JA Solar takes top spot on WoodMac’s list of PV module manufacturers

Wood Mackenzie says that JA Solar has taken first place on its list of solar panel manufacturers. Nine of the first 12 positions are held by Chinese manufacturers, seven of them could surpass 100 GW of capacity by 2027, and eight are self-sufficient in cell capacity, according to the research firm.

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Wood Mackenzie has released its PV module manufacturer rankings for 2023. The company said it evaluated 30 manufacturers on nine criteria: manufacturing experience, manufacturing capacity, vertical integration, capacity utilization rates, technology maturity, R&D, financial conditions, adherence to environmental social governance (ESG) and corporate social responsibility (CSR), and availability of third-party certifications.

The ranking is limited to silicon-based module manufacturers and does not include thin-film panel makers.

JA Solar grabbed the top spot in the rankings with a score of 82.9, followed by Trina Solar with 81.7, JinkoSolar with 80.8, Canadian Solar with 78.5, and Longi and Risen sharing the fifth position with 78.0. The other six positions were taken by Tongwei with 77.6, Astronergy with 76.3,  Hanwha Qcells with 75.8, DMEGC with 74.1, Elite Solar with 71.4, and Boviet Solar with 71.2.

“Eight out of the 12 ranked module manufacturers are self-sufficient in cell capacity,” WoodMac said in a statement. “Tongwei and Risen are the only manufacturers in the ranking that are fully vertically integrated through the whole supply chain from polysilicon to module.”

The research firm also reveals that seven of the top 10 manufacturers could exceed 100 GW of annual module production capacity by 2027, with their combined cell capacity reaching 830 GW by the end of 2026. It also noted that all of the manufacturers continue to expand their capacity, despite massive overcapacity in the market.

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“At the same time, manufacturers are focused on becoming more vertically integrated,” said Wood Mackenzie.

*The article was updated on June 26 to reflect that the ranking is limited to silicon-based module manufacturers and does not include thin-film panel makers. 

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