Chinese PV Industry Brief: Trina Solar expands upstream ties with stake in encapsulation film maker

Trina Solar said on Oct. 15 that it plans to acquire a 1.6% stake in Chinese PV encapsulation film manufacturer Changzhou Betterial Film Technologies for CNY 40 million ($5.88 million). The deal covers 3.27 million shares held by Jiangsu Baixing Industrial Investment Group and will be funded with Trina Solar’s own capital. Trina Solar said the investment aims to deepen cooperation with upstream suppliers and strengthen supply chain stability, citing the close links between Betterial’s encapsulation film business and its own solar manufacturing operations. Betterial is headquartered in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, and operates eight manufacturing bases across China, Vietnam and Turkey.

Longi Energy Storage has started operations at a new 4.4-hectare manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China. The plant includes production lines for containerized utility-scale battery energy storage systems, commercial and industrial (C&I) storage systems, and control cabinets. Its utility-scale storage system integration line is expected to reach an annual production capacity of 31 GWh by the end of October, increasing to 50 GWh in 2027. The C&I storage production line is expected to reach an annual capacity of more than 10,000 units by the end of October.

China Datang announced on Oct. 14 the shortlisted bidders for a tender to supply inverters for its 500 MW Nam Mo solar project in Laos. CRRC Zhuzhou National Engineering Research Center of Converters ranked first with a bid of CNY 41.95 million ($6.17 million), followed by TBEA Xinjiang Sunoasis at CNY 45.48 million. The tender covers string inverters rated at 300 kW or higher for delivery to the project site in Nam Mo district, Oudomxay province. The selected supplier must be ready to deliver the first batch within 30 days of receiving a purchase order or written notice, with all deliveries completed within three months of the purchase order taking effect.

TCL Zhonghuan has secured a contract to supply approximately 16 MWp of double-glass solar modules for the fourth phase of Baowu Clean Energy’s Baoshan solar project in Shanghai, according to an Oct. 16 contract award announcement. The modules will have a rated power output of at least 645 W, with a winning bid of CNY 0.755/W ($0.111/W). Deliveries are scheduled to begin in batches on Oct. 20, 2026.