On September 16, the World Economic Forum (WEF) unveiled its latest batch of "Lighthouse Factory" designations, with 12 new factories worldwide earning this prestigious recognition. Among them, TW Solar Meishan Company stands out as the sole representative from the global PV industry in this cohort, marking the birth of the first "Lighthouse Factory" in the global PV cell manufacturing sector. This achievement not only represents the first "Lighthouse Factory" among enterprises native to Sichuan Province but also signifies that China's PV industry has once again taken the lead globally in intelligent manufacturing and digital transformation.

The First "Lighthouse Factory" in the Global PV Cell Manufacturing Sector

TW Solar Meishan Company's Intelligent Manufacturing Workshop

The "Lighthouse Factory" designation, jointly awarded by the World Economic Forum and McKinsey & Company, honors exemplary advanced manufacturing facilities that excel in productivity, supply chain resilience, sustainability, talent development, and customer-centricity. To date, 201 factories worldwide have received this certification, with Chinese factories accounting for over 40% of the total. TW Solar Meishan Company stands out as the only case focused specifically on PV cell manufacturing. This accolade not only recognizes Tongwei's innovative explorations in intelligent manufacturing but also provides a replicable and scalable transformation model for the global PV sector.

1

Over 50 Application Practices

Creating a New Benchmark for Intelligent PV Cell Manufacturing

Dubbed the "world's most advanced factories," "Lighthouse Factories" are subject to stringent selection criteria, requiring the integration of at least five world-class technological applications. As a demonstrator of "digital manufacturing" and "Industry 4.0," TW Solar Meishan Company has achieved breakthrough results in power conversion efficiency, process stability, and sustainability through over 50 Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) application scenarios.

Notable digital use cases that contributed to its "Lighthouse Factory" designation include billion-scale big data analytics-driven solar cell efficiency optimization, deep learning model-enabled self-adjusting optimization for screen printing, CNN/DNN-powered intelligent coating optimization and closed-loop control, RAG-enhanced GenAI-based equipment maintenance and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) management, and closed-loop quality management based on ResNet and XGBoost models.

The First "Lighthouse Factory" in the Global PV Cell Manufacturing Sector

TW Solar Meishan Company's S4 Digital Intelligence Hub

In the fiercely competitive solar cell market, TW Solar has focused its digital transformation on enhancing photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) and quality, deploying over 50 4IR use cases, most of which are AI-based. These include leveraging machine learning for process optimization, employing generative AI for maintenance, and utilizing advanced AI algorithms for defect analysis. This transformation has resulted in a 12% increase in PCE, a 41% reduction in defect rates, a 37% decrease in conversion costs, and a 33% reduction in carbon emissions.

2

Digital Empoweing Intelligent Manufacturing Upgrades

Safeguarding Customer Trust

TW Solar is deeply engaged in the research, development, manufacturing, and promotion of core products for solar power generation. By integrating industrial internet, big data, AI, and digital intelligence models on a large scale, the company has established systematic advantages in reliability, delivery certainty, and lifecycle costs, building closed-loop capabilities spanning "perception-decision-execution" to deliver "more stable, more punctual, and more verifiable" value to customers.

In the new industrial cycle, manufacturing is shouldering the historical mission of driving high-quality economic development, with high-end, intelligent, and green manufacturing becoming the prevailing trend. Next-generation information technologies, represented by AI and big data, are deeply integrating with PV manufacturing, accelerating the sector's transition from "manufacturing" to "intelligent manufacturing" and injecting continuous momentum into achieving the "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" goals. As a leading enterprise in the global crystalline silicon cell sector, TW Solar's recognition as a "Lighthouse Factory" not only underscores its remarkable achievements in digital transformation but also signifies that China's PV industry has charted a new course on the global intelligent manufacturing landscape.

Tongwei Smart Manufacturing, Leading the Future Over the past 43 years, under the leadership of Mr. Liu Hanyuan, Deputy to the NPC, Vice Chairman of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tongwei Group, Tongwei has deepened its roots in the PV industry for over a decade, establishing itself as a global leader in both high-purity polysilicon and high-efficiency cells. In 2025, Tongwei has once again been listed on the Fortune Global 500 list, becoming an enterprise that has been on the list for three consecutive years in the global PV. Tongwei's brand value has exceeded RMB 250 billion, ranking first globally in the two sectors of PV and aquaculture.

The First "Lighthouse Factory" in the Global PV Cell Manufacturing Sector

TW Solar Meishan Company

In terms of sustainable development, Tongwei actively responds to and participates in global ESG governance, adheres to the path of sustainable development, puts forward the sustainable development concept of "co - construction, co - governance and sharing", joins the RE100 initiative as a gold member, and has participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference five times in a row; its comprehensive ESG performance among large enterprises is "five - star", reaching an outstanding level; it has won the "Sustainable Development Performance Award" and "Standard Pioneer Award" issued by the British Standards Institution (BSI), actively contributing the "Tongwei solution" to the world's sustainable development.

As a crucial part of Tongwei's new energy industrial chain, TW Solar has consistently led the industry in "intelligent manufacturing," from establishing the world's first Industry 4.0 high-efficiency cell production line to creating the global PV sector's first 5G application base. The recognition of TW Solar Meishan Company as a "Lighthouse Factory" not only serves as authoritative recognition of Tongwei's intelligent, digital, and low-carbon development but also injects "Chinese wisdom" into building smarter and greener factories worldwide and driving high-quality development in the global PV sector. Looking ahead, Tongwei will continue to explore new paradigms for energy transition and green development, sharing a brighter future of clean energy with global partners.