BIPV Focus | Five Departments Jointly Solicit Smart Photovoltaic Projects, with Application Requirements and Deadlines Included

Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the Comprehensive Department of the National Energy Administration jointly issued the “Notice on Soliciting Typical Cases of Smart Photovoltaics,” aiming to accelerate advancements in smart photovoltaic technologies and their industrial applications, and to promote the deep integration of energy technologies with artificial intelligence, new materials, and advanced manufacturing techniques.

 

Ten key areas for solicitation, covering the entire photovoltaic industry chain.

The content includes, but is not limited to: solar–storage integration, Building-integrated photovoltaics , transportation applications, agriculture and rural applications, photovoltaic‑based hydrogen/ammonia/alcohol production, floating photovoltaics, green photovoltaics, critical information technologies, advanced photovoltaic products, new‑type facilities, and demonstration‑and‑verification testing.

Building-integrated photovoltaics. This includes building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) projects, in which photovoltaic systems are seamlessly incorporated into architectural components such as rooftops, curtain walls, or shading devices, and where solar power generation is matched to the building’s electricity load.

For individual projects in the building and urban sectors involving smart photovoltaics and building-integrated applications, The installed capacity shall be no less than 0.1 MW. This threshold is significantly lower than the standards for centralized (above 10 MW) and distributed (above 1 MW) photovoltaic projects.

 

Eligibility Criteria and Timeline

The submitting entity may be a relevant application‑related organization, a manufacturing enterprise, the industrial park where the case is located, or a third‑party integration service provider, among others. The case should have already established an intelligent photovoltaic application or service system that features distinctive services and is closely aligned with the region’s actual development needs.

Submitted cases must adopt No fewer than three types of smart photovoltaic products. , and photovoltaic systems installed on buildings shall It is equipped with an automatic emergency power-off function, ensuring structural and fire safety.

Each province, autonomous region, and municipality directly under the central government may recommend no more than eight exemplary cases, while separately planned cities and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps may recommend no more than five. The application deadline is January 20, 2026.

 

Reference Cases of Smart Photovoltaic Applications

At present, China has seen the emergence of a number of exemplary cases in smart photovoltaic applications.

Cadmium Telluride Photovoltaic Glass Curtain Wall at the Western Science and Technology Innovation Harbor

 

Image sourced from the internet.

The smart, green energy building demonstration project in Building No. 7 of the Western China Science and Technology Innovation Harbor employs thin-film solar power generation technology, with a photovoltaic installed capacity of 458 kW and an annual electricity output of approximately 400,000 kWh. It is the nation’s first integrated smart, green energy building.

Image sourced from the internet.

The “Photovoltaic–Storage–Direct Current–Flexible” demonstration project at the Shenzhen Institute of Building Research’s Future Building is the nation’s first full‑DC building to achieve large‑scale, real‑world deployment beyond the laboratory. Its energy consumption per unit area is significantly lower than that of comparable office buildings, and in 2022, its average electricity price was more than 40% below the city‑wide average for industrial and commercial users during the same period.

Image sourced from the internet.

In the agriculture and rural development sector, Ningxia has leveraged its high-altitude terrain and abundant sunshine to build 345 village-level photovoltaic poverty‑alleviation power stations with a total capacity of 119,000 kilowatts. These facilities are expected to generate annual revenue exceeding RMB 100 million, benefiting more than 26,000 impoverished households across 349 poverty‑stricken villages.

As the carbon neutrality goal advances, smart photovoltaics will become a key component of the new‑energy‑dominated power system, providing robust support for the green and low‑carbon transformation of the economy and society.

 

The original text is as follows:

Notice from Five Departments on Soliciting Typical Cases of Smart Photovoltaics Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development Office of the Ministry of Transport Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs General Department of the National Energy Administration Notice on Soliciting Typical Cases of Smart Photovoltaics MIIT Joint Electronic Letter [2025] No. 526 To the departments of industry and information technology, housing and urban–rural development, transport, agriculture and rural affairs, and energy of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, cities separately listed for planning purposes, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps: In order to further accelerate technological progress and industrial application of smart photovoltaic technologies, promote the deep integration of energy technologies with artificial intelligence, new materials, and advanced manufacturing, and support the quality improvement and upgrading of China’s photovoltaic industry, in accordance with the work arrangements set forth in the “Action Plan for Innovative Development of the Smart Photovoltaic Industry (2021–2025)” (MIIT Joint Electronic [2021] No. 226), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the National Energy Administration have decided to organize a call for exemplary cases of smart photovoltaics. Relevant matters are hereby notified as follows: I. Content of Typical Cases A project that deploys smart photovoltaic products and integrates next-generation information technologies—such as 5G communications, big data, the Internet, and artificial intelligence—to deliver intelligent PV services to users. This includes, but is not limited to: 1. Photovoltaic–energy storage integration. By leveraging cutting-edge energy storage technologies and solutions, this approach enhances the stability, grid‑friendliness, and grid‑absorption capacity of solar power generation, encompassing areas such as photovoltaic DC systems, photovoltaic–storage microgrids, rural photovoltaic–storage–charging systems, and portable photovoltaic–storage devices. 2. Building‑integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). This includes BIPV projects in which photovoltaic systems are seamlessly integrated into building components such as roofs, curtain walls, or shading devices, and where solar power generation is matched to the building’s electricity demand. 3. Transportation applications: In settings such as highway passenger and freight hubs, highway service areas (including rest stops), gas stations, toll stations, maintenance yards, and port terminals, deploy “distributed photovoltaics + energy storage + microgrid” transportation energy systems to achieve high‑proportion self‑consumption of green electricity. 4. Agriculture and rural applications: In production contexts like facility agriculture, large‑scale farming and animal husbandry, and primary agricultural processing, develop agri‑photovoltaic complementary ecological models, with priority given to eligible photovoltaic poverty‑alleviation projects. 5. Photovoltaic‑based hydrogen/ammonia/alcohol production: Build integrated wind–solar–hydrogen/ammonia/alcohol bases; synthesize green hydrogen, green ammonia, and green alcohols for use in chemical manufacturing and other sectors; and implement decarbonization projects across transportation, industry, construction, and other fields. 6. Floating photovoltaics: In scenarios such as nuclear power plant cooling‑water discharge zones, salt pans, and offshore photovoltaic installations, carry out floating‑type PV projects to achieve multi‑technology integration and comprehensive resource utilization. 7. Greening of photovoltaics: This includes green product design and manufacturing, recycling and reuse of end‑of‑life PV modules, remanufacturing of PV component parts, carbon‑footprint assessment and certification, and the establishment of a PV supply‑chain traceability system. 8. Key information technologies: These encompass intelligent scheduling and smart operation & maintenance of PV systems, as well as communication and information systems tailored for smart PV, flexible power electronics, smart microgrids, virtual power plants, industrial software, industrial robots, and related areas. 9. Advanced PV products: This covers high‑efficiency perovskite and tandem solar cells, flexible solar cells, and supporting high‑quality, highly reliable, low‑cost equipment and materials throughout the related value chain. 10. New‑type facilities and demonstration testing: Includes smart PV systems designed for data centers, 5G networks, and other emerging infrastructure, along with the development of PV applications and demonstration tests for extreme environments—such as severe cold, intense heat, high humidity, low irradiance, and high salt‑fog conditions. II. Eligibility Requirements The applicant shall be the organization responsible for implementing the case, which may include relevant application entities, manufacturing enterprises, the industrial park where the case is located, or third-party integration service providers. The case must meet the following criteria: 1. It must have established a smart photovoltaic application or service system featuring distinctive services and closely aligned with local development needs; 2. It must deploy no fewer than three types of smart photovoltaic products—preferably supplied by enterprises that comply with the “Normative Conditions for the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Industry (2024 Edition)” —or related services, and deliver smart photovoltaic solutions at scale, with capacities of at least 10 MW for centralized systems and at least 1 MW for distributed systems. For individual projects in the building and urban sectors involving smart photovoltaics and building-integrated applications, as well as for photovoltaic poverty‑alleviation projects and transportation‑related initiatives such as highway service areas and gas stations, the installed capacity shall be no less than 0.1 MW. 3. Photovoltaic systems installed on buildings shall be equipped with an emergency automatic disconnection function and securely connected to the building structure, ensuring structural integrity, fire safety, and watertightness. When integrated with other industries, they must ensure that their primary functions remain unaffected. 4. They should possess flexible service‑expansion capabilities and long-term operational viability, featuring innovative business models that emphasize independent innovation, sustainable operation, and profitability, as well as a development plan for continuously enhancing service offerings and enriching service content. III. Organization and Implementation (1) Applying entities must strictly adhere to the requirements set forth in this notice and the prescribed template (available for download on the official website of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology), complete the Application Form for Typical Smart Photovoltaic Cases in a standardized manner, and submit the application materials to the provincial-level department of industry and information technology in their jurisdiction. (2) The provincial-level departments of industry and information technology, in coordination with the departments of housing and urban–rural development, transport, agriculture and rural affairs, and energy, shall conduct on-site inspections and expert reviews. Based on the review results, they will recommend eligible enterprises and projects and issue a letter of recommendation. (3) Each province, autonomous region, and municipality directly under the central government may recommend no more than eight typical cases; separately listed cities and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps may recommend no more than five typical cases. Local authorities must strictly control the number of recommended cases; applications exceeding the prescribed limits will not be accepted. (4) All local departments of industry and information technology are requested to submit, by January 20, 2026, the letters of recommendation together with the application materials—two hard copies and an electronic version on CD—via EMS or confidential courier to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (Department of Electronic Information). (5) The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the National Energy Administration, will evaluate the nominated enterprises and projects. The evaluation results will be publicly announced on the official websites of the relevant departments and in related media. Enterprises and projects that receive no objections during the public announcement period will be officially published. IV. Management and Incentive Measures (1) The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the National Energy Administration, will intensify publicity and promotion of exemplary cases, enhance their influence, and expand their ripple effects. It will also organize evaluations and assessments of smart photovoltaic pilot projects and make dynamic adjustments to the list of such cases. (2) Government departments at all levels and all sectors of society are encouraged to increase support for the implementation of these exemplary projects, providing assistance through policies, standards, project funding, resource allocation, and other measures to facilitate their development and wider application. (3) Exemplary cases shall fully implement the “Action Plan for Innovative Development of the Smart Photovoltaic Industry (2021–2025),” strive to set industry benchmarks, leverage their catalytic role, and accelerate the adoption and dissemination of advanced products, technologies, and business models. Contact persons and telephone numbers: Xue Jinxin / Li Qicong, Tel: 010-68208264 Address: No. 27 Wanshou Road, Haidian District, Beijing Attachment: Application Form for Smart Photovoltaic Exemplary Cases.docx General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology General Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development General Office of the Ministry of Transport General Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Comprehensive Department of the National Energy Administration