Tongwei adds solar modules to its PV powerhouse – pv magazine International

February 9, 2023 Eckhart Gouras

In line with Joe Chen, Asia-Pacific gross sales director for Tongwei Photo voltaic (TW Photo voltaic), the corporate introduced final yr that it’ll enter the module enterprise so as to add photo voltaic panels to its wide selection of PV merchandise. With its push into the modules enterprise, TW Photo voltaic is, in Chen’s phrases, “the one module maker within the prime 10 that has its personal polysilicon. That is our benefit.”

And it is a massive benefit, as a result of TW Photo voltaic can move the polysilicon order to its clients in a type that’s extra knowledgeable relating to module pricing. With polysilicon costs fluctuating over the previous yr, this potential to successfully shield the shopper from massive value swings is usually a large profit to clients making an attempt to keep away from shocks. on value as they bid on massive tasks in aggressive markets comparable to utility-scale photo voltaic. within the Center East.

Chen mentioned that main gamers comparable to ACWA Energy and Masdar approached TW Photo voltaic at WFES to doubtlessly faucet into the advantages supplied by such a vertically built-in PV provide chain. And TW Photo voltaic will not be solely vertically built-in in a PV product portfolio from high-purity crystalline silicon to ultra-thin silicon wafers, high-efficiency photo voltaic cells, and now high-efficiency modules. It’s really the biggest polysilicon producer on this planet, with an annual manufacturing capability of 230 kilotons (KT) masking three manufacturing bases in Sichuan, Internal Mongolia, and Yunnan in China.

The corporate can be the world’s largest cell producer, with 70 GW of manufacturing capability in place by the tip of 2022. Its wafer manufacturing capability will quantity to fifteen GW. Chen highlighted the truth that there’s “sufficient wafer capability available in the market” and that “we will purchase from this market” to feed the 70 GW the corporate wants on the cell aspect.

Module manufacturing capability stands at 15 GW by the tip of 2022, a giant leap from the five hundred MW the corporate began when it acquired Hefei LDK’s module manufacturing enterprise in 2013. In line with Chen, noting to start TW Photo voltaic’s foray into the module enterprise.

WFES, a part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, marks the primary massive alternative to showcase the corporate’s module enterprise at a number one worldwide photo voltaic power occasion, as MENA is a crucial goal marketplace for the Chengdu-based producer. For big scale PV energy crops within the Center East, TW Photo voltaic’s observe document and cell and module applied sciences present a spread of advantages. Because of its vertical integration, the producer can provide M10 and G12 cells. It could additionally provide a variety of cell applied sciences from mono PERC to n-type TOPCon to heterojunction (HJT).

Chen sees n-type TOPCon changing into a key marketplace for TW Photo voltaic within the Center East, and the producer will be capable to provide this product from April. Its n-type TOPCon bifacial module merchandise ship as much as 700 W of energy, primarily based on 66 G12 cells.

Chen pointed to TW Photo voltaic’s intensive expertise in deploying bifacial panels in large-scale tasks in mainland China. An organization affiliated with the undertaking enterprise has put in greater than 2 GW tasks yearly for the previous 5 years.

At present, all of TW Photo voltaic’s intensive manufacturing footprint relies in mainland China. It already leads the manufacturing of polysilicon and cells and its new objective is to turn into the world chief in module manufacturing inside the subsequent three years. To get there, it plans to extend module manufacturing from 15 GW per yr at present to 80 GW in the middle of this yr, and greater than 80 GW subsequent yr. This ramp-up shall be accompanied by massive ramp-ups forward, from 70 GW to 102 GW on the cell aspect in 2023, and between 130 GW and 150 GW in 2024. On the polysilicon aspect, it should rise from 230 KT to 350 KT in 2023, and between 800 KT and 1,000 KT in 2024. Because of its sturdy cooperation with Longi and different wafer producers, the wafer manufacturing capability will stay fixed at 15 GW per yr .

Whereas MENA presents an ideal setting for 700 W bifacial TOPCon modules, Chen additionally desires to advertise the “TW Photo voltaic” module model in European PV markets – particularly Germany, Spain, Holland and Poland. In these markets rooftop purposes will function prominently – an ideal match for the corporate’s all black modules. Different precedence abroad markets are Australia and Brazil.

For these six principal markets, TW Photo voltaic ought to have native workplaces in place within the third quarter of this yr, behind sturdy model constructing actions. As Chen mentioned: “So this yr for abroad markets a very powerful factor is to point out our model, to let the market know who TW Photo voltaic is – what can TW Photo voltaic provide? “

There may be little doubt that the market will know that TW Photo voltaic is without doubt one of the main PV producers in China, with a protracted observe document in upstream manufacturing and PV expertise. It now presents mass manufacturing n-type TOPCon and HJT modules with a 35-year product guarantee and management over a big spectrum of the PV provide chain. That degree of management ought to show enticing to clients exterior the Center East as effectively.