Source: Securities Daily, November 22, 2024 at 07:44 Author: Yin Gaofeng
The new regulations for the photovoltaic manufacturing industry have been officially released. On November 20th, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology officially released the revised "Specification Conditions for Photovoltaic Manufacturing Industry (2024 Edition)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Specification Conditions").
The Standard Conditions were first published in 2013 and have been revised several times in 2015, 2018, and 2021. Compared with the 2021 version, the new "Standard Conditions" have put forward higher requirements in various technical indicators and production energy consumption.
In the process of rapid development of the photovoltaic industry, it is timely and necessary to constantly revise the industry's minimum standards and advanced regulatory standards, "said a person in charge of a leading silicon material enterprise in an interview with Securities Daily.
Currently, supply-demand mismatch is a major problem facing the photovoltaic industry. Compared with the 2021 version, the "Standard Conditions" propose to continue guiding photovoltaic enterprises to reduce photovoltaic manufacturing projects that simply expand production capacity and avoid low-level repeated expansion. The minimum capital ratio for new and expanded photovoltaic manufacturing projects has been increased from 20% to 30%.
Raising higher requirements in terms of capital has further raised the industry's entry threshold, which will have a certain restraining effect on the disorderly expansion of the industry, "Qu Fang, an investment advisor at Wanlian Securities, said in an interview with Securities Daily.
For the photovoltaic cell technology that is currently being updated and iterated, the "Standard Conditions" also propose specific indicators: to increase the average efficiency indicators of existing monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and module projects from no less than 22.5% and 19.6% to no less than 23.2% and 21.2% for P-type cells and modules, and no less than 25% and 22.3% for N-type cells and modules, respectively. The average efficiency indicators of newly built monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules have been increased from 23% and 20% respectively to P-type cells and modules with efficiencies not less than 23.7% and 21.8%, and N-type cells and modules with efficiencies not less than 26% and 23.1%.
The standard based on this is that the average efficiency values of existing projects' P-type and N-type batteries and components are at the industry average level, while the average efficiency values of new projects' P-type and N-type batteries and components comprehensively consider the industry's advanced level and the indicator level that the industry can achieve after policy release and implementation.
The "Standard Conditions" also cover the next generation technology of perovskite, in addition to crystalline silicon. The requirement for the conversion efficiency of perovskite components has been added, which is not less than 14% for existing and 15.5% for new construction.
Refining industry production standards is also to accelerate the elimination of outdated production capacity and improve the overall profit margin of the industry. At the same time, forward-looking conversion efficiency standards have been formulated for perovskite technology that is currently under research and development. These are all aimed at accelerating industry upgrading and transformation, raising industry barriers, and optimizing industry production, "Qu Fang said.
In the new "Standard Conditions", the energy consumption standards for photovoltaic manufacturing have been further raised. The document states that the electricity and water consumption indicators of existing and newly built projects such as polycrystalline silicon, silicon ingots, silicon rods, silicon wafers, batteries, and modules will be increased, the requirements for green production processes of enterprises will be strengthened, and enterprises will be encouraged to participate in the formulation and revision of green and low-carbon standards in the photovoltaic industry. Enterprises will be guided to carry out research and industrial application of photovoltaic product recycling technology.
In terms of electricity consumption, the reduction electricity consumption of existing polycrystalline silicon projects is less than 46 kWh/kg, and the comprehensive electricity consumption is less than 60 kWh/kg; The restoration power consumption of new construction and expansion projects is less than 44 kWh/kg, and the comprehensive power consumption is less than 57 kWh/kg.
In 2023, the comprehensive electricity consumption of the polycrystalline silicon industry will be around 57 kWh/kg, while the requirement for advanced production capacity in the industry is 53 kWh/kg, "said the person in charge of the leading silicon material enterprise mentioned above.
The 'Standard Conditions' emphasize the importance of intellectual property protection, including quality management and green production, which are important cornerstones for ensuring high-quality development of the industry, "said a person in charge of a photovoltaic integrated enterprise to a reporter from Securities Daily.
[Editor in charge: Xiao Jie]
