China Solar Anti-Involution Campaign: Mandatory Efficiency and Energy Standards
What happened
China's anti-involution campaign against below-cost competition in solar manufacturing combines three elements reported as of October 2026. The China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) has issued a standardized cost-accounting model. On August 6, eight polysilicon producers representing more than 90% of effective capacity pledged to price at or above full cost. Three mandatory national standards take effect January 1, 2027: they cap polysilicon energy consumption at 6.3 kg of standard coal equivalent per kilogram and set a minimum Grade 3 module conversion efficiency of 23.2%. The reports do not state an enforcement agency or penalties for non-compliance. The current position is that the CPIA model and the August 6 pricing pledge are in place, while the mandatory standards apply from January 1, 2027, a date that has not yet passed.
Generated by AI from the reports · updated 2 hours ago
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- pv magazine (Global)China's solar anti-involution campaign adds mandatory efficiency and energy standards from Jan. 1, 2027
China's anti-involution campaign against below-cost competition in solar manufacturing now combines CPIA's standardized cost-accounting model, an Aug. 6 pledge by eight polysilicon producers representing more than 90% of effective capacity to price at or above full cost, and three mandatory national standards taking effect Jan. 1, 2027. The standards cap polysilicon energy consumption at 6.3 kg of standard coal equivalent per kilogram and set minimum Grade 3 module conversion efficiency of 23.2% for TOPCon and HJT and 23.5% for BC. The Silicon Industry Branch estimates effective polysilicon capacity will fall to about 2.4 million MT after restructuring, 16.4% below end-2024 levels.
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