Return to Home
Against the backdrop of in-depth advancement of the global energy transition and the "dual carbon" strategy, the construction of distributed energy systems is accelerating. Small photovoltaic (PV) module off-grid systems, leveraging their unique advantages of flexible deployment and independent power supply, are expanding from "basic guarantees" in remote off-grid areas to diversified scenarios. Driven by both technological iteration and policy support, the industry is ushering in new opportunities for high-quality development
Targeted Policy Empowerment Unleashes Sustained Market Demand. In recent years, government departments such as the National Energy Administration and the National Development and Reform Commission have intensively introduced supportive policies. The revised "Administrative Measures for the Development and Construction of Distributed Photovoltaic Power Generation" issued in January 2025 clearly stipulates that off-grid independent PV projects must be fully integrated into the electricity market transaction, guiding the high-quality development of the industry through market-oriented mechanisms. At the local level, regions with weak power grid coverage such as Fujian and Tibet have actively promoted the implementation of off-grid PV projects. Among them, Chishan Island in Putian, Fujian, has built the province's first off-grid island microgrid project, solving the isolated island's power supply problem through a model combining policy guidance and enterprise investment. At the international level, green energy cooperation has also created space for the export of domestic technologies. The Phase II project of the off-grid PV power station constructed by Chinese enterprises such as State Grid Corporation of China in Ethiopia has been completed, enabling stable power supply in 8 remote areas and becoming a typical case of China's PV technology going global. In terms of export data, although China's PV product export volume fluctuated between 2021 and 2024, structural opportunities in overseas markets are prominent. In 2024, the export growth rate of PV modules to 33 countries exceeded 100%, and off-grid PV-related equipment has become a new growth driver for exports.
. Technological Iteration Upgrades Boost System Performance Significantly. Currently, small off-grid PV systems are evolving rapidly towards higher efficiency, intelligence, and modularization, especially forming a mature technical path in the wind-solar-storage-diesel integrated architecture. On the module side, high-efficiency Heterojunction (HJT) and TOPCon battery technologies are gradually penetrating, with the conversion efficiency of mainstream modules exceeding 24%. Their low-light response capability and weather resistance have been significantly enhanced, adapting to the complex environment in remote areas. In the energy storage link, lithium iron phosphate batteries have become the mainstream configuration for off-grid systems due to their long cycle life. In island and other scenarios, energy storage systems provide constant voltage and frequency through V/F mode, cooperating with PV and wind power to achieve stable power supply; some projects are also equipped with diesel generators as emergency backups, forming a reliable power supply architecture dominated by new energy and supplemented by emergency backups. In addition, the penetration rate of intelligent Energy Management Systems (EMS) has increased significantly, which can real-time monitor the operating status of PV, energy storage and other units, and optimize energy dispatching through algorithms. Some island projects have even achieved "millisecond-level power restoration", with the time taken to restore power after an outage not exceeding 1 second.
The Industry Embraces New Opportunities but Still Needs to Overcome Multiple Challenges. Currently, off-grid PV systems have clear demand in energy security for remote areas, especially showing significant growth potential in fields such as island economic development and overseas energy inclusion. However, the industry still faces multiple challenges: first, fluctuations in raw material prices affect project cost control; second, extreme weather puts higher requirements on the stability of systems in remote areas; third, starting from 2026, the PV industry will completely bid farewell to the central electricity subsidy per kWh, switching to the "Green Power Certificate + phased withdrawal" model, and the market-oriented transformation brings short-term pressure. Industry experts suggest that enterprises should focus on areas with abundant solar resources and policy support, strengthen the R&D of modular and standardized systems, and build a mature technical scheme of "new energy + energy storage + backup power supply" with reference to the experience of the Chishan Island project; at the same time, strengthen the construction of localized operation and maintenance networks to solve the operation and maintenance problems in remote areas; the government needs to further improve industry standards, promote the large-scale application of technologies such as intelligent dispatching and remote monitoring, and help the industry achieve high-quality development.
With the continuous decline in technology costs and the increasing enrichment of application scenarios, small PV module off-grid systems are becoming an important carrier of energy inclusion. They not only bring stable power guarantee to residents in remote areas but also play a key role in fields such as industrial emergency power supply, rural revitalization, and energy supply in ecological protection areas, injecting lightweight and sustainable new momentum into the global energy transition.