Advanced solar cell manufacturer Aikosolar Energy has committed to build an 18-billion-yuan ($2.8-billion) production line in Doumen District. The agreement signed April 23 with the Zhuhai government is for a 26-gigawatt (GW) plant expected to generate output value of over 30 billion yuan ($4.6 billion).

Construction will commence this fall on the first phase of the new-type high-efficiency solar cell plant. Operation is expected next spring with an estimated capacity of 6.5 GW.

The project will adopt innovative technology with a mass production capability 10 percent higher than the prevalent PERC (passivated emitter and rear cell) technology. This advantage is predicted to increase with future upgrades.

Aikosolar Global Photovoltaic Joint Innovation Center in Yiwu City [Photo courtesy Aikosolar Energy]

Meanwhile, the plant will be provided with a 4.0 industrial "smart" manufacturing technology to realize automation and digitalization. It will be equipped with logistics, warehousing, and operation-aided facilities.

Headquartered in Foshan City, Aikosolar also has productions bases in Yiwu of Zhejiang Province, and Tianjin. It was the first enterprise to invent and mass produce tubular PERC and large-size cells and possesses industry-leading solar cell technology and production capacity. The company ranked first worldwide in shipping large-size PERC cells and second in shipment of cells last year.

Aikosolar's Doumen project will expand its edge in the high-efficiency solar cell industry, accelerate mass production of new-type cell R&D achievements, and support the trend in lowering photovoltaic electricity costs.

It not only echoes China's carbon neutrality strategy, but also has broad industrial prospects and sound socioeconomic benefits. Once operational, the plant will create more than 6,000 jobs and bring high-end talents and upstream and downstream enterprises to Zhuhai to complement the local new-energy industrial chain.