5月下旬，隆基绿能（601012.SH）位于嘉兴的光伏基地，生产车间内呈现一派繁忙景象。流水线上一片片的太阳能电池片在AI智能分配下，经过柔性自动化生产和AI质检等工序，最终高效完成组件产品的端到端交付。在这里，每18秒便有一块光伏组件下线，自动化程度高达90%以上。
新能源与智能制造的时代元素交织融合，让现场首批参观者深切感知到先进智造的冲击力，并亲眼目睹了AI智能带给传统制造的变革。 这座光伏生产基地——隆基绿能嘉兴光伏基地正是2023年由世界经济论坛（WEF）认证的全球光伏行业首个“灯塔工厂”。入选“灯塔工厂”，意味着成为“数字化制造”和“工业化4.0”示范者。 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
“灯塔工厂”代表了新能源行业向智能制造转型的潮流。当前，光伏市场供需失衡严峻，叠加技术迭代提速，“全球造”成为趋势。在数字化、智能化浪潮袭来之际，以隆基绿能为代表的光伏企业借势向先进智造方向跃升，推动内部降本增效提质，对外扩大品牌影响力、加强产业合作。
隆基绿能副总裁张海濛在接受媒体记者采访时表示：“从传统制造到智能制造，这个过程很艰苦，打造‘灯塔工厂’并不是为了成为行业‘第一个吃螃蟹的人’，而是光伏行业需要灯塔，需要真正的智能制造。因此，我们锻造出了隆基智造模式，用数字化赋能精益制造，重构了生产关系，保障了更高的产品质量、更高效的交付服务和更敏捷的智造能力。”
一、从制造到智造
穿戴上无尘车间专用鞋套和网帽，记者走进了这座占地1300多亩的光伏“灯塔工厂”。
诺大的车间里工人稀少，但生产却井然有序。流水线上的电池片快速移动、组装，无人驾驶AGV物流车时不时从身边穿梭而过，墙壁上悬挂的一个个数字化大屏将设备、产品质量、供应链、人员、能耗现况等各项数据一一呈现。
在这座灯塔工厂中，隆基绿能大规模采用工业互联网、大数据、人工智能、数字孪生等新技术，成功实施了30余项数字化用例。其中包括五大核心“黑科技”，即机器视觉赋能的柔性自动化、AI赋能的全流程检测及追溯、订单生产交付周期智慧管理、AI算法赋能的电池资源匹配及动态纠偏、智能人力管理。
例如，更柔性自动化的生产保障了组件生产过程各环节的标准性，全面满足客户定制化的场景需求。隆基绿能组件制造中心精益智造部负责人胡智锋介绍：“我们设计了人工智能和机器视觉赋能的柔性自动化，设备柔性化兼容多种产品型号尺寸，可实现生产线的快速切换，满足客户个性化需求。”
“更智能的人力规划，可以保障高效能产出。”胡智锋举例说，在人力成本较高的浙江地区，通过人力职业生涯全生命周期规划及绩效管理，优化每天每周的订单需求与人力排产的匹配，从而在人力和产量效益中找到最佳平衡。 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
AI赋能的全流程视觉检测及精准追溯技术还让产品品质更具保障。一位隆基绿能的员工向记者解释称：“公司首创的基于图像特征的实时AI精准追溯技术，通过导入实时AI串追溯模型，可实现每18秒完成12个电池串异常及其来源机台的快速精准识别，从而解决了光伏组件生产过程中传统条码追溯不适用且虚拟码追溯准确率低的行业难题。”
人工智能、大数据、云平台和工业机理的结合，促成了隆基智能制造的核心竞争要素，也是隆基智造的核心价值主张。
胡智锋表示，在建设“灯塔工厂”的过程中，隆基绿能以目标结果为导向，降本增效为指引，助力制造跃升。“灯塔工厂”项目实施后，实现了产品品质可靠性提升43%，产品生产交付周期缩短84%，生产基地整体单位能耗降低20%，单位小时产量提升35%。
二、不只赋能BC技术迭代
隆基绿能嘉兴基地建于2020年，主要生产BC系列高效太阳能电池组件。现有嘉兴一期、二期、三期工厂，具有51条智能化生产线，整体组件产能超35GW。可以说，隆基绿能的数字化转型升级，为公司正在迭代升级的BC技术产品奠定了基石。 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
BC技术是隆基绿能未来几年布局的重点方向。按照未来三年的规划，隆基绿能的BC电池年产能将达到100GW，单晶组件年产能将达到150GW。
有了智造加持，隆基绿能的BC产品无疑将在降本增效提质上迈向新台阶。但对于公司而言，打造“灯塔工厂”还有更深考量。
张海濛表示：“在过去相当长一段时间里，隆基一直都在思考和践行一个问题，即如何通过技术研发提高光电转换效率，解决光伏发电的最大痛点，简单来说就是‘练内功’。如今，经过多年努力，光电转换效率已经不断接近理论极限。下一步，如何更好地做组件，更好地满足客户多元化需求，这是隆基努力的空间。”
张海濛进一步解释：“隆基不单单要从研发端提升产品发电效率，同时也需要制造环节效率更高，满足客户多样化要求，更快向客户交付，以及对不同场景的定制产品能够柔性自动化生产出来，这是我们的一个驱动点。”
在“灯塔工厂”体验中心内，记者看到了陈列着多款BC产品。这也是自去年9月隆基绿能官宣BC技术至今，已发布的多个场景化组件新品。不论是防积灰还是耐湿热，其目的都是通过差异化创新来满足客户的定制化需求。 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
胡智锋还透露，新推出的Hi-MO X6 Max组件近期将在隆基“灯塔工厂”正式启动排产。借助数字化、智能化手段，提升产品品质，降低能源消耗。
而隆基绿能的另一个出发点是保证全球化制造能力，保障高质量制造水平。
在“全球卖”迈向“全球造”的贸易环境下，光伏企业海外设厂，贴近终端市场生产成为方向。张海濛表示：“当组件生产基地越来越多，如何保证产品生产过程的一致性，如何保证不管在地球哪个角落生产，规模有多大，不受工人水平或地理位置等因素的制约，产出同样高质量和高水平的产品，这也是我们的一个出发点。”
麦肯锡全球董事合伙人汪小帆也称：“由于文化背景、产业工人能力等不同，很多光伏企业去海外设厂会比较困难，假如有一套成熟的数字化绩效管理系统，便可以更好地帮助企业提高日常管理效率，体现运营效益。”
三、引领行业升级转型
不得不提的是，隆基智能制造升级的一个行业背景是：光伏市场正处于阶段性供需错配、同质化竞争加剧，亟待打造高质量发展的新局面。 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
胡智锋表示，自2021年以来，光伏行业竞争进一步加剧，尤其是从去年下半年开始，行业竞争进入了白热化，集群规模效应及数字化转型成为必由之路。
“由于供需严重失衡，叠加深度内卷竞争，产品价格快速下跌，2024年一季度全产业链出现亏损形势。”中国绿色供应链联盟光伏专委会秘书长吕芳认为，光伏“灯塔工厂”不管对隆基还是对整个中国光伏产业而言，它的意义都非常大，尤其是对最近光伏产业链在全球范围内的重塑和布局。
汪小帆表示，隆基绿能相信数字化转型和升级能在同质化的竞争中帮助企业巩固领先地位，并加深加大竞争力护城河；相信打造灯塔能加速全企业甚至整个行业的转型，以更好地应对气候加速变化、技术迭代、供应链安全、地缘等因素带来的不确定性。
据介绍，隆基绿能在嘉兴基地推进全面数字化转型，在短短一年多时间内实现了核心运营指标的大幅提升和对应的财务效益体现。汪小帆表示：“灯塔企业的投资并非‘面子工程’，而是‘快准狠’产生的价值效益，灯塔企业一般会在三年内取得2—3倍的投资回报。”
不仅如此，隆基绿能嘉兴基地“灯塔工厂”还加速了整个公司包括中游电池和上游硅片的数字化转型启动推进，甚至整个光伏产业的数字化转型。
记者在参观“灯塔工厂”期间， 隆基绿能对外宣布启动“灯塔计划”，会持续将隆基嘉兴“灯塔工厂”敏捷智造模式快速横向展开，推广至更多生产制造基地，实现生产智造能力的全方位提升，为光伏行业高质量发展树立数智化范本。 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
汪小帆称，从下游的单个基地延伸到多个基地，同时往中游和上游的更多基地推广数字化转型，不但效益能成倍扩大，更能借助产业链上下游效应和平台规模效应，捕获更大的协同效益，从而加速产业链的整体变革提升。同时，从数字化扩展到数字化+可持续的转型提升，也能从更多维度找到机会和投建用例，扩大影响。此外，还可以拉动客户和供应链配套开展数字化转型，实现全行业的转型和共生成长。
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翻译：
Longji Green Energy “Lighthouse factory” : follow the “light” intelligent manufacturing custom demand
Longi Green Energy Jiaxing photovoltaic base. The interviewee is shown in the picture
In late May, Longi Green Energy (601012.SH) located in Jiaxing photovoltaic base, the production workshop showed a busy scene. Under the AI intelligent distribution, the solar cells on the assembly line go through flexible automated production and AI quality inspection and other processes, and finally efficiently complete the end-to-end delivery of component products. Here, a photovoltaic module comes off the line every 18 seconds, and the degree of automation is more than 90%.
The era elements of new energy and intelligent manufacturing are intertwined and integrated, so that the first visitors at the scene deeply perceive the impact of advanced intelligent manufacturing, and witnessed the changes brought by AI intelligence to traditional manufacturing. This photovoltaic production base, Longi Green Energy Jiaxing Photovoltaic Base, is the first “lighthouse factory” in the global photovoltaic industry certified by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2023. Being selected as a “Lighthouse Factory” means becoming a demonstrator of “digital manufacturing” and “Industrialization 4.0”.
The “lighthouse factory” represents the trend of the transformation of the new energy industry to intelligent manufacturing. At present, the imbalance between supply and demand in the photovoltaic market is severe, the iteration of superimposed technology is accelerating, and “global manufacturing” has become a trend. When the wave of digitalization and intelligence hit, photovoltaic enterprises represented by Longi Green Energy jumped to the direction of advanced intelligent manufacturing, promoting internal cost reduction and efficiency improvement, expanding brand influence and strengthening industrial cooperation. 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
Zhang Haimeng, vice president of Longi Green Energy, said in an interview with media reporters: “From traditional manufacturing to intelligent manufacturing, the process is very difficult, to build a ‘lighthouse factory’ is not to become the industry ‘the first person to eat crabs’, but the photovoltaic industry needs a lighthouse, the need for real intelligent manufacturing.” Therefore, we forged the Longi smart manufacturing model, used digital to enable lean manufacturing, restructured production relations, and guaranteed higher product quality, more efficient delivery services and more agile smart manufacturing capabilities.”
First, from manufacturing to intelligent manufacturing
Wearing a dust-free workshop special shoe cover and net hat, the reporter walked into the photovoltaic “lighthouse factory” covering an area of more than 1,300 acres.
There are few workers in the large workshop, but production is orderly. The batteries on the assembly line move quickly and assemble, the driverless AGV logistics vehicles shuttle by from time to time, and the digital large screens hanging on the walls present the equipment, product quality, supply chain, personnel, energy consumption and other data one by one.
Longji green energy people introduce the “black technology” of “Lighthouse factory”. Zhang Yingying/Photography 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
In this lighthouse factory, Longi Green Energy has adopted new technologies such as industrial Internet, big data, artificial intelligence, and digital twins on a large scale, and successfully implemented more than 30 digital use cases. These include five core “black technologies”, namely, flexible automation enabled by machine vision, whole-process detection and traceability enabled by AI, intelligent management of order production and delivery cycle, battery resource matching and dynamic correction enabled by AI algorithm, and intelligent human management.
For example, the more flexible and automated production ensures the standardization of all aspects of the component production process and fully meets the needs of customized scenarios. Hu Zhifeng, head of the Jingyi Manufacturing Department of Longi Green Energy Component Manufacturing Center, introduced: “We have designed the flexible automation of artificial intelligence and machine vision, and the equipment is flexible and compatible with a variety of product models and sizes, which can realize the fast switching of the production line and meet the personalized needs of customers.”
”Smarter workforce planning ensures efficient output.” Hu Zhifeng, for example, said that in Zhejiang Province, where labor costs are high, through human career life cycle planning and performance management, the match between daily and weekly order demand and labor scheduling is optimized, so as to find the best balance between labor and output benefits.
The AI-enabled full-process visual inspection and accurate traceability technology also makes product quality more guaranteed. A Longi Green Energy employee explained to reporters: “The company’s first real-time AI accurate traceability technology based on image features, through the introduction of real-time AI string traceability model, can achieve the rapid and accurate identification of 12 battery string anomalies and their source machines every 18 seconds, thus solving the industry problem that traditional bar code traceability is not applicable in the production process of photovoltaic modules and the virtual code traceability accuracy is low.” 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
The combination of artificial intelligence, big data, cloud platform and industrial mechanism has contributed to the core competitive elements of Longi intelligent manufacturing, and is also the core value proposition of Longi Intelligent Manufacturing.
Hu Zhifeng said that in the process of building the “lighthouse factory”, Longi Green can be results-oriented, cost reduction and efficiency as guidance, and help manufacturing jump. After the implementation of the “Lighthouse Factory” project, the product quality reliability has been improved by 43%, the product production and delivery cycle has been shortened by 84%, the overall unit energy consumption of the production base has been reduced by 20%, and the unit hourly output has been increased by 35%.
Second, not only enable BC technology iteration
Longi Green Energy Jiaxing base was built in 2020, mainly producing BC series high-efficiency solar modules. The existing Jiaxing phase I, II and III factories have 51 intelligent production lines, and the overall component production capacity exceeds 35GW. It can be said that Longi Green Energy’s digital transformation and upgrading has laid a cornerstone for the company’s BC technology products that are being iterated and upgraded. 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
BC technology is the key direction of Longi Green Energy layout in the next few years. According to the planning for the next three years, Longi Green Energy’s annual production capacity of BC batteries will reach 100GW, and the annual production capacity of single crystal components will reach 150GW.
With the blessings of wisdom, Longi Green Energy’s BC products will undoubtedly move to a new level in cost reduction, efficiency improvement and quality improvement. But for companies, there are deeper considerations in building a “lighthouse factory.”
Zhang Haimeng said: “In the past quite a long time, Longi has been thinking and practicing a problem, that is, how to improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency through technology research and development, to solve the biggest pain point of photovoltaic power generation, simply put, ‘practice internal work’.” Today, after years of efforts, the photoelectric conversion efficiency has been approaching the theoretical limit. The next step is how to make better components and better meet the diversified needs of customers, which is the space for Longi’s efforts.”
Zhang Haimeng further explained: “Longi not only needs to improve the power generation efficiency of products from the research and development side, but also needs to make the manufacturing process more efficient, meet the diversified requirements of customers, faster delivery to customers, and flexible automated production of customized products for different scenarios, which is one of our driving points.”
In the “Lighthouse factory” experience center, the reporter saw a number of BC products on display. This is also a number of new scenario-based components that have been released since Longi Green Energy officially announced BC technology in September last year. Whether it is ash resistance or heat and humidity resistance, the aim is to meet the customized needs of customers through differentiated innovation.
Hu also revealed that the newly launched Hi-MO X6 Max components will be officially launched in Longi “Lighthouse factory” in the near future. With digital and intelligent means, improve product quality and reduce energy consumption. 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
Another starting point of Longi Green Energy is to ensure global manufacturing capabilities and ensure high quality manufacturing levels.
In the “global selling” to “global manufacturing” trade environment, photovoltaic companies set up factories overseas, close to the end market production has become the direction. “When there are more and more component production bases, how to ensure the consistency of the product production process, how to ensure that no matter which corner of the earth production, how large the scale, regardless of the level of workers or geographical location and other factors, the output of the same high quality and high level of products, this is also a starting point for us,” said Zhang Haimeng.
McKinsey global director partner Wang Xiaofan also said: “Due to the different cultural background, industrial workers ability, many photovoltaic companies to set up factories overseas will be more difficult, if a mature digital performance management system, it can better help enterprises to improve daily management efficiency, reflect operational benefits.”
Third, leading the industry upgrading and transformation
It has to be mentioned that an industry background of the upgrade of Longji intelligent manufacturing is that the photovoltaic market is in a stage of supply and demand mismatch, homogenization competition is intensifying, and a new situation of high-quality development is urgently needed.
Hu Zhifeng said that since 2021, the competition in the photovoltaic industry has further intensified, especially since the second half of last year, the industry competition has entered the white heat, and the cluster scale effect and digital transformation have become the only way.
”Due to the serious imbalance between supply and demand, the superposition of deep internal volume competition, product prices are falling rapidly, and the whole industry chain will suffer losses in the first quarter of 2024.” Lu Fang, secretary-general of the photovoltaic Committee of the China Green Supply Chain Alliance, believes that the photovoltaic “lighthouse factory” is very significant for Longi or for the entire Chinese photovoltaic industry, especially for the recent reshaping and layout of the photovoltaic industry chain on a global scale. 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
Wang Xiaofan said that Longi Green Energy believes that digital transformation and upgrading can help enterprises consolidate their leading position in the homogenized competition, and deepen and increase the competitiveness moat; It is believed that building a lighthouse can accelerate the transformation of the entire enterprise or even the entire industry to better cope with the uncertainties brought by accelerating climate change, technology iteration, supply chain security, geography and other factors.
According to reports, Longi Green Energy promoted comprehensive digital transformation in Jiaxing base, and achieved a substantial improvement in core operating indicators and corresponding financial benefits in just over a year. Wang Xiaofan said: “The investment of lighthouse enterprises is not a ‘face project’, but the value benefit generated by ‘fast, accurate and merciless’, lighthouse enterprises will generally achieve 2-3 times the return on investment within three years.”
Not only that, the “lighthouse factory” of Longi Green Energy Jiaxing base has also accelerated the digital transformation of the entire company, including midstream batteries and upstream silicon wafers, and even the digital transformation of the entire photovoltaic industry.
During the reporter’s visit to the “light tower factory”, Longi Green Energy announced the launch of the “lighthouse plan”, which will continue to expand the agile intelligent manufacturing model of Longi Jiaxing “lighthouse factory” rapidly and horizontally, and promote it to more manufacturing bases, so as to achieve an all-round improvement of production intelligent manufacturing capacity and establish a digital intelligent model for the high-quality development of the photovoltaic industry.
Wang Xiaofan said that extending from a single base in the downstream to multiple bases, while promoting digital transformation to more bases in the middle stream and upstream, not only can the benefits be doubled, but also can capture greater synergies with the help of the upstream and downstream effects of the industrial chain and the scale effect of the platform, thus accelerating the overall change and improvement of the industrial chain. At the same time, the transformation and improvement from digital expansion to digital + sustainable transformation can also find opportunities and investment use cases from more dimensions to expand the impact. In addition, it can also stimulate customers and supply chains to carry out digital transformation, and achieve industry-wide transformation and symbiotic growth. 数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）
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本文由数字化转型网（www.szhzxw.cn）转载而成，来源于中国经营报；编辑/翻译：数字化转型网宁檬树。
