Park City, City of Leisure

An increasing number of labels have been imprinted on Chengdu

reflecting the vitality of

this millennia-old city

Today's Chengdu

is not only a capital of comfort and pleasure

that attracts visitors from near and far

but also a city of innovation and creativeness

that strives for progress

There are various perspectives to interpret Chengdu's "path of development"

Looking at the axis of its development

we will discover that conventions and exhibitions occupy

an indispensable and important position

From renowned conventions and exhibitions like the World Conference on Display Industry and the China Food & Drinks Fair to emerging forces like the China International PV and Energy Storage Industry Conference, Chengdu's convention and exhibition scope continues to expand, its connotation deepens, and its stage extends from domestic to global. For Chengdu, these conventions and exhibitions not only promote the rapid development of the local cultural and tourism industry but also create a vast platform for "Made in Chengdu" to reach the world.

From November 17 to 20, 2024 the 7th China International PV and Energy Storage Industry Conference was held in Chengdu, making it one of the top three international events in the PV and energy storage sector in China and globally, following the Shanghai SNEC and the Intersolar Europe at Munich.

What is the opportunity for China?

This grand event provides an observation window for the world.

It gathers industry leaders to discuss the current trends in PV development, highlighting its significance as a "barometer" for the PV sector.

During the conference, global sector leaders, top experts, and representatives from the PV and energy storage sector gathered in Chengdu, resulting in the signing of over 100 collaborative projects with a total contract value exceeding RMB 30 billion.

Why does Chengdu stand out?

It lies in the breakthroughs in the PV sector. In recent years, Sichuan has incorporated the PV and energy storage industries into its quality and quantity improvement action for six major advantageous industries and included the sector in the key industrial chain to be supported. Thus, a comprehensive chain layout has been established, and the scale of the industry and the level of innovative development rank among the top in the nation.

It is also about the leadership of enterprises. The world's first and only Fortune Global 500 company in the PV sector, Tongwei Group, has taken root and flourished here. As a leading enterprise in the industrial chain, Tongwei Group connects the entire upstream and downstream of the PV industry.

As one of the organizers of this conference, Tongwei Group is actively engaged in China's energy transition and innovation in the zero-carbon and low-carbon industries. It upholds the mission of "based in China and go global" and leads the PV and energy storage industry chain, contributing to the development of global green energy and sustainable growth.

1 

Gathering the strength in the PV sector

Utilizing market mechanisms to consolidate sector power

Achieving the goal of "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" represents a broad and profound transformation. A new round of energy revolution is profoundly reshaping the global industrial landscape, with the PV and energy storage industries becoming focal points.

Since 2018, the China International PV Industry Conference has successfully held six consecutive sessions, attracting nearly 5,000 leading enterprises from the global PV industry chain across more than 40 countries and regions. It has become the largest and most prestigious international PV event in Western China.

In 2024, the conference reaches a new height. It focuses on the development trend of the PV and energy storage sector, offering a concentrated display of new products, technologies, achievements, and trends in PV and energy storage through exhibitions.

Why do enterprises from around the world gather here? It is only by keeping pace with the trends and pooling efforts that enterprises can seek better breakthroughs.

From the outcomes of this conference, it is evident that the PV sector is thriving, injecting robust momentum into high-quality economic development. Hosting this conference is timely and aligns perfectly with the current momentum.

During the conference, several domestic PV and energy storage enterprises jointly issued the Building a Thriving Ecosystem and Promoting the Integrated Development of PV and Energy Storage Sector — Initiative to Promote the Healthy Development of the PV and Energy Storage Sector, which advocates for collaborative efforts to accelerate the integrated development of PV and energy storage, thereby further consolidating confidence.

Local governments and enterprises in PV and energy storage industry seized the opportunity to attract investment and joined hands to pursue cooperation. More than 100 cooperation projects among Chengdu, Leshan, Meishan, Yibin, Guangyuan, CGN New Energy, Tongwei Co., Ltd., GCL, and Xiamen Crown Prince's Century New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. have been signed and implemented successively, with a total signing amount exceeding RMB 30 billion. The project investment encompasses the entire industrial chain of PV and energy storage, including high-efficiency cells and modules, distributed PV projects, smart energy, energy storage, and equipment manufacturing.

The conference serves as an excellent opportunity for in-depth communication and collaboration within the sector. For instance, the Spring Food & Drinks Fair, which originated in Chengdu, has now evolved into an unprecedentedly large-scale industry event; similarly, the World Conference on Display Industry, held consecutively in Chengdu, has accelerated the sector's concentration in the city, leading to the continuous realization of significant projects.

As one of the top three global professional exhibitions in the PV and energy storage sector, comparable to Shanghai's SNEC and Munich's Intersolar Europe, the China International PV and Energy Storage Industry Conference has enhanced its reputation and influence through its brand effect over seven years, enriching Chengdu's exhibition landscape and continuously elevating the city's status, momentum, and vitality as a hub for exhibitions.

As one of the organizers of the conference, Tongwei Group's ability to drive, lead, and influence within the sector, along with its capacity to execute large-scale international events, has received unanimous recognition both within and outside the industry.

The former UN Under-Secretary-General, Erik Solheim, who has attended the conference for two consecutive years, stated in his speech that with the full support of global PV and energy storage enterprises, the conference's standards, scale, and degree of internationalization have been continuously elevated, contributing significantly to energy transition in China and worldwide, making its "golden brand" increasingly prominent.

In the view of the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Exposition, "the integration of industrial resources and corporate influence" has become a key phrase for the successful hosting of the previous PV and energy storage conferences. Chengdu boasts a comprehensive exhibition industry with numerous service providers in areas such as construction and stage design. However, the successful execution of such a high-profile conference fundamentally relies on the leadership of Tongwei Group, a global frontrunner, and its unwavering commitment to a market-oriented approach to event organization. "Through the PV and energy storage industry conference, we aim to create a new energy industry convention and exhibition with national and global influence, which will benefit Chengdu's development of a green and low-carbon industry. We hope that enterprises like Tongwei, which possess industrial resources, corporate influence, and a strong sense of social responsibility, will drive the marketization of our city's exhibition industry, empowering Chengdu to become an international capital of exhibition to stimulate economic growth through exhibitions."

As the organizer and executor of the conference, Tongwei Media is recognized as a national high-tech enterprise and a key contact enterprise of the Ministry of Commerce. According to Huang Qigang, Secretary-General of the China International PV and Energy Storage Conference and Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice President of Tongwei Group, "The CPC Chengdu Municipal Committee and the Chengdu Municipal People's Government have been very supportive of the previous PV and energy storage conferences, with the Municipal Bureau of Exposition providing assistance, guidance, and collaboration from the outset. As a leading enterprise in our city's exhibition industry, Tongwei Media must embrace its corresponding mission, responsibilities, and obligations, truly integrate and leverage the strengths and advantages of enterprises, sectors, and society. Under a market-oriented mechanism, we aim to provide participants with more professional, systematic, and targeted customized exhibition products, ensuring that the conference possesses a robust and sustainable vitality."

2 

Achieving common prosperity in the PV sector

Building a better ecosystem through the leading role of "chain leaders" 

The successful hosting of a sector event is invariably backed by a leading company in the sector. The reason is self-evident—enterprises are the main driving force behind the construction of the industrial chain, with "chain leaders" serving as the pivotal players, who take on the roles of organizers and value distributors within the chain.

The exhibition and display space of this event covers nearly 50,000 square meters, with over 4,000 government and enterprise participants, including over 20 Fortune Global 500 Enterprises, over 80 Top 500 Chinese Enterprises, over 120 Top 500 Global New Energy Enterprises, and nearly 300 listed companies at home and abroad.

The ecosystem of the Fortune Global 500 companies injects vitality into the industries of the city. "Chengdu has become an internationally competitive hub for PV and energy storage innovation, industry, and application," stated Liu Hanyuan, Deputy to the NPC, Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tongwei Group.

Under the influence of leading enterprises, the industrial ecosystem is rapidly optimizing. In the context of economic globalization, Chinese products provide high-quality and efficient supplies to countries around the world, offering solid support for the stability of global industrial chains and supply chains. In this process, China's PV new energy industry has developed rapidly, giving rise to a number of well-known PV brands with significant social impact.

According to Liu Hanyuan, China has formed a globally leading and complete PV industrial chain, achieving a remarkable transformation from being a follower to becoming a leader.

In this process, innovation and research and development have instilled confidence in Chinese enterprises and industries. Liu Hanyuan said that after over 40 years of reform and opening-up in China, private enterprises and the private economy have emerged as global frontrunners in the PV sector, possessing the capability and conditions to drive the energy transition in China and worldwide.

3

Making collaborative progress together by the government and enterprises

Continuing to forge ahead on this vibrant land

Embracing the infinite opportunities during grand events

The PV sector has developed from regional dialogue to global integration. Years ago, the PV Industry Conference primarily focused on regional exchanges and collaborations, and connected neighboring countries and regions in their exploration and practices within the renewable energy sector. Currently, with the advancement of the PV industry and the increasing global influence of enterprises, the conference has made a historic leap from a regional dialogue platform to a global stage for collaborative discussion, construction, and sharing.

As a premier event in the sector, this conference not only attracts ecological partners from around the world to gather in Chengdu but also accelerates the concentration of the industry in the city, fostering innovation and breakthroughs across more upstream and downstream sectors. This comprehensive collaboration, spanning from technological dimensions to multiple fields, highlights the conference's precise understanding and thorough interpretation of the profound implications of our times, establishing it as a significant beacon for the development of global renewable energy-related industries.

In Sichuan, the PV and energy storage industries possess immense market potential and a wealth of application scenarios, which provide unique advantages for innovative development. Through the lens of the China International PV and Energy Storage Industry Conference, we can reflect on the potential and challenges of domestic PV and energy storage development, and gain an insight into the actual needs and circumstances. This is more conducive to exploring a renewable energy development path that aligns with China's national conditions, Sichuan's characteristics, and Chengdu's uniqueness.

Since 2006, Tongwei has ventured into the PV sector, subsequently establishing polysilicon and solar cell projects. In its national PV industry strategy, Tongwei has developed the Shuangliu and Jintang bases and Tonghe Project in Chengdu, along with the Leshan and Meishan bases, accounting for a total investment exceeding RMB 70 billion in Sichuan.

In Liu Hanyuan's opinion, the favorable business environment in Chengdu has propelled the company’s growth into the "fast lane", and accelerated its investment pace in the city. He emphasized the importance of leveraging the leading role of "chain-leading" enterprises, focusing on Chengdu to continuously build a world-class company with global competitiveness, thereby contributing to the high-quality economic development and the new type of industrialization of Sichuan and Chengdu, as well as the chapters of Chengdu and Sichuan in the context of Chinese path to modernization.

The synergy between the city and enterprises fosters mutual empowerment, collective growth, and shared achievements.

Starting from 2024 the 7th China International PV and Energy Storage Industry Conference, the collaboration between a Fortune Global 500 company and a city promises to create new and exciting narratives.