China has published three mandatory national standards on energy consumption and energy efficiency in the photovoltaic sector, establishing a new compliance framework for polysilicon, silicon wafers, PV modules and inverters.
The standards were released on June 27, 2026 and will become effective on January 1, 2027. The standards are called GB 29447-2026, “Standard of energy consumption per unit of polycrystalline silicon and germanium products”; GB 47835-2026, “Standard of energy consumption per unit of monocrystalline silicon products”; and GB 47834-2026, “Minimum permitted values of energy efficiency and energy efficiency classes for crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and inverters.”
Unlike previously discussed recommended product assessment standards, the GB standards are mandatory. They set binding limits on energy consumption and efficiency in key production and product categories and are expected to affect production, sales, imports, government procurement and project procurement once implemented.
GB 29447-2026 covers the upstream production of polysilicon and germanium. Industry interpretations indicate that the revised standard tightens unit energy consumption limits for both trichlorosilane-based polysilicon and silane fluidized bed processes. This is expected to put pressure on older, high-energy polysilicon lines and accelerate upgrades including heat recovery, hydrogen recycling and cold hydrogenation optimization.
GB 47835-2026 is aimed at the production of monocrystalline silicon and covers the energy consumption limits for billet drawing and wafer production. This is expected to impact older crystal drawing furnaces, smaller production lines and less efficient wafer processes, while boosting continuous crystal drawing, 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 classes, with class 1 being the highest. Minimum grade 3 efficiency thresholds are reported at approximately 23.2% for TOPCon and heterojunction (HJT) modules and 23.5% for back-contact (BC) modules. The standard also introduces requirements for coupled degradation of environmental stress 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 based on their power 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 almost two years of severe overcapacity and low-price competition in China’s PV production chain. Industry analysts expect the greatest impact on older PERC module lines, early TOPCon capacity, high-energy polysilicon facilities and older wafer production assets. Leading manufacturers with advanced n-type capabilities and lower energy intensity are expected to be better positioned.
The standards could also reform purchasing. State-owned enterprises, government-backed sustainable projects and centralized procurement are expected to adopt the new limits as entry requirements or scoring criteria. This could shift demand towards products with higher efficiency and lower energy intensity, and reduce the scope for cheap and underperforming supply in domestic projects.
In the short term, the measures could increase retrofit spending and accelerate the retirement of conventional capacity. In the longer term, they could support a shift in China’s PV industry from scale-driven expansion to a model that focuses on efficiency, quality, lower energy consumption and life cycle performance.
