China Solar PV News Snippets: Huasun Completes HJT Vertical Integration & More
Huasun Energy has rolled off the first monocrystalline silicon ingot from its Ningxia 20 GW HJT Monocrystalline Silicon Smart Factory. (Photo Credit: Huasun Energy)
Huasun’s HJT chain complete with 1st silicon ingot production
Heterojunction (HJT) solar PV manufacturer Huasun Energy has reported the first production of monocrystalline silicon ingot from the Ningxia Huasun 20 GW HJT Monocrystalline Silicon Smart Factory (Phase 1) facility on December 31, 2024. Achieved within 6 months of its establishment, this milestone marks the completion of Huasun’s fully integrated HJT industry chain, from silicon ingots to cells and modules.
The factory, a flagship project for Yinchuan, Ningxia, advances local photovoltaic industrial upgrades while boosting Huasun’s capability to scale HJT mass production. With innovative rod-pulling technology, Huasun aims to enhance cost efficiency, product performance, and global leadership in HJT and HJT-perovskite tandem technologies.
Huasun Energy also announced that its 2024 HJT module shipments exceeded 6 GW, taking its cumulative shipments past the 10 GW milestone. The company reported over 1 GW of module shipments in December 2024 alone.
AIKO’s Jinan factory rolls out 1st module
TaiyangNews TOP SOLAR MODULES efficiency leader AIKO Solar has announced that its Jinan Phase I 10 GW high-efficiency module facility has rolled out the first module from its production line. The company stated that this Jinan facility, which is its third n-type ABC production base, helps advance the company’s implementation of BC production capacity.
Based on its Industry 4.0 intelligent production technology, the Jinan base uses 100% green electricity, 90% recyclable water, and has a waste heat recovery utilization rate of over 30%. AIKO says the base has achieved integrated production of cells and modules, with a single production line measuring 1.5 km. When complete, it will have a production capacity of 30 GW of n-type ABC cells and modules, with the 10 GW Phase I expected to be fully operational in H2 2025. To be constructed in 3 phases, the 30 GW Jinan base is set to be completed in 2029.
Last month, AIKO released the latest version of its distributed solar project design software, AIKO Designer.
TCL TZE acquires equity in subsidiary
Solar PV manufacturer TCL TZE (previously TCL Zhonghuan) has announced plans to acquire equity in its subsidiary Zhonghuan Crystal from 2 investment institutions. The company will purchase BOCOM Investment’s 13.69% stake in Zhonghuan Crystal for RMB 1 billion ($136.5 million) and 10.95% from CCB Investment for RMB 800 million ($109.2 million). With these purchases, TCL TZE will increase its stake (direct and indirect) in Zhonghuan Crystal to 83.96%. Zhonghuan Crystal primarily engages in the manufacturing and sales of solar silicon ingots and related products.
GCL SI launches BC modules
Solar cell and module manufacturer GCL SI has unveiled its GPC 2.0 distributed module based on Back Contact (BC) technology. This module leverages GCL’s self-developed high-efficiency GPC (Graphical Precise-Doping Passivation Contact) 2.0 technology, achieving superior base passivation with open-circuit voltage exceeding 748 mV. The module measures 2,382 x 1,134mm and delivers a power output of 660 W. It also features GCL’s patented Lotus anti-dust technology.
GCL SI stated that its GPC 2.0 cell efficiency had surpassed 27.1% as of December 2024. The company plans to launch GPC 3.0 products in the second quarter of 2025, with expected efficiency exceeding 27.4%, and will gradually ramp up production based on efficiency improvements.
Another GCL Group subsidiary GCL Perovskite recently reported achieving a conversion efficiency of 22.43% with its large-sized perovskite module measuring 2,048 cm2.
China’s ‘largest’ PV-storage power station comes online
China Huadian has announced the commissioning of its large-scale saline-alkali flat PV-storage project in Laizhou, Shandong Province. Covering about 1,200 hectares, the project has an installed capacity of 1 GW and includes a 200 MW/ 400 MWh energy storage facility. The company claims it to be the largest PV-storage power station currently in operation in China. The project consists of nearly 2 million PV modules, with plans to utilize brine beneath the modules for salt production, integrating solar power generation with industrial salt production.