China has introduced three new mandatory national standards for the PV manufacturing industry, signalling a major shift from large-scale capacity expansion towards higher efficiency, advanced technology, and improved manufacturing quality.
The new standards, which will come into force from January 1, 2027, cover important parts of the solar value chain, such as polysilicon production, silicon wafers, crystalline silicon PV modules and inverters, and were released on June 27, 2026.
The move comes as China looks to address growing overcapacity issues in its solar manufacturing industry while speeding up the transition to next-generation PV technologies.
One of the principal regulations of the new framework is GB 47834-2026 – Minimum Allowable Values of Energy Efficiency and Energy Efficiency Grades for Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Modules and Inverters. The standard establishes minimum efficiency requirements and grading standards for a range of solar technologies.
Minimum efficiency levels for grade 3 under the reported efficiency requirements are expected to be in the order of:
- TOPCon Modules: Nearly 23.2%
- Heterojunction (HJT) Modules: Nearly 23.2%
- Back Contact (BC) Modules: Nearly 23.5%
Higher performance grades set stronger benchmarks, with industry reports indicating:
- TOPCon Grade 1: Around 24% efficiency
- HJT Grade 1: Around 23.8% efficiency
- BC Grade 1: Around 24.2% efficiency
The standards should accelerate the decommissioning of old manufacturing capacity and spur companies to invest in high-efficiency technologies, automation, advanced production processes and better energy management.
China’s PV industry has witnessed rapid capacity expansion in the past few years, leading to fierce competition and pressure on manufacturers. With the introduction of mandatory efficiency and energy consumption standards, the industry is embarking on a new phase where technological capability will be a greater competitive advantage than production scale alone.
The move is part of a wider shift in the global solar manufacturing industry. The last race was more about how many gigawatts companies could pump out. Next phase is probably going to be about who can deliver greater efficiency, better reliability, lower degradation and more advanced solar technologies.
The PV Standards policy development by China is also relevant for India as it builds out its domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem through initiatives that support local PV manufacturing. While Indian manufacturers are increasingly investing in technologies such as TOPCon modules their ability to compete globally will depend on strengthening cell manufacturing, R&D capabilities, equipment supply chains and quality standards.
As China raises technology benchmarks across its PV sector, global solar manufacturing competition is expected to increasingly revolve around innovation, efficiency, and long-term performance rather than manufacturing capacity alone.
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