On the morning of May 27, ZHU Gongshan, Chairman of Global Solar Council (GSC) and Chairman of Asian Photovoltaic Industry Association, made a keynote speech at SNEC 12th (2018) International Photovoltaic Power Generation and Smart Energy Exhibition & Conference, saying that as a result of technological innovations, China’s PV industry is expected to do without government subsidy and comprehensively achieve grid connection of PV power at a rational price after 2020.

"Technological innovation is the fundamental force that drives transformation, upgrading, green development and rational-price grid connection of the PV industry," said ZHU, “the production capacity of polycrystalline silicon of GCL is expected to reach 150,000 tons and meet the needs for the production of 40-gw components by 2019. In recent years, GCL has increased its research and development spending and sped up scientific and technological innovation, and is about to introduce its independently-developed nano-composite high-efficient battery technology, which will make the photoelectric conversion efficiency exceed 30% through technological superposition and significantly lower the cost of PV power generation by means of revolution of energy technology.

ZHU pointed out that the western region of China is endowed with abundant energy resources and has the advantage of PV power generation at a lower cost, and we need to achieve efficient and comprehensive utilization of clean energy by building clean energy and renewable energy bases in the western region, using the UHV technology for power generation, and applying smart micro-network technologies and energy storage technologies in the eastern region. It is estimated that the cost of grid connection of solar power and other clean energies will be lower than that of thermal power in some areas after 2020, and rational-price grid connection of PV power will be achieved throughout China after 2021.

"The rapid cost reduction as well as application and promotion of clean energy and new energy have made outstanding contributions to the ecological and environmental development, and helped the people protect the natural environment and local culture." ZHU called on relevant government departments to further increase the level of asset securitization of the PV industry and increase policy support for the energy storage areas, and urged PV power generation companies to work faster on independent innovation, further reduce the costs, and accelerate the process of rational-price grid connection.