R&D Innovation

LONGi has established a sound management system for R&D innovation. We have formulated management system policies, including the Management Measures for Technological Innovation, Management Measures for Technological Planning and Management Measures for Technological R&D Projects, as well as 41 system policies for technological R&D process, covering aspects such as R&D resource allocation and innovative project management, etc.

We prioritized R&D investment in clean technology, set annual R&D plans and targets, and provided financial guarantees. Meanwhile, we also offered innovation training courses for technical personnel. Our Golden Seed Program, a series of innovation training courses launched in 2023, covering 271 employees and completing 22 innovation incubation projects in total.

Innovation in silicon wafers

Silicon wafers are indispensable in cell development, whose quality directly impacts the yield and conversion efficiency of cells. Despite the slower improvement of silicon wafer performance across the PV sector in recent years, LONGi has long been striving to meet the demands of high-efficiency cells through R&D and innovation. In March 2024, LONGi launched the Tairui wafers. These wafers feature significant advantages such as suitable for multiple cells, more concentrated resistance distribution, and more effective metal impurity absorption, marking an innovative breakthrough in silicon wafer technology unseen in nearly a decade.

Innovation in cells

With extensive expertise in PERC1, HJT2, TOPCon3, and HPDC4 cell technologies, LONGi firmly committed itself to the BC5 cell technology among the crystalline silicon cell technologies and constantly increased its R&D investment. A BC cell technology matrix covering HPBC6 and HBC7 is gradually being formed, among which the efficiency of HBC cells set a new world record in 2023. In particular, LONGi has made significant strides in improving the efficiency of crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem cells, setting a new world record of 33.9% in November, after the announcement of 31.8% in May and 33.5% in June.

• In November, the crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells independently developed by LONGi has reached an efficiency of 33.9%, once again setting a new world record. Such technology was included in the Best Research-Cell Efficiencies Chart released by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the U.S., and the Solar Cell Efficiency Table by Professor Martin A. Green, the “Father of Solar Energy”.
• In December, the 27.09% efficiency of HBC cells, developed independently by LONGi, setting a new world record for single junction crystalline silicon, breaking the 26.81% efficiency record it announced in November 2022 in just about one year. In addition, LONGi has developed an ultra-thin TCO8 layer with reduced indium usage, lessening dependency on traditional indium-based transparent conductive oxide layers (ITO) and lowering process costs compared to bifacial heterojunction solar cells.

Innovation in modules

Based on advanced cell technologies, we upgraded our process and modified structures of PV modules, providing several high-performance products capable to operate in various complex environment in 2023.

Smart Manufacturing

As a trailblazer in the digital transformation of the industry, LONGi integrated new-generation information technology into advanced PV manufacturing, and boosted the transition from “manufacturing” to “smart manufacturing” in the PV sector, thus injecting new momentum to the sustainable development of the whole industry.

In December 2023, Jiaxing LONGi Solar was selected as the Global Lighthouse Factory by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Having been awarded the only lighthouse factory in the global PV industry, LONGi distinguished itself as a world-leader in smart manufacturing and digitalization.

Empowered by the Lighthouse Factory, LONGi’s Jiaxing production site has significantly improved over 30 key financial and operational indicators. Single-line manpower allocation has reduced by 33%, manufacturing costs has reduced by 28% and yield loss has dropped by 43%. The production delivery cycle goes down by 84%, and the unit energy consumption is reduced by 20%.

Intellectual Property Rights

Considering its own R&D features, LONGi has developed internal policies such as the Intellectual Property Management System, the Management Measures for Implementation of Patent Protection, and the Management Measures for Intellectual Property Incentive and Evaluation. These policies cover various aspects, including R&D risk warning, risk prevention, quality management, and strategic planning, to ensure the standardization and efficiency of the Company’s IPR-related affairs.

LONGi has established an Intellectual Property Management Committee as the top decision-making body for its intellectual property management, responsible for formulating and implementing IPR strategies. The Intellectual Property Department, under the Committee, is the working body to comprehensively manage all kinds of intellectual property affairs, to effectively manage and maintain the utilization of the Group’s intellectual property assets.

In 2023, following the policy of categorized management and unified designing of IPR, we planned in detail and established a comprehensive layout IPR system covering patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and domain names, based on criteria such as timing, geographical distribution, technical fields, and types of patents. In addition, we strengthened IPR risk monitoring and management during the product sales and supplier management, to reduce infringement risks.

Cooperation for Innovation

Centering technology cooperation, LONGi values technological innovation and has built a collaborative innovation operation system across the entire value chain to drive high-quality development in the industry. This year, the group has strengthened standardized management of its cooperation with other parties by developing and publishing innovative cooperation system documents such as the Management Measures for Collaborative Innovation Business, the Management Measures for External Technical Cooperation Projects, and the Management Measures for School-Enterprise Cooperation.