Letní Davos 2025: Zhenguo Li o čistých technologiích, zvyšování účinnosti a globální roli fotovoltaiky

Na letošním letním fóru Davos, pořádaném Světovým ekonomickým fórem v čínském Tiencinu, byla globální energetická transformace hlavním tématem. Zakladatel a technický ředitel společnosti LONGi, Zhenguo Li, zde přinesl řadu podnětných postřehů. V rámci kulatého stolu s názvem „Jak si stojí energetická transformace“ se Li připojil k panelu na vysoké úrovni, kterého se zúčastnili také zástupci společností ACWA Power, Ministerstva plánování Egypta, korporace State Grid Corporation of China a Univerzity Nového Jižního Walesu. Všichni panelisté sdíleli společné zaměření: jak urychlit přechod k čisté, bezpečné a spravedlivé energetické budoucnosti.

Od 0,4 kWh k 45 kWh: energetická návratnost solárního modulu

Li opened his remarks with a striking comparison. Manufacturing one watt of photovoltaic (PV) module consumes just 0.4 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity. But over a 30-year lifespan, that same watt can generate up to 45 kWh. That’s more than a hundredfold return on the energy invested.

“Technological progress has been rapid,” Li noted. “A decade ago, photovoltaic conversion efficiency was only around 15%. Today, that figure has reached 25%, and we expect to see 35% within the next ten years.”

China’s PV dominance and its global impact

More than 80% of the world’s solar modules are produced in China. In 2023 and 2024, China’s factories manufactured over 500 GW of modules annually, consuming about 200 billion kWh of electricity - the equivalent of the output from 25 nuclear power plants.

Since most of the production happens in China, so do the energy inputs and carbon emissions. But Li made it clear: “PV products made in China are delivering enormous benefits to the global energy transition.”

LONGi, for its part, has been at the forefront of this shift. In May 2025, the company’s crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell hit 34.85% conversion efficiency, as certified by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, posing another world record for this type of solar technology.

Not all solar is equal: Li highlights energy input as key factor in PV sustainability

Li also stressed a lesser known but crucial point: not all solar modules are created equal when it comes to the energy used in their production.

A decade ago, producing one watt of PV required 1.2 kWh of electricity. Today, LONGi has reduced that figure to just 0.4 kWh. “That’s not just technological progress, it’s a fundamental shift in how we think about clean energy,” Li said. “Now we must ensure that the 0.4 kWh we use is also green.”

LONGi is acting on that principle. In 2024, it sourced 47.5% of its operational energy from renewables and cut its carbon emissions by 37% year-on-year. Its Jiaxing facility is now the first in the PV industry to be both a “Lighthouse Factory” and certified zero-carbon.

Li calls for energy equity, system efficiency, and industrial partnerships to drive the transition

Later that day, Li joined a second panel focused on business models for climate action. His message was clear: emerging technologies must be matched with smarter systems and stronger partnerships. He emphasized that both technological progress and new business models will play a central role in advancing energy equity, improving system efficiency, and fostering industrial collaboration. These elements, he concluded, are essential to maintaining momentum in the global green transition.