China has published three mandatory national standards on energy consumption and energy efficiency in the photovoltaic sector, establishing a new compliance framework covering polysilicon, silicon wafers, PV modules and inverters.
The standards were released on June 27, 2026, and will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. The standards are designated GB 29447-2026, “Norm of energy consumption per unit products of silicon polycrystalline and germanium”; GB 47835-2026, “Norm of energy consumption per unit products of monocrystalline silicon”; and GB 47834-2026, “Minimum allowable values of energy efficiency and energy efficiency grades for crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and inverters.”
Unlike previously discussed recommended product grading standards, the GB standards are mandatory. They set binding limits for energy consumption and efficiency across key manufacturing and product categories and are expected to influence production, sales, imports, public procurement and project tendering once implemented.
GB 29447-2026 covers upstream polysilicon and germanium production. Industry interpretations indicate the revised standard tightens unit energy consumption limits for both trichlorosilane-based polysilicon and silane fluidized-bed processes. It is expected to pressure older, high-energy-consumption polysilicon lines and accelerate upgrades including heat recovery, hydrogen recycling and cold hydrogenation optimization.
GB 47835-2026 targets monocrystalline silicon production, covering energy consumption limits for ingot pulling and wafer manufacturing. It is expected to affect older crystal-pulling furnaces, smaller production lines and less efficient wafering processes, while encouraging continuous crystal pulling, thermal field optimization and thinner wafer technologies.
GB 47834-2026 applies to crystalline silicon PV modules and grid-connected inverters. For modules, public interpretations indicate three energy efficiency grades, with Grade 1 as the highest. Minimum Grade 3 efficiency thresholds are reported at about 23.2% for TOPCon and heterojunction (HJT) modules and 23.5% for back-contact (BC) modules. The standard also introduces requirements for coupled environmental stress degradation and bifaciality, with minimum bifaciality levels reported at 75% for TOPCon, 85% for HJT and 70% for BC modules.
For inverters, the standard classifies products by power rating and sets minimum requirements for weighted average efficiency and maximum conversion efficiency. This is expected to accelerate the replacement of lower-efficiency inverter products and strengthen the role of high-efficiency conversion equipment in large-scale PV projects.
The new standards follow nearly two years of severe overcapacity and low-price competition across China’s PV manufacturing chain. Industry analysts expect the strongest impact on legacy PERC module lines, early TOPCon capacity, high-energy polysilicon facilities and older wafer production assets. Leading manufacturers with advanced n-type capacity and lower energy intensity are expected to be better positioned.
The standards could also reshape procurement. State-owned utilities, government-backed renewable projects and centralized tenders are expected to adopt the new limits as entry requirements or scoring criteria. This may shift demand toward higher-efficiency, lower-energy-intensity products and reduce space for low-price, low-performance supply in domestic projects.
In the short term, the measures may increase retrofit spending and accelerate the retirement of conventional capacity. Over the longer term, they could support a shift in China’s PV industry from scale-driven expansion toward a model focused on efficiency, quality, lower energy consumption and lifecycle performance.
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