China's photovoltaic development is in the process of turmoil. As of 2023, the installed capacity of photovoltaic power generation has reached a new high. Of course, at the same time, it has also brought about periodic overcapacity. The technology iteration is at the right time, and the whole industry is in a fierce fight of "more wolves and less meat.

Under the great changes, photovoltaic management talents and innovative talents are also flowing and reshuffling at all times.

according to incomplete statistics of Huaxia energy network (public number hxny3060), nearly 60 senior executives of photovoltaic enterprises in the photovoltaic industry will change their positions in 2023. In addition to the nearly 100 person-times in 2022 and more than 80 person-times in 2021 with publicly available data, there have been about 240 personnel changes in listed photovoltaic companies in the past three years.

except for some retirement or retirement due to age or ability, it is not difficult to read out a dark line behind the changes of most senior executives that talents lead the iteration of new technologies and new development opportunities.

In the list of traders of many rookie enterprises, some photovoltaic bosses are looming. For example, Xu Zhiqun, the actual controller of Gaojing Solar Energy, a newly-promoted dark horse enterprise, and Xie Yi, the founder of Heguang Tongcheng, even appeared the name of Chinese photovoltaic tycoon Zhang Longgen (English name: LONGGEN ZHANG) in the distant Middle East.

where the bosses go, there are new opportunities in the industry.

Zhang Longgen: 100000 tons of silicon project in the Middle East

Not long ago, a news that a polysilicon factory had been opened in Oman gave an answer to the whereabouts of Zhang Longgen, a big man in the photovoltaic industry.

United Solar Polysilicon(FZC)SPC (hereinafter referred to as "United Solar"), a company with an annual output of 100000 tons of high-purity silicon-based materials, was born in Oman's Sohar Free Trade Zone. According to a number of industry sources, the behind-the-scenes trader is Zhang Longgen, who served as a core executive in Jingke Energy (SH:688223) and Daquan Energy (SH:688303).

Zhang Longgen's personal experience is quite legendary. Public information shows that he was born in 1964, is an American citizen, has permanent residency in China, holds a master's degree in professional accounting and a master's degree in business administration from West Texas A & M University, and is qualified as a certified public accountant in the United States.

But in fact, Zhang Longgen was a loan officer in Jiangsu Branch of Agricultural Bank of China at the earliest (1984-1991). After that, he worked in foreign enterprises for many years. He also promoted the listing of Xinyuan real estate in the United States. Since 2008, he has been working as an executive in photovoltaic enterprises.

from 2008 to 2020, Zhang Longgen served as chief financial officer and director of Jingke Energy Co., Ltd. In 2010, he led the listing of Jingke Energy in the United States.

since January 2018, Zhang longgen has been working in daquan energy, successively serving as executive director and chief executive officer of cayman daquan and director of Xinjiang daquan. From June 2020 to September 2022, Zhang Longgen was appointed Vice Chairman of Xinjiang Daquan, mainly responsible for the production and operation decision-making and daily operation management of Xinjiang Daquan. In July 2021, the return of large-scale energy to A- shares was also driven by him. This post was later taken over by "Young Marshal" Xu Xiang.

Zhang Longgen's positions in Jingke and Daquan once overlapped, which fully demonstrates his strong business ability. Its annual salary in Daqo Energy is as high as 2.1375 million. In addition, he also holds 16.25 million shares of Daqo Energy, accounting for 0.76 percent of the equity.

In August 2023, Daqo Energy announced the resignation of Director Zhang Longgen and General Manager Zhou Qiangmin. Although the announcement showed that Zhang resigned for "personal reasons," the two heavyweight executives both resigned, and it is difficult to prevent the industry from speculating that it is related to the company's recent sharp decline in performance.

Silicon prices have experienced two rounds of decline in 2023. Take refeeding as an example, the price exceeded 230000 yuan/ton in early February and dropped to 62300 yuan/ton by the end of the year. Affected by this, Daquan Energy's revenue fell by nearly 60% in the first three quarters, and its profit fell by nearly 90%. The company's personnel was also in turmoil, with a total of five senior executives and core technical staff leaving the company throughout the year.

According to industry experts predict that the next three years will be in excess silicon. Nowadays, under the general trend of countries supporting the local industrial chain, leaving the "roll" to the extreme at home, going overseas, going to the Middle East, and using China's technological and financial advantages to open up new markets has become a new idea for some companies to explore.

However, due to the polysilicon industry behind the entire Chinese chemical industry equipment technology and raw material support, overseas production costs are also higher than domestic. Whether Zhang Longgen's polysilicon business can really take root in the Middle East in the future remains to be verified by time.

You Hongming: Developing Overseas Energy Storage Market

"The system cost of energy storage projects is closely linked to the project benefits, bringing huge business opportunities to the supply chain from China." In June 2021, You Hongming, then vice president of Trina Solar (SH:688599) and president of the Overseas Systems Division, publicly expressed his optimism about the future of energy storage at an industry conference.

Only a year and a half later, he left Trina to start a business in the energy storage field.

in January 2023, an energy storage rookie named canhai energy (Changxing) co., ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "canhai energy") was quietly established. it is a new energy storage solution provider focusing on overseas markets. its business includes industrial and commercial solutions, storage and charging integrated solutions for large power stations and daily life scenes, etc. Industrial and commercial information shows that the chairman and general manager and legal person of the sea energy are shown as YOU,HONG MING, which is verified by You Hongming, a former executive of Trina Solar.

you Hongming, Canadian, served as assistant vice president of Trina Solar's overseas systems division in 2016 and vice president of Trina Solar's overseas systems division in 2019. He was also a shareholder of Changzhou Tianchuang Enterprise Management Consulting Partnership (Limited Partnership), one of Trina Solar's "employee shareholding platforms.

Trina Solar, which is called "the largest photovoltaic EPC order in history" in the industry, signed a transaction of about US $0.7 billion in photovoltaic power plant assets with TPG's Ruisi Fund, which was won by You Hongming during his tenure.

as the first photovoltaic giant to lay out energy storage, by 2022, trina energy storage will rank eighth in the global market energy storage system shipment list with a shipment volume of nearly 2GWh. Having worked in Trina Solar's Overseas Systems Division for many years, You Hongming has rich experience and accumulated resources for overseas market development.

At present, new energy storage is experiencing rapid growth worldwide. According to the white paper data released by China Energy Research Association and Zhongguancun Energy Storage Industry Technology Alliance, in 2022, the installed capacity of new power storage projects in the world will grow 98% year on year, with a scale of 30.7GW. It is conservatively estimated that the cumulative scale of new energy storage will reach 97.0GW in 2027, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 49.3 from 2023 to 2027.

Compared with the domestic market, the profit margin of the integration of large storage and industrial and commercial energy storage systems in overseas markets is significantly higher, but there are also certain thresholds, such as the need to be familiar with the local power market environment, master channel resources, and because of the strong contract rigidity and greater risk.

you Hongming's overseas market experience has made the current development of sea energy smooth: soon after its establishment, it has opened up important customers such as Britain, Spain, Italy and France, accumulated billions of project delivery experience in the photovoltaic/energy storage power station market, and precipitated potential orders at GWh level.

Naohai Energy has also received investment in the primary market. In June 2023, Haihai Energy received a Pre-A round of financing of over 100 million yuan, led by Sequoia China and followed by CDH VGC (Innovation and Growth Fund).

Shen Chengyong: Join the development boom of perovskite

with the rapid rise of perovskite company renshuo light energy, former xiexin executive Shen chengyong once again returned to the public eye.

Shen Chengyong, born in July 1988, a member of the Communist Party of China, graduated from Shanghai Jiaotong University with a master's degree. Since July 2020, he has served as the executive president of GCL Group (Holdings) Co., Ltd., and has also served as a director of GCL Group, chairman of Jiangsu Xinhua Semiconductor, vice chairman of GCL Energy Investment Group, and president of GCL Capital.

in March 2022, xiexin integration (SZ:002506) announced the resignation of director Shen chengyong. Soon after, public information showed that Shen Chengyong became CEO of Renshuo Guangneng.

According to the official website, Ren Shuo Guangneng was founded in 2021 by Professor Tan Hairen of Nanjing University. Its main business is the research and development, production and sales of new perovskite photovoltaic modules. In fact, Ren Shuo Guangneng was co-founded by Shen Chengyong and Tan Hairen. Huaxia Energy Network calculates that Shen Chengyong directly and indirectly holds about 23.637 percent of Renshuo Guangneng's equity.

Perovskite can be described as the hottest track in China and even in the global photovoltaic field.

after years of development, the conversion efficiency of crystalline silicon components is approaching the laboratory efficiency limit of 26.7, and the cost of electricity is very limited after a decade of 90% decline. The more efficient (single-layer perovskite cell 33%, laminated perovskite cell 43% or more) and cost advantage of perovskite cell efficiency, industrialization process accelerated, and even "the third generation of photovoltaic technology route" said, but also by the capital bet.

According to incomplete statistics of Huaxia Energy Network, since May 2022, domestic perovskite enterprises have raised 24 financing cases, with the amount of financing ranging from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of yuan. Xiexin Optoelectronics, the company that was the first to lay out perovskites, has received six financing in just five years, with the largest one reaching 0.5 billion yuan.

Shen Chengyong, an executive of GCL, saw the bright future of perovskite and persuaded Professor Tan Hairen of Nanjing University to start a joint venture.

following the official launch of the world's first 10MW all-perovskite laminated photovoltaic module research and development line in February 2023, the completion and film release ceremony of renshuo light energy 150MW perovskite photovoltaic module project was also held on January 11, 2024. According to Tan Hairen recently, Ren Shuo Guangneng has broken the world record for conversion efficiency seven times. At present, its all-perovskite laminated battery research and development efficiency has achieved more than 30%.

The rapid development of Renzuo Guangneng has won the favor of capital. Two rounds of financing have been completed so far, and it is said thatThe scale of capital has reached hundreds of millions of yuan. Financing institutions include at least 17 capital institutions such as Sanxing Capital, Zhongke Chuangxing, Su Gaoxin Venture Capital, Jinpu Intelligence, Xianfeng Changqing, Yunqi Capital, Zhongcai Industry Fund, Zhongke Advanced, Guohai Securities, Hengtong Group, Yida Capital, Dongfang Fenghai, Jianyu Group, Zhongying Fund, Hengbang Capital, Zhongtian Huifu, Changshu Jingkai Holdings, etc.

However, there is still controversy in the industry about when the industrialization of perovskites will really come. Shen Chengyong's perovskite business is in the pioneering stage from 0 to 1.

It is worth noting that perovskite is only the tip of the iceberg in Shen Chengyong's current commercial landscape. At present, he is also the actual controller of Shanghai Donglan Leading Energy (Group) Co., Ltd. Public information shows that Donglan Group was established in 2021 and has production and R & D centers in Guangxi, Chongqing, Anhui and other places, and has business layouts in the fields of photovoltaics, energy storage, overcharging, and new materials.

Jin Xin: job-hopping to join distributed photovoltaic

cross-border photovoltaic, three years to become the industry's top three, skyworth photovoltaic rapid take-off behind, former general manager Jin Xin contributed. However, in December 2022, Jin Xin also chose to turn around and quit.

Shenzhen Skyworth Photovoltaic Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Skyworth Photovoltaic") was established in January 2020, is the sun company of Skyworth Group, the initial focus on distributed household photovoltaic field, and then develop industrial and commercial photovoltaic, electricity side integrated intelligent energy management and other business. Skyworth Photovoltaic is jointly funded by Skyworth RGB Electronics Co., Ltd. (90%) and founder Jin Xin (10%), who is the general manager of Skyworth Photovoltaic.

Jin Xin is a senior photovoltaic expert in the industry. Public information shows that his undergraduate and master's degree studied at Nankai University, focusing on photovoltaic new energy materials; his doctor studied at the Debye Institute of Nanoscience (Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science), Utrecht University, Netherlands, the world's top research institute for photovoltaic materials.

Before joining Skyworth Photovoltaic, Jin Xin worked in Hunan Gongchuang Photovoltaic Technology Co., Ltd. and Beikong Clean Energy Co., Ltd., involving heads of technology, research and development, supply chain, marketing and other departments, and achieved the highest position of deputy general manager.

with such a manager with outstanding professional ability, skyworth's photovoltaic business took off rapidly, riding on the east wind of the outbreak of household photovoltaic. By 2022, Skyworth Photovoltaic will enter the top three domestic household photovoltaic fields with a revenue scale of 11.934 billion yuan.

However, Jin Xin quietly withdrew from Skyworth PV in December 2022. After leaving Skyworth PV, Jin Xin joined the director and general manager of Zhuhai Shangfang Clean Energy Technology Co., Ltd. ("Zhuhai Shangfang").

Zhuhai Shangfang was established in 2023. Its business is similar to Skyworth Photovoltaic. It aims at the design, construction, operation and maintenance, carbon trading and energy storage services of distributed household and industrial and commercial rooftop power stations, and has created the smart energy operation brand "Guangwudi". In May 2023, Zhuhai Shangfang won the angel round financing 0.5 billion, the investors are Huajin Capital and IDG Capital.

Jin Xin continues to cultivate the field of distributed photovoltaic, in fact, it is not surprising. With the rapid growth in recent years, distributed photovoltaic has become half of the photovoltaic power generation. According to the data released by the State Grid, in 2023, 25 provinces and cities in China added about 175GW of PV, distributed accounted for 49% of the new installed PV. Under the development direction of building a new power system with new energy as the main body, the distributed photovoltaic market still has a huge market space.

It is worth mentioning that Guo Jin, chairman of Zhuhai Shangfang, is an angel investor and also serves as a director of Gaojing Solar. Although Jin Xin no longer works for Skyworth Photovoltaic, he still holds a 33.33 per cent stake in Skyworth Group's Nanjing Mingwei Electric Appliance Partnership (Limited Partnership).

The new choices of the above-mentioned photovoltaic bosses can be said to start with grasping the pulse of the industry and tapping new development opportunities, which are mutually confirmed by the overall technological iteration and development direction of the industry.

(please indicate the source for reprinting, source: Huaxia energy network, micro signal: hxny3060)