Recently, in order to further strengthen its leading position in N-type solar cell technology, JinkoSolar announced the first public disclosure of the environmental impact assessment for two major technical upgrade projects at its Feidong production base in Hefei: the High-Efficiency Solar Cell MAX Retrofit Project and the High-Efficiency Solar Cell 213 Upgrade Project.
The two retrofit projects involve a total investment of approximately RMB 346 million and are both located within the Hefei Circular Economy Demonstration Park. Through core equipment replacement and process route optimization, the projects aim to achieve comprehensive breakthroughs in cell conversion efficiency, bifaciality, and large-size wafer compatibility—without adding new production capacity.
MAX Retrofit Project: Focusing on the Upgrade of Bifacial Passivated Structures
The High-Efficiency Solar Cell MAX Retrofit Project, with a total investment of approximately RMB 194 million, plans to introduce new laser equipment and ALD tubular rear passivation equipment to realize an iterative upgrade of the bifacial passivated contact structure.
From a technical perspective, the project adopts an innovative design in which finger-type polysilicon and high-quality dielectric passivation layers are structurally separated. By decoupling the conductive function and passivation function on the rear side of the cell, the solution significantly enhances passivation effectiveness and optical performance. As a result, the bifaciality of the cells is expected to increase by approximately 4%, while overall conversion efficiency and long-term reliability are further improved.
213 Upgrade Project: Full Compatibility with Large-Size Wafers and Automation
At the same time, Anhui Jinko is advancing the High-Efficiency Solar Cell 213 Upgrade Project, with a total investment of approximately RMB 152 million. This project focuses on systematic production line adaptation, aiming to fully enable existing capacity to be compatible with 213 mm large-size silicon wafers while significantly enhancing overall automation levels.
In terms of specific process upgrades, the wet process section will introduce advanced texturing and automated etching equipment to optimize the light-trapping performance of silicon wafer surfaces. In the high-temperature and LPCVD stages, the project will improve large-size wafer handling capacity and film uniformity by replacing suction cups with convex pin designs and implementing dual-boat process upgrades. In addition, key processes such as coating will be fully integrated with automated systems, incorporating precision transfer solutions to ensure yield stability and operational reliability for large-size cells under high-speed production conditions.
Source：EnergyTrend