China’s LONGi to Buy PotisEdge, Strengthen “Solar + Storage” Strategy
Chinese solar integrated manufacturer LONGi Green Energy Technology plans to acquire Suzhou-headquartered advanced energy storage systems provider PotisEdge Co., regulators disclosed on Thursday. The move comes as leading integrated photovoltaic manufacturers expand into the energy storage sector to complement their solar businesses.
According to the Shaanxi Provincial Administration for Market Regulation, LONGi plans to secure 61.9998% of PotisEdge’s voting rights through a combination of equity acquisition, capital injection, and voting rights delegation, enabling the company to obtain independent control of PotisEdge.
PotisEdge’s experienced technical team, strong manufacturing capabilities, product quality and strong delivery record over the past five years were some of the factors behind LONGi’s decision to acquire the company, said LONGi Chairman Zhong Baoshen in an interview with Caijing.
The financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. Industry sources suggest the deal size may fall below the mandatory disclosure threshold for listed companies, which could explain why LONGi has not issued an announcement regarding the amount.
PotisEdge specializes in the research, development and production of advanced energy storage systems. Its portfolio includes smart energy storage solutions, power supply systems and hydrogen energy batteries. The company has more than 12 gigawatt-hours of global grid-connected capacity and 31 GWh of production capacity across its product lines.
The company also operates R&D centers in China and Canada. It has commercial branches in the U.S., Sweden, Poland, Italy and Australia, and is currently constructing a 5 GWh manufacturing facility in Atlanta in the U.S., according to its 2024 Sustainability Report published in June 2025.
Solar Manufacturers Strengthen Storage Portfolios
LONGi’s acquisition mirrors a broader trend among leading integrated PV manufacturers — such as JinkoSolar, JA Solar, and Trina Solar –that are rapidly expanding into the energy storage sector to complement their solar businesses.
LONGi has signaled clear intentions to build a holistic “solar + storage” solution portfolio. During its third quarter 2025 results briefing in September, Zhong noted that customers increasingly prefer integrated system solutions over standalone PV modules, identifying this shift as a strategic entry point for LONGi’s storage business.
A market participant said that with significant margin pressure across the solar manufacturing value chain over the past two years, energy storage has become a crucial secondary growth engine. Battery-storage-focused firms such as CATL, Sungrow and EVE Energy reported strong financial results in the first half of 2025, with energy storage emerging as a major revenue driver.
Another industry insider highlighted LONGi’s substantial global customer base as a natural advantage for developing and cross-selling storage solutions. PotisEdge’s established domestic and overseas operations are also expected to facilitate cost-effective and rapid market entry for LONGi.
Rapid Growth of Energy Storage in China
Given the inherent intermittency of solar power generation, energy storage is becoming an essential component of future solar energy infrastructure. The need to stabilize power output and enhance grid flexibility continues to increase the strategic importance of storage solutions.
Tongwei Solar Chairman Liu Hanyuan said on Tuesday at the 8th China International Photovoltaic and Energy Storage Industry Conference that the levelized cost of electricity for China’s solar and wind power has remained below that of coal-fired generation for the past three to five years. He emphasized that rapid installation growth, coupled with limited grid regulation capacity and grid security concerns, is accelerating demand for cost-effective energy storage systems.
Liu added that China’s newly added energy storage capacity from January to September 2025 increased 30-fold year on year, marking record-breaking growth.
Challenges and Market Considerations
Despite the strategic benefits, observers caution that the energy storage sector remains intensely competitive. High-quality acquisition targets often command high valuations, which could increase LONGi’s financial burden in the near term.
“Premium targets are typically expensive, and LONGi will need to build clear differentiated advantages to secure long-term competitiveness in the storage market,” one market insider noted.
–Reporting by Summer Zhang, szhang@opisnet.com; Editing by Mei-Hwen Wong, mwong@opisnet.com