[May 23, 2023 Shanghai] On May 23, the 16th (2023) International Solar Photovoltaics and Smart Energy (Shanghai) Conference and Exhibition (SNEC) kicked off at Kerry Center in Pudong, Shanghai. Li Zhenguo, Founder and President of LONGi, who was invited to attend the opening ceremony, delivered a keynote speech titled “Building collaborative innovation ecosystem to create a zero-carbon world”.
Speaking at the ceremony, Li said it is the mission and responsibility of the entire industry to make photovoltaic cheaper to use. The continuous advancement of technology is the biggest driving force for cost reduction of photovoltaic power generation. At present, LONGi is actively developing an open innovation system, aiming to establish strong collaborations with educational institutions, industry peers and partners across the supply chain. The company is dedicated to advancing photovoltaic conversion efficiency in the near future while simultaneously driving down electricity costs.
Four methodologies to explain LONGi’s innovation history
Innovation is the soul of LONGi and the endogenous driving force for the continuous development of the photovoltaic industry. Li Zhenguo has conducted a comprehensive review of LONGi’s technological innovation process since its inception and has distilled it into what he refers to as “LONGi’s four innovation methodologies.”
- Technological innovation adheres to “First principle” and consistently strives to enhance efficiency, placing it at the forefront of progress
- Prioritizing customers, creating value for customers, and always providing customers with a product reliability guarantee with leading standards, reliable quality and excellent user experience;
- Stable and reliable corporate values, with a strong emphasis on product reliability and cost-effectiveness, and customer value improvement serving as the driving force to provide long-term value for photovoltaic power plants;
- Adherence to an open mindset and commitment to investing in scientific and technological research and development to cultivate an open cooperation ecosystem that not only empowers ourselves but also our partners and the industry as a whole. By leading the way in innovation and industry transformation, we strive to achieve success for all stakeholders involved.
LONGi has a long history of innovation. Since 2014, LONGi has been at the forefront of overcoming key challenges in the solar industry. They pioneered the industrialization of RCz single crystal growth technology and successfully addressed the initial light attenuation issue of monocrystalline PERC in 2015. In 2017, LONGi introduced diamond wire-cutting technology for the slicing process and incorporated double-sided power generation technology into both cell and module production.
Through these remarkable advancements and ongoing technological innovation, LONGi has maintained its leadership position in driving continuous cost reductions within the industry.
“Thanks to technological innovation, the cost of photovoltaic electricity has dropped from 4 yuan to less than 0.5 yuan, which not only supports future development but also makes photovoltaics a supporting force for ‘carbon neutrality’,” Li Zhenguo said.
Building an open innovation ecosystem to create a zero-carbon world
With the world reaching a consensus on “carbon neutrality”, the global energy transition to renewable energy has become the general trend.
During his keynote speech, Li Zhenguo expressed LONGi’s commitment to maintaining an open mindset, fostering a collaborative innovation ecosystem, and jointly building a zero-carbon world. In addition to continuously increasing investment in R&D, LONGi will spare no effort in seeking wider and deeper exchanges and cooperation around the world.
Just as a single tree cannot form a forest, it is the convergence of hundreds of rivers that create vast seas. LONGi, with its unwavering commitment to open innovation, has successfully harnessed the power of the entire industry chain through numerous instances of technological innovation leadership.
Speaking with the media, Li Zhenguo said the technology that will change or even subvert the photovoltaic industry in the future may not be in the photovoltaic industry itself, but in a certain field that seems to be “out of reach”.
To this end, LONGi specially held a launch conference for its “STAR Innovative Ecological Cooperation Platform” during this year’s SNEC. According to the company, the platform will build a global leading green energy ecosystem with the mission of transmitting innovation trends, collecting global ideas, integrating solutions, docking high-quality resources and promoting technological innovation in the global photovoltaic industry.
