirements calling for PV projects to incorporate conventional desertification-control measures.
PV cleaning robot manufacturer Virtue World Robot has begun volume production of its third-generation intelligent rail-mounted cleaning robot, with the first 300 units rolling off the production line.
The company said the robots feature a lightweight, corrosion-resistant structure with a non-metallic body and crossbeam, plus a wide-temperature battery designed to operate from -20°C to 45°C. The roller brush offers three height settings to accommodate different module specifications and sloped terrain. A dual-terminal control system enables fleet scheduling via smartphones and PCs.
Virtue World Robot recently started mass production of its second-generation handheld intelligent PV cleaning robots at its Honghu Industrial Park in Hubei province (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
Relay manufacturer Sanyou Corporation Limited plans to raise up to RMB 660 million through a six-year convertible bond offering, according to its issuance proposal. Of the proceeds, RMB 140 million will fund a relay capacity expansion project serving the PV, energy storage, and computing-power sectors. The project has a total investment of approximately RMB 163 million.
The remaining proceeds will support relay expansion and industrialization projects for other applications, the construction of a production base in Vietnam, and working capital. Sanyou said the investment is intended to meet growing demand for relay components from downstream markets, including PV and energy storage.
