World’s largest solar cell manufacturer launches first panels in South Africa
Chinese photovoltaic (PV) solar cell manufacturer Tongwei Solar has officially entered the South African solar panel market through distribution partners Solarworld Africa and IBC Solar South Africa.
Headquartered in Chengdu, Tongwei Solar is one of the world’s largest and most vertically integrated solar product manufacturers.
Founded in 1983, Tongwei initially focused on products for the agriculture and aquaculture sectors. It entered the renewable energy sector in 2009 with the establishment of Tongwei Solar.
Tongwei has ranked as the biggest manufacturer of solar cells since 2017. In 2024, it became the first to deliver over 300,000 megawatts (MW) of cumulative product capacity.
The company is also the world’s largest producer of high-purity crystalline silicon, with roughly 30% of the global market share.
While several other Chinese firms sell more panels than Tongwei, they often buy cells from Tongwei’s wholesale business.
Major module brands that use Tongwei’s cells in some of their products include Canadian Solar, JA Solar, Longi, and Trina Solar.
The company’s annual cell production capacity is approximately 150,000MW, triple the peak output of all of Eskom’s installed capacity.
Tongwei holds Tier 1 status on the BloombergNEF PV Modular Tier 1 List, a benchmark of financial bankability and manufacturing excellence for panel manufacturers.
Tongwei has also featured on the Fortune 500 list of the world’s most valuable firms on several occasions.
The firm controls its full supply chain from high-purity crystalline silicon production to finished PV modules.
Tongwei general manager of overseas business, John Chen, said South Africa was an important and fast-growing market for high-quality solar solutions.
“We are delighted to be working with Solarworld Africa and IBC Solar South Africa as our preferred distribution partners in the country,” Chen said.
“Together, we look forward to supporting South Africa’s energy transition with modules that set the global benchmark for performance and reliability.”
Panel capacities from 450W to 700W+
Among the first Tongwei products officially available locally is the Tongwei TNC 2.0 TWMNH-66HD-635 module.
The high-power N-type TOPCon module is designed for commercial, industrial and utility-scale applications.
The panel boasts a 635Wp output across 132 cells with an efficiency of 23.5% and a 30-year linear power output warranty.
Its TNC 2.0 platform incorporates several proprietary technologies developed by Tongwei to improve efficiency, reliability and long-term energy yield, including:
- Zero Busbar (0BB) interconnection technology
- TPE (Tongwei Passivated Edge) technology
- Stencil Printing technology
- Poly Tech optimisation technology
The distributors will also offer smaller panels with capacities of 450W+, which are primarily aimed at residential markets, as well as 700W+ modules, typically suited for industrial and utility-scale plants.
In response to load-shedding and increased electricity prices, South African households and businesses have rapidly adopted solar power in recent years.
The demand drove a surge in panel imports from China, which accounted for more than 60% of the global module market.
Solarworld Africa managing director Gregor Kuepper explained that Tongwei would help address industrial customers’ demands, which had stretched beyond pricing.
“The choice of module has a direct impact on project performance, financing confidence, warranty security and long-term return on investment,” said Kuepper.
“We are proud to be the first preferred distributors to introduce Tongwei to South African buyers and to stand behind this product with our reputation.”
IBC and Solarworld said 71% of self-generation installations in South Africa were in the business and commercial sectors, precisely the market for which Tongwei’s high-output modules were engineered.
“At current tariff levels, a commercial solar installation can reach payback in as little as two to three years, with cumulative returns exceeding five times the initial investment over a decade,” they said.
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