China Clarifies Mandatory PV Standards Ahead of 2027 Implementation

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology or MIIT has clarified how its upcoming mandatory standards for photovoltaic solar products will be implemented, with the regulations set to tighten requirements on energy consumption, module efficiency, product safety and labelling.

The standards span the solar manufacturing supply chain from polysilicon, wafers to modules and inverters and form part of Beijing’s efforts to improve product quality and phase out inefficient technologies in the sector.

The five mandatory standards are:

• • GB 29447-2026 — norm of energy consumption per unit products of polysilicon and germanium

• • GB 47835-2026 — norm of energy consumption per unit products of monocrystalline silicon

• • GB 47834-2026 — minimum allowable values of energy efficiency and energy efficiency grades for crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and inverters

• • GB 47739-2026 — safety requirements for PV modules

• • GB 47740-2026 — requirement for nameplate labeling of photovoltaic modules

The three standards covering energy consumption limits and energy efficiency will be scheduled on Jan. 1, 2027, while the module safety, safety and labelling standards will take effect on June 1, 2027.

For manufacturers, the immediate focus will likely be on managing existing inventories and adjusting production and sales contracts ahead of the 2027 implementation deadlines.

Regulators will begin product quality spot checks after the standards take effect, with inspections conducted at both national and county levels.

Export Requirements Remain Separate

Under the clarification, solar products manufactured for export will not be required to comply with China’s mandatory national standards, with technical requirements instead determined by contractual agreements between buyers and manufacturers.

However, products sold in China will need to comply with the mandatory standards once they come into force, regardless of whether they are used in utility scale projects or distributed solar installations.

The clarification also noted that China’s domestic safety standards and International Electrotechnical Commission requirements do not necessarily have to be met simultaneously.

Products sold domestically must meet China’s mandatory safety requirements, while products sold to overseas markets that recognize the IEC 61730 series should comply with requirements specified under their export contracts.

Existing Inventories Must Meet Standards

Solar products manufactured before the implementation date will not be exempt from the new requirement. Once the new standards take effect, products that do not comply with the standards cannot be sold, imported or produced in the Chinese domestic market.

MIIT has advised manufacturers to use the transition period to manage production and clear existing stocks before the implementation deadlines.

Companies with long-term contracts extending beyond the implementation dates are encouraged to review existing orders and renegotiate technical specifications with customers.

Non-compliant modules produced before the implementation deadline may be reworked but manufacturers would need to show that these products meet the new technical requirements and undergo the necessary testing or certification.

Energy Use Calculations

MIIT also provided guidance on how energy consumption will be calculated under the new standards, particularly for silicon wafer production.

For full-cut wafers, actual production is adjusted using a specified conversion factor, while half-cut wafers are also adjusted using a conversion factor, with an additional calculation depending on how they are produced.

Half-cut wafers produced from single-crystal square ingots are subject to a secondary conversion factor of 0.65.

The clarification said the factor reflects the additional energy required to manufacture half-cut wafers, as producing two half-cut wafers is treated as equivalent to producing 1.3 full-cut wafers, rather than just half the energy for each wafer.

MIIT said this reflects the additional ingot-cutting process for half-cut wafers, as well as differences in cutting efficiency compared with full-sized wafers.

The scope of energy consumption also extends beyond electricity used directly on manufacturing lines.

Electricity used by supporting facilities and departments such as officers, operating rooms, locker rooms, cafeterias and employee dormitories will also be included in the company’s overall energy consumption calculation.

Product Quality, Safety and Labelling

Manufacturers will be responsible for ensuring that QR code links on module nameplates remain accessible throughout the module’s operating life. A link that becomes unavailable during the product’s service life would be considered non-compliant.

MIIT clarified that manufacturers will not be required to conduct environmental degradation tests on every outgoing shipment.

Companies can determine testing frequency based on their internal quality control systems, certifications requirements and procurement requirements.

Under the module safety requirement, static mechanical load testing must apply a safety factor of at least 1.5. Based on the example, a module designed for front-side load of 2,400 pascals would need to withstand a test load of 3,600 pascals.

The guidance also clarified requirements governing the difference between a module’s actual maximum power and stated nominal power rating.

For modules above 250 watts, the guidance said the difference between actual maximum power and nominal power cannot exceed 5 megawatts based on the typical manufacture-declared tolerances. For modules rated at or below 250W, the allowable deviation should not be more than 2% of nominal power.

–Reporting by Brian Ng, brian.ng@dowjones.com; Editing by Mei-Hwen Wong,
mei-hwen.wong@dowjones.com