Silicon wafer technology: helping the rapid development of the photovoltaic industry

China's National Manufacturing Power Construction Strategy Advisory Committee member, China Engineering Strategy Advisory Center, Director of the Manufacturing Research Office Qu Xianming said that the silicon wafer technology for the change of lane for China's photovoltaic industry to become the world's largest, the most complete industrial system, with the whole industry chain competitive advantage of strategic new industries contributed to the strength.

"Globally, China's photovoltaic power generation equipment has been in a dominant position." Qu Xianming said. 2021, China's polysilicon production accounted for about more than 70% of global production, silicon wafer production accounted for 96% of the world, cell production accounted for 93% of the world, cell module production accounted for 91% of the world. Not only that, China ranks first in the world in the field of photovoltaic patent applications, commercial photovoltaic conversion efficiency and laboratory conversion efficiency are also at a high level.

Qu Xianming believes that the innovation of technical process and manufacturing equipment is the key to the above achievements. Take Longi Green Energy as an example, as a leading enterprise of photovoltaic power generation equipment in China, the company abandoned the polysilicon technology route commonly used at home and abroad, and chose a new route of monocrystalline silicon wafer technology with high photoelectric conversion efficiency. Through more than 10 years of research and development of monocrystalline silicon wafer production methods, Longi Energy reduced the price of silicon wafers from 200 yuan per wafer in 2006 to 3 yuan per wafer in 2020, and the cost of photovoltaic power generation also dropped to 0.1 yuan per kilowatt hour, which is lower than the cost of coal power.