Chinese Pv Industry Brief: January–April Solar Installations Hit 105 Gw

China's NEA said the country installed 104.93 GW of new solar capacity in the first four months of 2025, including 45.22 GW in April alone – up 214.68% year on year – highlighting the rapid pace of its renewables expansion. By the end of April, total installed generation capacity reached 3.49 TW, up 15.9% from a year earlier, with solar at 990 GW and wind at 540 GW. Despite the gains, power utilization declined, with average equipment run time dropping 103 hours year-on-year to 1,008 hours. Power generation investment by major energy firms rose 1.6% to CNY 193.3 billion ($26.68 billion), while grid investment climbed 14.6% to CNY 140.8 billion.

The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMIA) said polysilicon prices held steady this week, with n-type reprocessed material averaging CNY 38,600/ton, and n-type granular silicon at CNY 36,000/ton. P-type polysilicon averaged CNY 31,300/ton. The CNMIA said it expects prices to stabilize after months of decline, as manufacturers suspended or reduced production lines in May to manage oversupply risks. Despite the onset of the hydropower season in southern China, major producers have not resumed or expanded operations. The number of active producers fell from 13 to 11, all operating at reduced capacity. China imported 954.33 tons and exported 1,262.29 tons of polysilicon in April, according to customs data.

China Railway Construction Corp. has issued a tender through its IT unit for 3 GW of tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) n-type bifacial double-glass modules under its 2025 solar procurement framework. Bids are due by June 12, with the contract running through year-end.

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