Official Establishment of SEMI China Photovoltaic Standards Committee

By Vicky Zhou, SEMI China

During the SEMI International Standards Committee (ISC) meeting held at PVJapan 2011, formation of the SEMI China Photovoltaic Standards Committee was officially approved by the ISC. The meeting was attended by Mr. Zhang Guangchun, who will chair the new Chairman of China Photovoltaic Standards Committee and Senior Vice President from Wuxi Suntech Power as well as Director Liu Jun from the China Electronics Standardization Institute.

During the conference, members of the ISC conducted a comprehensive in-depth discussion on the urgent need to establish the China Photovoltaic Standards Committee as well as the direction for development of photovoltaic standards in the future. Mr. Zhang answered all the questions raised by the ISC members. Finally the proposal for establishment of China Photovoltaic Standards Committee was approved by the ISC members. It was hereby declared that SEMI China Photovoltaic Standards Committee was officially established. Mr. Zhang Guangchun stated that “the establishment of SEMI China Photovoltaic Standards Committee is a milestone event for the SEMI Standards program and photovoltaic industry in China!”

Ms. Jun Liu , Deputy Director of China Electronics Standardization Institute (first from right), Mr. Guangchun Zhang, Senior Vice President, Suntech Power (second from right), former SEMI President Mr. Stanley Myers (third from right), Mr. Homing Tong, Chairman of SEMI International Standards Committee, Dr. Allen Lu President of SEMI China at the SEMI Standards Friendship Party.

Technology and standards are essential to the sustainable development of solar photovoltaic industry. In recent years, the rough development mode of photovoltaic industry in China has come to an end. The guiding photovoltaic feed-in tariff was promulgated in China not long ago, which was undoubtedly a green light for the beginning of a photovoltaic applications market in China. Technology and standards are core values of SEMI.  And SEMI can utilize many platforms to fully demonstrate their potential in China.

SEMI has more than 500 global member companies engaged in photovoltaic business, which encompass key technologies from production equipment and raw materials to cell manufacturing technology. SEMI solar/photovoltaic business initiative (SEMI PV Group) represents these leading companies.  SEMI PV Group’s mission is to optimize the industrial supply chain, and bring low-cost photovoltaic technology as well as sustainable and clean energy supply to the world.

SEMI has more than 35 years of practical experience in developing international standards, and has published more than 800 international standards that are widely used in manufacturing fields such as semiconductor, flat panel display, and photovoltaics.

China is the world’s largest manufacturer and exporter of photovoltaic modules, but participation in international standards development has been a relatively weak link for photovoltaic industry in China, and also one of the greatest constraints for photovoltaic manufacturing industry in China. However, official establishment of SEMI China Photovoltaic Standards Committee undoubtedly laid a solid technical foundation for China to change from a photovoltaic manufacturing country to a photovoltaic manufacturing power.

SEMI PV Group, The Grid – December 2011