Jiaxing,China- 29th May - LONGi has announced the launch of its latest product, the Hi-MO X6 Max series, at its state of the art Jiaxing factory. For the factory, recognized as the industry’s first ‘lighthouse’ facility, the launch marked its first public event since achieving this status.
The Hi-MO X6 Max series represents a significant milestone for the company, following the industry-wide consensus on module size standards reached by nine manufacturers and subsequent agreement on wafer size standards by six manufacturers in July and August 2023 respectively. The launch also marks LONGi’s first large-scale transition to rectangular silicon wafers (wafer size: 182.2×191.6mm; module size: 2382×1134mm).
Designed specifically to meet the evolving needs of distributed PV customers, the Hi-MO X6 Max incorporates the core values of Hi-MO X6 while additionally being equipped with LONGi’s innovative ‘TaiRay Inside’ and HPBC cell technologies, achieving unprecedented stability, reliability and power generation efficiency.
The Hi-MO X6 Max series entered mass production in the current quarter, with a complete transition for all mainstream products expected by Q3 2024. This upgrade, projected to exceed 30GW, will ensure a continuous and stable supply to the market.
Revitalized and Upgraded: Beyond Just Size
The lack of unification on wafer and module sizes had long been a contentious issue in the PV industry, leading to increased costs and supply chain risks. The ultimate standardization on sizes simplifies the supply chain, reduces material waste and minimizes design errors during installation, facilitating easier maintenance and management.
On July 7, 2023, LONGi and eight other companies agreed on new standard dimensions for rectangular silicon wafers and modules. Subsequently, on August 8, 2023, LONGi, along with five other companies, reached a consensus on the standardized dimensions for 72-cell rectangular silicon wafers (rectangular wafer size:182.2mm x191.6mm; rectangular wafer diagonal: 262.5mm).
This has allowed for smoother transition in production lines and technological advancements. The Hi-MO X6 Max series exemplifies this progress. LONGi’s recently launched TaiRay wafer and the breakthrough in mass-production of its self-developed HPBC technology has led to the creation of the new series, which integrates M11 dimensions (182.2mm×191.6mm) with TaiRay Inside and HPBC cell technologies.
According to Lv Yuan, head of the LONGi Product and Solution Centre, the standardized dimensions of Hi-MO X6 Max maximize customer benefits and reduce costs for engineering and material partners. The optimized dimensions also enhance container utilization during transportation, once again saving costs.
Taking the 72-cell version as an example, the new product can reduce transportation costs by $0.61/kW compared with the conventional Hi-MO X6 module, improving use of 40HC containers by 4.4% to achieve 98.5% container utilization. Due to power enhancement, the BOS cost on the system installation side is also reduced by 3.57% (about $4.16/kW) when compared with the equivalent mainstream power grade (585W vs. 615W). Customer revenue is also enhanced when compared to using 210R wafer based modules, Hi-MO X6 Max using M11 wafers with lower current, which can effectively reduce loss of current transmission cabling by 9% and increase power generation revenue by 0.1%.
The Hi-MO X6 Max product family not only inherits the three core values of the Hi-MO X6 series - High Quality, High Technology and High Reliability - but also represents an upgrade in three dimensions: New Technology, New Size and New Product. New technology refers to the first-time integration of the new TaiRay Inside and innovative HPBC high-efficiency cell technologies, bringing both innovation and reliability. New size is represented by the first transition after the standardization of dimensions, fostering synergy throughout the industry supply chain. New product refers to the Hi-MO X6 Max not only inheriting product design such as Anti-Dust and Anti-Humidity and Heat from the Hi-MO X6 series, but also the introduction of the Artist (Ultra Black) on to the distributed market, showcasing LONGi’s commitment to delivering new experiences driven by industry trends and in-depth understanding of user needs.
Leading the PV Industry with Intelligent Manufacturing
LONGi continues to lead the PV industry through technological innovation and digital transformation. In December 2023, the company’s Jiaxing production base was recognized by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as a ‘Global Lighthouse’ factory, the world’s first solar module manufacturing base to become part of the WEF's Global Lighthouse Network (GLN). As a model in “digital manufacturing” and “Industry 4.0,” it extensively integrates cutting-edge technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Big Data, AI and digital twinning, as well as developing and implementing over 30 digital technologies, significantly advancing intelligent manufacturing.
These innovations, including flexible automation enabled by artificial intelligence and machine vision, AI-enabled full-process visual inspection, intelligent management of order production delivery cycles and AI-powered solar cell resource matching, underpin the intelligent production of LONGi's HPBC products.
As an example, the order tracking system at the Jiaxing production base reduces the delivery cycle of HPBC products by 84%, while optimized processes and automation lower unit energy consumption by 20%.
From the introduction of the industry’s first Lifecycle Quality Standard in 2021 to pioneering a Digital Quality Management System and an integrated AI inspection system, LONGi remains committed to steady, reliable and technology-driven growth, the company’s ongoing innovation supporting the industry's transition to high-quality, sustainable development.
About LONGi
Founded in 2000, LONGi is committed to being the world’s leading solar technology company, focusing on customer-driven value creation for full scenario energy transformation.
Under its mission of 'making the best of solar energy to build a green world', LONGi has dedicated itself to technology innovation and established five business sectors, covering mono silicon wafers cells and modules, commercial & industrial distributed solar solutions, green energy solutions and hydrogen equipment. The company has honed its capabilities to provide green energy and has more recently, also embraced green hydrogen products and solutions to support global zero carbon development. www.longi.com