Source: Xinhua News Agency

  This is the report card from the development of China's photovoltaic industry: Since 2013, the newly installed capacity of photovoltaic power generation has exceeded 10 million kilowatts for three consecutive years; by the end of 2015, the cumulative installed capacity of photovoltaic power generation reached about 43 million kilowatts, surpassing Germany to become the world's largest.

  Photovoltaic power generation is an important part of the development and utilization of renewable energy. Since the 12th Five-Year Plan, China's photovoltaic power generation market has gradually expanded, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the state has issued the "Several Opinions on Promoting the Healthy Development of the Photovoltaic Industry" and several supporting measures. Under the favorable policy environment, the scale of China's photovoltaic industry has continued to grow.

  "In recent years, China's photovoltaic power generation has developed rapidly, becoming a highlight in the transformation of energy production and consumption patterns," said Nur Bekri, Director of the National Energy Administration. He introduced that China's photovoltaic power generation has formed a diversified pattern, with various distributed applications carried out on industrial factory roofs, public buildings, and households. Many regions have combined photovoltaics with agriculture, fisheries, and ecological management, especially integrating photovoltaic power generation with poverty alleviation, creating various new models of "photovoltaic +" applications.

  Promoting photovoltaic development, grid connection and consumption are crucial. The State Grid Corporation introduced that during the 12th Five-Year Plan period, the company accelerated the construction of new energy grid connection and transmission projects, adding 3,044 kilometers of solar power grid connection and transmission lines; improved the dispatch support system and optimized dispatch operation methods; established a photovoltaic power generation power prediction system and information monitoring system, covering more than 500 photovoltaic power stations with a forecast accuracy of over 85%; and continuously increased the scale of cross-provincial and cross-regional new energy transactions through inter-provincial grid peak regulation, promoting new energy consumption.

  While the scale of photovoltaic installed capacity is expanding, the photovoltaic manufacturing industry is also quietly growing. Since 2008, China has ranked first in the world in photovoltaic cell production for eight consecutive years, cumulatively providing more than 70% of the world's photovoltaic cell products.

  Data shows that last year, domestic polysilicon production was about 165,000 tons, accounting for more than 48% of the global total, with a self-sufficiency rate of over 60%; photovoltaic module production exceeded 43 million kilowatts, accounting for more than 70% of the global total; among the top 10 global photovoltaic cell production companies, China occupies 5 positions.

  "China's photovoltaic industry has maintained strong international competitiveness in recent years and is one of the few strategic emerging industries with comparative advantages in China. The entire photovoltaic industry chain is in a leading position," said Liang Zhipeng, Deputy Director of the New Energy and Renewable Energy Department of the National Energy Administration.

  At the same time, technological progress in China's photovoltaic industry has significantly accelerated. Liang Zhipeng introduced that China's photovoltaic cell technology and quality are among the best in the world. Among them, the production cost of polysilicon has dropped to less than $16 per kilogram, and the closed-loop process of silicon tetrachloride can be achieved, completely solving the problem of silicon tetrachloride emissions and environmental pollution; the conversion efficiency of industrialized monocrystalline and polycrystalline battery products has reached 19.5% and 17.95% respectively, and the conversion efficiency of advanced battery products produced on a small scale using various advanced technologies and processes has exceeded 20%; the localization rate of photovoltaic equipment has reached more than 70%.

  In addition, the photovoltaic industry is making efforts to "go global." Data from the National Energy Administration shows that in 2015, the export volume of photovoltaic cells and modules reached more than 25 million kilowatts, with an export value of $14.4 billion.