MUNICH, June 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On June 20, at the Intersolar exhibition in München, Germany, GCL unveiled the world’s first solar photovoltaic carbon chain—GCL Carbon Data Platform integrating blockchain technology with granular silicon technology. It effectively tracks the carbon footprint across the entire photovoltaic industry chain, ensuring that carbon emissions of chain-linked products comply with relevant national standards and requirements.
Zhang Kun, Executive President GCL SI, presenting the GCL Carbon Data Platform at release ceremony
The introduction comes amidst global shifts in regulatory frameworks. The European Parliament adopted the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in February 2022, set to impose carbon taxes by 2026. Recently, the European Council passed the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) in May 2024, enforcing stringent standards for traceability, authenticity, carbon reduction tech, and environmental norms. In the US, a bipartisan Senate group introduced the PROVE IT Act in June 2023, pushing for a Department of Energy carbon emissions database. Furthermore, the reintroduction of the Clean Competition Act later that year aimed to levy carbon taxes. China, the UK, Japan, and Canada are also enacting similar measures, intensifying carbon footprint oversight across renewable energy supply chains.
The proactive deployment of the GCL Carbon Data Platform by GCL represents a pioneering effort in establishing a global carbon chain management platform for the solar photovoltaic industry.
Based on authoritative data from TUV Rheinland, ISO international standards, and the Ecoinvent international carbon database, GCL’s Carbon Data Platform utilizes blockchain technology developed by Ant Group to report carbon footprints throughout the industrial chain production process. This ensures traceability, checkability, trustworthiness, and tamper resistance, facilitating product supply chain traceability, product carbon footprints, and corporate carbon management. By scanning the QR code of a SiRo module incorporated into the carbon chain, users can intuitively access product information, carbon footprint reports, production facilities, raw material traceability, and ESG reports.
Data shows that as upstream material for PV module, GCL demonstrates excellent carbon footprint performance. Producing 1 kilogram of granular silicon emits only 37.000 kilograms of CO2 equivalent, nearly half of the global record of 55.000 kilograms of CO2 equivalent maintained by Siemens rod silicon. This reduction equates to over 2 million tons of CO2 for every 100,000 tons of granular silicon produced. Data presented by GCL SI at the release event indicates continuous industry decarbonization, with carbon values reduced from over 600 equivalents in the previous generation to an industry average of approximately 470 equivalents. Under the support of the GCL Carbon Data Platform, SiRo module achieves a minimum carbon value of 370.000 equivalents, with a target to reach 320.000 equivalents within 1-2 years.
During the release event, Zhang Kun, Executive President of GCL SI, stated that the GCL Carbon Data Platform is the world’s first carbon chain management platform for the photovoltaic industry based on granular silicon technology, blockchain technology, and digital intelligence technology. It achieves visualization, quantification, and trustworthiness of low-carbon footprints of granular silicon module products. Under dynamic traceability, the carbon value of each module meets the lowest industry standards. In the future, the GCL Carbon Data Platform will accelerate upstream and downstream industrial chain cooperation, boost the new quality productivity of the photovoltaic industry, and accelerate entry into the innovative camp of decarbonization, zero carbonization, and decarbonization industries.
Zhang further disclosed that GCL SI’s six flagship products of its TOPCon series successfully passed rigorous audits by TUV Rheinland on May 21, gaining ISO 14067 Product Carbon Footprint Certification. This milestone signifies full integration of the GCL Carbon Data platform, from raw material traceability to product carbon footprint certification locked into the blockchain. Moreover, adherence to TUV Rheinland certification standards indicates international recognition of the company’s module product carbon footprints. GCL SI will soon deliver the first order of GCL SiRo modules with TUV Rheinland certification marks, further enhancing the product’s differentiated competitiveness through acceptance by homeowners via the GCL Carbon Data platform.
Zhang emphasized that GCL has consistently implemented China’s “3060 carbon targets” and closely monitored market trends. The development of the GCL Carbon Data Platform and its products is currently at the 1.0 version, aiming to achieve commercialization of every product on the chain to add premium value in the market competition. In the subsequent 2.0 version, the company will actively participate in the drafting and formulation of industry-related low-carbon standards, supporting the planning of carbon reduction paths across the photovoltaic industry chain through robust data foundations and empowering precise decarbonization of photovoltaic main and auxiliary material supply chains, jointly promoting low-carbon development of the photovoltaic industry.
