New materials and new processes have reduced the cost of photovoltaic manufacturing in China by more than 80%. What changes will this bring to China’s energy development? How will it affect our lives in the future? On December 19, the high-end popular science column Perspective of New Technology on CCTV-10, the science and education channel, launched a special program of New PV, focusing on the hot issues of photovoltaic development. Liu Zhengxin, a researcher of Chinese Academy of Sciences and President of TW Solar Photovoltaic Research Institute, was invited to be a guest on the program to discuss the future development prospects of China’s photovoltaic industry with Yang Deren, an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and a semiconductor materials scientist.

Liu Zhengxin, a researcher of Chinese Academy of Sciences and President of TW Solar Photovoltaic Research Institute, is a guest in the column Perspective of New Technology on CCTV-10

Under the coordination of Tongwei Group Brand Management Center, the Perspective of New Technology column group went to Tongwei’s high-purity crystalline silicon and high-efficiency crystalline silicon cell bases located in Leshan and Meishan, and visited the manufacturing shops on site. They had an in-depth understanding of the global leadership of Chinese photovoltaic enterprises represented by Tongwei in technological innovation, intelligent manufacturing, quality building and other aspects, and collected a lot of materials for the program.

This program reviews the development of China’s photovoltaic industry through data and cases: China started its research on photovoltaic technology in the 1960s and made breakthroughs. As early as 1971, China’s second man-made satellite “SJ-1” was equipped with photovoltaic cells and flew into space. More than half a century later, more and more photovoltaic panels appeared in China. By the end of 2020, China’s photovoltaic installed capacity had increased by more than 3,000 times compared with that in 2005, ranking first in the world in terms of newly installed capacity for eight consecutive years. 

CCTV focuses on Chinese photovoltaic enterprises represented by Tongwei Group

The program featured Chinese photovoltaic enterprises represented by Tongwei Group. Through technological accumulation and innovative breakthroughs, Tongwei has improved the purity of silicon material, the core raw material of photovoltaic panels, to the highest level in the world. In its entire production process, any drop of intermediate materials will not be wasted, and it almost achieved zero emissions through environmental protection management. In 2020, Tongwei’s annual output of high-purity crystalline silicon reached 80,000 tons, ranking the front row in the world. The program pointed out that the global market share of Chinese photovoltaic enterprises has risen from 40% in 2010 to more than 70% now, and PV has become China’s “new business card” to the world. Through the CCTV camera we can see, the Yongxiang New Energy Plant of Tongwei is full of flowers and plants, worthy of being a beautiful garden factory; In the intelligent manufacturing workshop of TW Solar Meishan Base, IGV intelligent vehicles shuttle back and forth to transport cells, and mechanical arms work in an orderly manner, thus a modern “super factory” with intelligent, digital and refined management is presented to the audience.

The garden factory of Yongxiang Co., Ltd. in the lens of CCTV

CCTV points out that the purity of high-purity crystalline silicon products manufactured by Yongxiang Co., Ltd. has reached the highest level in the world

TW Solar intelligent manufacturing workshop shot by CCTV

In the program, Academician Yang Deren and President Liu Zhengxin discussed how photovoltaic power generation could drive rural revitalization and bring people in remote areas out of poverty. Academician Yang said photovoltaic power generation could be combined with herding by pastoralists and fish-farming by fishermen. That means laying photovoltaic panels on wilderness and the grass growing below them could be fed to livestock, or laying photovoltaic panels on the water, which generate electricity above water, and fish can be raised below. In this regard, President Liu Zhengxin introduced the global pioneering “integration of fishery and PV” model of Tongwei. This model is the organic combination of photovoltaic power generation and aquaculture. Photovoltaic panels are laid on the surface of the water, thus electricity can be generated above water, and fish can be raised below. This model realizes “clean energy production on the water and safe food production under water”, which not only improves the efficiency of land use, but also increases farmers’ income, opens up new ideas for photovoltaic development and promotes the development of the rural economy. 

CCTV praises the "integration of fishery and PV" model of Tongwei 

As for the photovoltaic new energy industry that Tongwei is engaged in, after more than 10 years of hard work, it has made remarkable achievements and become a national name card shining in the world. As one of the representatives of photovoltaic enterprises in China, Tongwei has been practicing the concept of green development and unswervingly developing the new energy industry for many years. After more than ten years of development, Tongwei has become a vertically integrated photovoltaic enterprise with the production of high-purity crystalline silicon in the upstream, the production of high-efficiency solar cells in the midstream and the construction and operation of photovoltaic power stations in the terminal, forming a complete photovoltaic new energy industry chain with independent intellectual property rights.  The special program of the Perspective of New Technology column on CCTV-10 focuses on Tongwei, which fully recognizes the Chinese photovoltaic enterprises represented by Tongwei to seize the opportunity of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality and adhere to green development. In the future, Tongwei will continue to adhere to the path of green and high-quality development, contribute to the early realization of China’s and the world’s “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality” goals at an early date, and make positive contributions to the sustainable development of mankind.