Revealed: After 531, where should the focus be in the second half of the photovoltaic industry?

Since the issuance of the NDRC's No. 136 document at the beginning of the year, newly added wind power and photovoltaic power will fully enter the electricity market. The "no volume guarantee, no price guarantee" policy has completely ended, and there are many variables in the calculation of investment returns after the electricity reform, such as the level of regulated electricity prices, the amount of regulated electricity, and the cycle length, etc.

Local regulations have yet to be issued, and enterprises cannot wait! In the new era of electricity reform, whoever can be the first to find a way out, master core resources, will be the first to break through in the next round of competition!

Under this circumstance, the competitive logic of the photovoltaic industry has undergone a fundamental change—""Being able to generate power" is not important; the key is "being able to consume it"! "The era of "consumption is king" has arrived!

Whoever can take the lead in layout and control resources will be the one to take off! I believe many people in the industry will wonder, who doesn't know that high consumption is good! But which specific industries are they? Today, I will summarize them for everyone. Those who have these resources can contact me to win together! (If you think it's good, please give it a follow and a like! Share it with more friends in need. If there is anything wrong, please correct it in the comments section)

 

I. Where will the battlefield be in the second half of 2025?

1. AI computing center—the perfect combination of green electricity and energy storage

What was the "first fire" at the beginning of this year? "Deepseek", which has boosted the reputation of the Chinese people, can be said to have become a global sensation. So what is "Deepseek"? What does it rely on? Algorithms are certainly important, but computing power is also essential. In the future technology, every industry will depend on "computing power", and "the end of computing power is green electricity, which is photovoltaic power." This "electricity-consuming beast" operates 24 hours a day!

According to The New Yorker magazine, ChatGPT may consume more than 500,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day to respond to about 200 million user requests. In comparison, the average American household uses about 29 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day, meaning that ChatGPT's daily electricity consumption is more than 17,000 times that of a household.

So how to get involved? I believe this is what everyone cares about most.

AI computing centers often have a small area that can be installed with photovoltaic systems, far from meeting their power consumption needs. At this time, capable developers can contact the park manager and use the "source-grid-load-storage, direct supply of green electricity" model to build photovoltaic power plants within the park and sign long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with enterprises. They can also assist enterprises in participating in green electricity trading, combining energy storage to optimize dispatching, charging at low valley electricity prices, and discharging at peak times to optimize enterprise electricity costs. In short, it can reduce costs and increase efficiency for enterprises. On the other hand, there is a network of personal connections and resources, which will not be detailed here.

As for practical cases, there are countless examples in China, such as Baidu's computing center, Alibaba's Zhangbei data center, Tencent Cloud Yizheng data center...

2. Steel and metal smelting industry—high energy consumption + high carbon emissions + green electricity demand

The electricity consumption of the ferrous metal smelting industry accounts for 26.46% of the manufacturing industry, and the non-ferrous metal smelting industry accounts for 32.37%, with huge energy needs. These industries are key emission reduction targets under the "dual carbon" goal, and photovoltaic power + green electricity trading has become the key to reducing costs and increasing efficiency for enterprises. In addition, international trade barriers (such as the EU CBAM carbon tax) require enterprises to use green electricity to enter the international market. This time point will start in 2026. On March 18, five ministries and commissions jointly issued the "Opinions on Promoting the High-Quality Development of the Green Electricity Certificate Market", further clarifying the green certificate trading mechanism and promoting the diversification of photovoltaic project income. The policy clearly states that by 2030, the proportion of green electricity consumption by high-energy-consuming enterprises shall not be lower than the average level of the national renewable energy power consumption responsibility quota. This forces enterprises to build wind, solar, and storage projects. The cake is ready, it just depends on whether you can eat it. The pain points of these enterprises are green certificates,allowing enterprises to produce products with "low-carbon certification" and enhance their international competitiveness.

3. Ceramics and chemical industry—long-term high-temperature production, huge energy consumption

Kilns and chemical production have high electricity demand. The chemical industry's electricity consumption accounts for 23.72% of the manufacturing industry, and many chemical enterprises face carbon emission pressure, making the search for green electricity alternatives an inevitable choice. The situation should be roughly the same as that of the steel industry.

4. Cement and glass industry—extremely high energy consumption, high priority for green electricity consumption

The building materials industry's electricity consumption accounts for 17.45% of the manufacturing industry, with cement and glass production being particularly energy-intensive. These industries are key national carbon reduction areas, and enterprises must use renewable energy on a large scale, otherwise they will face huge carbon taxes and production restrictions.

 

5. Logistics parks and cold chain centers—24-hour electricity demand, huge green electricity demand
 

In recent years, the proportion of energy consumption expenditure in the total cost of logistics parks has continued to rise, exceeding 20%. The logistics industry is accelerating "electrification". Continuously operating sorting equipment has a power of generally 10-20 kilowatts. Calculated at 8-10 hours of work per day, the power consumption is considerable; cold chain storage also operates 24 hours a day with extremely high energy consumption. Large-area warehouse lighting, if traditional lighting fixtures are used, the electricity consumption for warehouse lighting per 1,000 square meters can reach 5,000-8,000 kilowatt-hours per month. This has resulted in energy costs occupying a considerable proportion of the cost statements of logistics enterprises. Many large logistics parks need to obtain green electricity certification to enhance their Brand image, such as JD.com and SF Express, which are promoting the transformation of park renewable energy.

6. Sewage treatment plants—government-led + stable green electricity consumption

Sewage treatment plants have many pieces of equipment and long operating times, making them major electricity consumers. According to statistics, the average electricity consumption of sewage treatment plants in China is 0.292 KWh/m³, and electricity consumption is gradually becoming one of the key factors in cost control for sewage treatment plants. Many sewage treatment plants have been included in green city planning, and the proportion of renewable energy consumption is increasing. We can adopt EPC general contracting + green electricity trading to provide one-stop photovoltaic + energy storage solutions. Combined with local government policies, cooperate with state-owned enterprises to develop clean energy projects.

II. How to seize the opportunity in the era of "consumption is king"

1. Lay out integrated "source-grid-load-storage" projects, and create integrated "photovoltaic + energy storage + load" projects through industrial parks, data centers, and manufacturing bases. Enable enterprises to achieve direct supply of green electricity and improve their own electricity consumption capacity.

2. Strengthen Green Electricity Trading Capabilities: In the future, photovoltaic companies will not only need to know how to "generate electricity," but also how to "sell electricity." They should sign long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with end-use enterprises to stabilize their income. At the same time, they should pay attention to local green electricity trading policies and seize the low-cost power consumption market.

3. Energy Storage Becomes Standard Equipment; Photovoltaic Companies Must Learn to "Play" with Electricity: In the future market, photovoltaics + energy storage will become a rigid demand. Companies must learn to flexibly allocate electricity to maximize their income. Combining with the electricity market's spot trading, using energy storage to shave peaks and fill valleys, and optimizing the income structure.