Page 29 - A Comprehensive Guide to Solar Energy Systems

Chapter 2 • Solar Power Development in China 23

FIGURE 2.6 Production of Solar modules. Author’s compilation, with data from MIIT. Brief report on photovoltaic
industry in 2016. Available at: http://www.miit.gov.cn/n1146285/n1146352/n3054355/n3057643/n3057654/c5505791/
content.html; 2017 [accessed March 2, 2017]; Wang SC. China’s PV policy review and outlook. Solar Energy 2016;6:19–26
[4,10].

Production output of solar modules in China reached 53 GW in 2016, which implies
an annual average growth of 20% in output over the period of 2011–16, and currently
accounts for approximately 73.6% of the world total production (Fig. 2.6). The vast
majority of module production has been silicon based, as can be inferred from the out-
put volume of Si-based modules which amount to roughly 99% of China’s total module
production.

2.2.2 Photovoltaic Technology
After a few years of following technology advancements from other countries, China’s PV
industry is now able to keep pace with international advanced technology, and in some
areas has gone beyond the level of its international competitors. The average efficiencies
of China produced high-performance poly-Si and mono-Si cells and some certain types of
thin film cells have now reached the international advanced level. Furthermore, due to the
technological progress and the significant reduction in the cost of polysilicon material, the
economics of PV power generation has improved significantly.

2.2.2.1 Technical Efficiency
Currently, China’s PV industry has completely mastered the key production technologies
of crystalline silicon cell. In 2016, the conversion efficiency of regular monocrystal Si PV
cells has, on average, approached 20.5% and polycrystal 19.1% [4]. This is equivalent to the
efficiency levels of PErC solar cells produced in China in the previous year. These values
were 20.5% and 19%, respectively, for mono-Si and poly-Si PErC [8,11]. This implies that in
China the efficiencies of regular cells on average have gone beyond the technical efficiency
standards specified by the National Energy Administration (NEA). This is significant prog-
ress, when compared with the average efficiency of 17.5% and 16.5% [11], respectively,
for mono-Si and poly-Si cells in 2010. The energy consumption for production of major