Tongwei Solar: from fish farming operator to leading global solar panel manfacturer

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠China's Tongwei Solar, known for its global leadership in solar panel production, has its roots in fish farming -- a business it started in 1982 and still thrives today.

This seemingly unusual combination has proven highly profitable. While many of the fish raised are destined for decorative ponds in rural Sichuan Province in southwest China, fish farming remains a significant revenue stream for the company, which has ranked itself among the Fortune Global 500.

"We've installed photovoltaic panels on our aquaculture farm, which is in perfect integration of our fish farming agriculture with photovoltaic power generation,"said Chen Jun, assistant general manager of Tongwei New Energy Co., Ltd.

Though the sites showcasing these integrations serve primarily as demonstrations, Tongwei operates numerous large-scale facilities across China that simultaneously contribute to food supply and energy conservation. This innovative approach addresses the land-intensive nature of traditional photovoltaic power plants.

"When building photovoltaic power plants, we often need to expropriate large areas of land resources. If we use a lot of arable land for photovoltaic power generation, it will not only take up extra land, but also reduce crop production,”Chen said.

Transitioning from fish farming to high-tech solar panel manufacturing in 2006, Tongwei has not only entered but excelled in the photovoltaics industry, becoming a Fortune Global 500 company.

"Tongwei Solar's current annual production capacity of solar cells has reached 90GW. As of the end of 2023, Our global cumulative shipments of solar cell batteries had exceeded 200GW, ranking the first in the world for seven consecutive years,”said Pang Sanfeng, manager of Tongwei Solar (Jintang) Co., Ltd.

Despite facing challenges like price wars and overcapacity in the photovoltaics sector, Tongwei remains optimistic about future growth. The company is also the world's largest producer of polysilicon, which is essential for manufacturing solar panels, and is expanding its production capabilities.

"Our global innovation R and D center is vigorously under construction and is expected to be operational within the year," Pang asid.

In December last year, Tongwei revealed plans to invest nearly 4 billion U.S. dollars in enhancing its silicon production operations, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development and never straying from its original entrepreneurial spirit.

Tongwei Solar: from fish farming operator to leading global solar panel manfacturer

On his second official visit to China, Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu Charlot Salwai expressed admiration for China's remarkable ability to balance preserving its cultural heritage with embracing innovative transformation.

Salwai paid an official visit to China from July 7 to 12. During his trip, he toured the southern province of Guangdong and explored the megacities of Beijing and Shanghai. His visit included tours of high-tech companies, a ride on a high-speed train, and a performance of traditional Cantonese opera.

In an interview with China Central Television Network (CCTV) aired on Friday, Salwai recounted his journey starting with a warm welcome that included enjoying Beijing Roast Duck, also known as Peking Duck -- a culinary delight introduced to him by the Chinese ambassador in Vanuatu.

"Many had to say. Peking Duck. Because we had it here on our arrival, so it was very tasty. And I understand that the Chinese ambassador in Vanuatu brought us to one of the traditional restaurants, small but beautiful," he said. The prime minister sees China's preservation of its culture as a vital lesson in understanding one's roots and the journey to the present day, acknowledging China's efforts to integrate cultural preservation with modernization.

"It's going to be my second official visit to China. I'm always impressed to see big changes and especially innovations made by China and especially the cities. Because a big impression is to see how China continues to maintain and keep its culture. Because I think it's the basis of everything -- to know where you come from and to understand where we are today. I feel that China is doing a lot to maintain its culture, but at the same time, doing, innovating to transform its culture,” Salwai said.

He also emphasized the importance of learning from China's sustainable development strategies.

"Today, it comes from a long way, some hardship, the government, and also the people of China. So, I'm impressed to see what is done, especially how China associates infrastructure development with nature. That's meant to keep, continue to keep the environment. It takes effort with the climate change by maintaining the ecosystem. I think it's something that, for a small country like Vanuatu, is important to learn. So, we are here. I'm here with my delegation to learn," Salwai said.

Vanuatu's PM commends China's cultural preservation, innovation amid fast growth