Recently, JinkoSolar, JA Solar, and TCL Zhonghuan successively disclosed their operational performance for the first half of 2026 along with their future strategic plans.
JinkoSolar: Full-Year Shipment Guidance Revised Downward to 60–70 GW
On August 27, JinkoSolar held its H1 2026 earnings conference call. In the first half of the year, the company shipped 29.64 GW of modules, maintaining its industry leadership. However, impacted by cyclical market adjustments and changes in domestic and international policies, JinkoSolar plans to further balance profitability against shipment volume in the second half of the year. Consequently, it adjusted its full-year 2026 module shipment guidance to 60–70 GW, with third-quarter module shipments expected to reach 15–17 GW.
From an industry supply and demand perspective, JinkoSolar projects that driven by mandatory solar energy efficiency standards, 20% to 30% of industry capacity is expected to exit the market starting January 1, 2027. Meanwhile, solar market demand in 2027 may rise slightly, with the supply-demand balance expected to improve quarter by quarter. The company has currently planned over 40 GW of capacity upgrades for its Tiger Neo 3.0 series; this production capacity is gradually being released and is expected to approach full capacity in the third quarter.
Technologically, JinkoSolar has completed base-metal metallization retrofits on nearly 30 GW of production lines. Applying silver-coated copper technology to Tiger Neo 3.0 products yields a reduction of roughly 10% in comprehensive silver paste costs compared to conventional products, and the company plans to explore its further application on busbars and cell front sides.
In energy storage, the company delivered 3.1 GWh of energy storage systems in the first half of the year, primarily serving overseas markets concentrated in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. JinkoSolar expects that as energy storage shipments increase in the second half of the year, manufacturing costs will improve, allowing the gross margin of its energy storage segment to remain stable or rise slightly. In 2027, the company will further expand its presence in commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage, with Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America projected to be the main growth regions.
JA Solar: Full-Year Shipment Target Lowered to Around 50 GW
On August 28, JA Solar disclosed its performance for the first half of 2026 along with related operational details. The company stated that, balancing volume and price considerations, it has lowered its full-year 2026 cell and module shipment target to approximately 50 GW.
In the first half of 2026, JA Solar recorded cell and module shipments of 22.25 GW, with overseas shipments accounting for 68.46%. By quarter, shipments stood at 11.87 GW in Q1 and 10.38 GW in Q2. Based on these numbers, H1 shipments represent about 45% of the updated annual target.
In terms of production capacity, JA Solar currently holds around 75–80 GW of cell and module capacity, all of which meets new energy efficiency standards. The company expects that by the end of 2026, approximately 30% of its capacity will reach Grade 1 energy efficiency, while the remaining capacity can flexibly switch between Grade 2 and Grade 3 standards, with room for future upgrades to Grade 1. JA Solar noted that it will advance capacity upgrades based on market demand and technological readiness, avoiding a broad, blanket transition.
Regarding the adoption of base-metal technology, the company continues to monitor and maintain R&D reserves across multiple technical routes. The silver-coated copper route is currently kept at the pilot production stage, as internal calculations indicate that at current silver prices, its economic advantage is not pronounced, and its technical reliability remains to be verified. For now, the company maintains continuous observation and long-term investment, planning to introduce the technology depending on silver price trends and technical maturity.
Furthermore, JA Solar is accelerating its "PV + Storage + X" strategy, building out product lines for utility-scale, commercial & industrial (C&I), and residential applications while delivering system solutions for generation-side, grid-side, and user-side applications. During the reporting period, the company enriched its energy storage product matrix, focusing heavily on markets like Europe and the Middle East, while leveraging its existing PV distribution channels and customer resources to drive energy storage expansion.
TCL Zhonghuan: BC Technology and Overseas Business Become Key Strategic Priorities
On August 28, TCL Zhonghuan disclosed its operating status and development plans during its Investor Open Day. Facing supply-demand imbalances across the solar industry, the company is accelerating its transformation from a wafer-centric materials enterprise to an integrated PV provider.
In its solar business, TCL Zhonghuan continues to advance its "wafer + cell + module" integrated layout, prioritizing Back Contact (BC) technology. TCL Zhonghuan noted that following its acquisition of DAS Solar, its BC cell capacity reached 20 GW, establishing a module capacity layout of 25 GW TOPCon and 25 GW BC. Moving forward, it will accelerate BC capacity conversion, product development, and commercial launches to scale up the BC technology route.
In the wafer business, the company will focus on introducing its X-series products to improve downstream cell and module performance and yield for external wafer sales, thereby enhancing product competitiveness and expanding its customer base. At the same time, the company plans to integrate external resources through strategic partnerships to bridge a capacity gap of roughly 50% in the cell and module segments.
Overseas expansion marks another major strategic focus for TCL Zhonghuan. The company reported breakthrough performance in both overseas shipments and revenue for wafers and modules during the first half of the year. Moving forward, it will leverage TCL’s broader global business footprint to accelerate international expansion and continuously increase the share of overseas sales.
Source：EnergyTrend
