51 GW: World’s Largest Ever Solar Module & Inverter Bid

Chinese energy projects developer POWERCHINA has launched what should easily be the world’s largest ever solar module and solar inverter procurement call as it seeks 51 GW capacity for each of the 2 components. This is the capacity the company plans to build in 2025. 

The company has specified the cell size for eligible modules as a minimum of 182 mm and above. Here are the other details for the 51 GW solar module procurement call: 

• 12 GW of n-type TOPCon monocrystalline silicon modules for investment construction projects, 

• 36 GW of n-type TOPCon monocrystalline silicon modules for engineering contracting projects, and

• 3 GW of n-type HJT monocrystalline silicon modules. 

For the 51 GW inverter procurement, the requirements are as follows: 

• 12 GW of ≥3125 kW (Chinese standard) central inverter systems, 

• 8 GW of string inverters (AC 800 V) for investment construction projects, 

• 25 GW of string inverters (AC 800 V) for engineering contracting projects, and

• 6 GW of 10-150 kW string inverters (AC 380 V). 

Both calls were announced on November 13, 2024. The last date for bid submission is December 4, 2024.  

Along with 51 GW solar, POWERCHINA plans to also build 23 GW of onshore wind and 2 GW offshore wind energy capacity in 2025 for which it has launched a separate tender to source wind turbines, according to local media reports.    

Large-scale solar and wind energy procurement calls are not new in China, but these tenders from POWERCHINA have volumes that have never been possibly sought to date. These just go on to show the scale of renewable energy one can expect to come up in the world’s largest market in the near future.