Technology
14 GW: Shanxi’s BC-cell production conversion advances
The proposed conversion replaces TOPCon lines with DBC lines while keeping total nominal capacity at 14 GW.
On November 4, the Administrative Committee of the Xinzhou Economic Development Zone in Shanxi published an environmental-impact assessment notice for the BC-cell production-line upgrade at a 14 GW cell manufacturing base. DAS Solar Technology (Xinzhou) plans to upgrade 26 TOPCon lines into 24 DBC high-efficiency back-contact crystalline-silicon cell lines. Total capacity will remain unchanged at 14 GW after completion.
In 2022, DAS Solar Technology (Xinzhou) invested CNY 6 billion in a new 14 GW PV-cell production base in the Xinzhou area of the Taiyuan–Xinzhou Economic Zone, within the Xinzhou Economic Development Zone. The zone's administrative committee registered the project on August 28, 2022. It comprised 26 high-efficiency monocrystalline TOPCon cell production lines.
As global demand for efficient, reliable and lower-cost modules continues to increase, BC technology is moving rapidly from laboratory development to volume production. Its lower levelised cost of energy (LCOE) and suitability for a wider range of applications are supporting increasing market penetration.
DAS Solar Technology (Xinzhou), described as a technology leader in the PV industry, has long focused on research, development and manufacturing of high-efficiency solar cells and has established an N-type cell production system and supply-chain coordination capabilities. To pursue the industrialisation opportunities of BC technology, respond to the development requirements for high-efficiency cells in China's Photovoltaic Manufacturing Industry Standard Conditions and meet demand for efficient modules across utility-scale power plants, residential solar and building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), the company decided to undertake an intelligent upgrade of BC high-efficiency cell production at its 14 GW base. Production equipment will be reused, retired or added to upgrade the original process for DBC production, converting 26 TOPCon lines into 24 DBC high-efficiency back-contact crystalline-silicon lines. Although the number of cells processed will decrease, higher output per cell and a stated BC high-efficiency cell conversion efficiency of at least 27.8% will keep total capacity at 14 GW. The project obtained its registration certificate from the Xinzhou Economic Development Zone Administrative Committee on July 28, 2026.
Total investment in the upgrade is CNY 1.181118 billion, with a construction period of approximately 12 months.