After years of twists and turns in its development, China has emerged as the world's largest manufacturer and exporter of PV products, with the most comprehensive, systematic, and advanced PV value chain. A significant volume of high-quality PV products is continuously installed and operational across various regions globally. These PV products supply the regions with green economic power resources, which contribute to reducing electricity costs and achieving climate governance goals. As a leading enterprise in both green energy and sustainable agriculture, Tongwei Co., Ltd. plays a crucial role in advancing China's PV industry and facilitating the global green transformation. Over the years, Tongwei has evolved into an exemplary PV leader who integrates core competencies in technology, scale, and cost. The company possesses a complete PV industry chain, encompassing upstream production of industrial silicon and high-purity crystalline silicon, midstream manufacturing of solar cells and modules, and downstream construction and operation of integrated fishery and PV power plants. Its production and sales of high-purity crystalline silicon and solar cells have consistently ranked first in the world for several years, while the production and sales of its solar modules have surged to fifth place worldwide within just two years. While propelling China's PV industry forward, Tongwei also actively exerts its influence as a key player in the industrial chain in promoting solar power as a primary global energy source in collaboration with various sectors of society. The success of Tongwei is attributed not only to the collective efforts of its team but also to the company's unwavering commitment to achieving technological excellence. Based on the National Enterprise Technology Center, Tongwei has established an industry-leading and comprehensive research platform, and continuously explores and innovates in key areas such as high-purity crystalline silicon, high-efficiency cells and modules, and terminal PV power stations. As of the end of November 2024, Tongwei's PV segment has accumulated a total of 2,568 authorized patents.

The Profound and Robust Foundation in Technological Innovation

Has Established Tongwei as a Global Leader in the PV Sector

From its inception, Mr. Liu Hanyuan, the founder of Tongwei, addressed the nationwide challenge of fish consumption by inventing "fish farming with channelized metal mesh boxes in running water" and developing specialized fish feed, thereby enabling farmers to achieve prosperity through aquaculture. In 1986, Mr. Liu established the precursor to Tongwei—the first intensive fish feed factory in Southwest China, and named the product "Keli", symbolizing that "science and technology are the primary productive forces", thereby highlighting the deep integration of technological research and development within the company's cultural DNA. With the rapid advancement of aquaculture in China, the company leveraged its National Enterprise Technology Center to establish ten research institutions, including the Aquacultural Research Institute, Special Aquacultural Research Institute, and Livestock and Poultry Research Institute. Moreover, a high-caliber, well-educated, and youthful research team was formed under the leadership of experts enjoying allowances from the State Council, with substantial annual investments in R&D for innovative research and practical applications. To date, the company has accumulated over 700 authorized patents, won the "second prize of the National Award for Science and Technology Progress" five times, participated in the revision of national standards, and published several monographs and hundreds of papers. Supported by its leading R&D capabilities, Tongwei has developed into a world-leading aquatic feed producer and a significant player in livestock and poultry feed production, with a production and sales network covering most regions of China and Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, achieving an annual feed production capacity exceeding 10 million tons. The success of Tongwei's agricultural and animal husbandry ventures is rooted in the founder's forward-thinking and strategic recognition of "technology supremacy," as well as the clearly defined principle of "no ceiling on technological R&D" established in the early stages of development, guiding Tongwei on its path of creating value through technology.

Throughout Tongwei's PV development, the commitment to "technology supremacy" has been consistently upheld. In the early stages, foreign companies dominated the purification technology of high-purity crystalline silicon, posing a significant obstacle to the growth of China's PV sector. In response to the unfavorable situation of "technology and production being overseas", Tongwei gathered a wealth of exceptional talent from both domestic and international sources to establish a leading R&D team, which launched initiatives focused on high-purity crystalline silicon purification technology and aimed at quality improvement and cost reduction. Regardless of fluctuations in the polysilicon market, Tongwei has consistently prioritized R&D investment, with annual increases in funding reflecting the company's determination and perseverance in overcoming the barriers of high-purity crystalline silicon purification technology. This steadfast commitment has yielded substantial rewards. Currently, Tongwei's independently developed high-purity crystalline silicon production process, known as the "Yongxiang Method", has reached its eighth generation, pioneering the creation of production lines with large single-unit scales, low comprehensive energy consumption, and new integrated technologies. The purity of critical impurity elements in the products has achieved 11N, and the purity of products has reached the electronic-grade level, fully meeting the demand for N-type monocrystalline silicon materials, with semiconductor electronic-grade silicon materials even achieving overseas exports. Thanks to advancements in technological research and development and refined management capabilities, the cost of Tongwei's high-purity crystalline silicon products significantly outpaces industry standards, propelling the company to become the world's largest producer of high-purity crystalline silicon, with an annual production capacity exceeding 900,000 tons and a global market share surpassing 30%, thereby transforming the competitive landscape of the global high-purity crystalline silicon sector.

Cost reduction and efficiency enhancement are the core driving forces behind the development of the PV sector. As the key component for photoelectric conversion efficiency, the research and development of solar cell technology represents the primary battleground for corporate competition. With particular emphasis on the research and development of PV cell technology, Tongwei continuously strengthened its technological capabilities over the years, enhancing its independent R&D capacity, and maintaining a leading position in the industry's cell technology development. The conversion efficiency of its cells consistently retains a competitive edge, with sales of its cells remaining at the top spot worldwide for consecutive years.

Adhering to the technological development concept of "producing one generation, researching one generation, and reserving one generation", Tongwei has been at the forefront of recognizing the significant growth potential of N-type TOPCon technology. The company swiftly led the industry by developing the first pilot line for 210 PECVD Poly solar cells, addressing the gap in tubular PE-Tox & Poly technology within the sector. Tongwei has developed TNC products that are based on the latest technological advancements while offering superior cost-performance advantages, positioning itself as a front-runner in technological development and product innovation. By 2024, the market share of N-type TOPCon cell technology is expected to reach 65%, making the technology the absolute mainstream in the market. Concurrently, Tongwei's TNC cell production capacity has surged to 130GW, leading the sector in new technology scale and optimizing product structure comprehensively. However, innovation does not stop there. Tongwei's independently developed "high-efficiency N-type TOPCon solar cells" have been recognized as a "First (Set of) Major Technical Equipment in Sichuan Province" by virtue of its technological advancement and innovation in the field of PV cells, which marks the first inclusion of solar cell products in this category since Sichuan began its recognition process for major technical equipment in 2013, achieving a significant breakthrough in this field. By December 2024, through the relentless efforts of the R&D team, Tongwei's two mainstream types of TNC modules have set new sector records for power and efficiency. The Tongwei G12-66 TNC module has achieved a front-side power output of 763.4 watts with a conversion efficiency of 24.58%, while the Tongwei G12R-66 TNC module has reached a front-side power output of 663.5 watts with a conversion efficiency of 24.56%, further solidifying the company's leadership in TOPCon technology.

Tongwei initiated research and development on heterojunction cell technology as early as 2018, establishing the first GW-level HJT production line in China in 2021. That same year, the company began developing the industry's first 210 half-cut HJT project. In 2022, Tongwei completed the first bifacial microcrystalline development and established the first GW-level copper interconnection (THL) pilot line in the PV sector, continuously advancing the exploration of silver-free heterojunction technology. In recent years, the company has made comprehensive advancements in equipment, processes, and materials. It has achieved numerous significant breakthroughs, including a maximum output power of 776.2 watts for heterojunction modules and a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 24.99%, which is the ninth record for the power and efficiency of heterojunction modules since 2023.

In addition, the company has also made positive strides in the research and development of new cell technologies such as BC and perovskite/c-Si tandem solar cells. Currently, the efficiency of N-type TBC cell research has reached 26.66%, while the efficiency of perovskite/c-Si tandem solar cell research has reached 33.98%, both of which are at the forefront of the sector.

Exploring the Deep Ends and Uncharted Territories of Technology

Tongwei Is Committed to Being a Leader in Advanced Technology

In response to the national goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality and in line with the trend of sector integration, Tongwei began a comprehensive layout of its module business in the second half of 2022, aiming to create a more competitive PV industry structure and ensure the steady development of its PV business. As the business expands, Tongwei's platform for the R&D of PV technology is also undergoing continuous upgrades and expansions. In 2023, the company officially launched the construction of the Tongwei Global Innovation R&D Center in Shuangliu, Chengdu, focusing on the development of high-efficiency crystalline silicon cells and high-reliability module products. Unlike other peers that fully commit to a single technology, Tongwei maintains a respectful and inclusive approach to technology R&D, and has broadened its research scope to encompass various mainstream PV technologies with potential breakthroughs. Consequently, the Global Innovation R&D Center's research directions comprehensively cover critical future PV technologies, such as TNC, THC, TBC cells and modules, perovskite/c-Si tandem solar cells/modules, and copper metallization technology, with the aim of providing technological support and traction for the company's technological development over the next 5 to 10 years and beyond.

Since 2024, Tongwei Global Innovation R&D Center has not only established an integrated workshop for heterojunction copper interconnection and perovskite cells and a pilot line for half-cut wafer, but also established several R&D entities with the largest area, the highest production capacity, and the strongest upgradable capability in the industry, such as TBC R&D lines and module R&D lines. In addition, it features the PV Testing Center with the largest single-building area, the most comprehensive testing projects, and the highest level of automation, complemented by supporting facilities such as R&D offices and exhibition halls. With the completion of the Tongwei Global Innovation R&D Center and the influx of numerous outstanding domestic and foreign R&D talent, Tongwei's R&D capabilities for PV technology have been further strengthened.

Amidst the surging waves of PV technology innovation and cyclical fluctuation, Tongwei consistently stands at the forefront, playing a critical role as a technological leader. It possesses the courage and responsibility to explore the deep zones and uncharted territories of technology, providing a driving force for corporate development while also contributing solid support for industry innovation. As the innovator Liu Hanyuan once stated, "Only through technological innovation can we navigate cyclical challenges and move against the wind to lead the industry in reshaping and upgrading." It is this commitment that enables Tongwei's PV endeavors to advance amidst fierce industry competition, establishing the company as a front-runner in global PV technology and industrial development. (CIS)