The Guangdong Gaojing Solar Energy Science & Technology manufacturing base began trail operation Aug 19 in Sanzao Town of Jinwan District just as construction of the second phase commenced.

The 50-gigawatt (GW) large-size silicon wafer project was founded by IDG Capital and Zhuhai Huafa Group at a cost of 17 billion yuan ($2.6 billion). Daily production capacity of the first phase is to surpass 300 million wafers.

Inauguration ceremony [Photo courtesy WeChat account: Gokin-Solar]

The 15GW second phase is to operate by the end of this year, and the 20GW third phase in the fourth quarter of 2022. At full capacity, the project will have created 6,000 jobs and generated 27 billion yuan ($4.2 billion) in output value, 2.35 billion yuan ($361.7 million) in net profits, and over 700 million yuan ($107.7 million) in annual tax revenue.

Gaojing Solar Energy has mastered multiple core technologies in large-size silicon wafers and is capable of mass production. Its technology, quality, scale, and cost-efficiency have reached a globally advanced level. The enterprise intends to become a benchmark in the global photovoltaic silicon wafer sector and help Zhuhai foster a 100-billion-yuan ($15-billion) new-energy industrial cluster relying on its advantages in R&D, production, and operation, said chairman Xu Zhiqun.

The photovoltaic industry is one of the strategic emerging industries in China, with silicon wafers at the upstream of the industry chain. Their manufacture is entering a new era with a larger size of 210mm and higher technological threshold.