Carbon emissions and sustainability have been a key topic among several major PV manufacturers right from the production of silicon to cells and to modules. Silicon, being a core material of the PV value chain, the carbon footprint of granular silicon production has a significant impact on the carbon neutrality of the entire industry.
GCL Technology’s Inner Mongolia-based subsidiary, Xinhuan Silicon Energy, has achieved a major milestone in reducing the environmental impact of silicon manufacturing. According to certification from the French environment and energy agency ADEME, the company’s granular silicon now has a verified carbon footprint of 18.050 kg CO₂-equivalent per kg – significantly below the industry average and the lowest recorded to date for granular silicon production facilities (excluding industrial silicon), claims GCL.
The company says this recognition is a meaningful step in the solar sector’s broader effort to reduce emissions across the value chain. GCL adds that this is also the outcome of a series of process improvements and technology upgrades at the facility that it has been pursuing to position itself as a lower-carbon alternative in silicon supply.
Granular silicon – a key raw material used in producing solar wafers and cells – has typically carried a significant carbon footprint, making upstream decarbonization a priority for solar manufacturers. GCL Technology has focused on improving the entire production workflow: refining energy use, updating equipment, and deploying smart manufacturing systems. Together, these efforts have contributed to measurable reductions in emissions and strengthened the company’s competitiveness in the low-carbon materials space.
The company notes that this new record not only supports its own goals but also helps downstream customers reduce their carbon footprints, especially important in regions where carbon border taxes and ESG scrutiny are becoming more rigorous.
This recent certification applies to GCL’s Inner Mongolia site, but the company also confirms that all its granular silicon facilities have now received verified carbon footprint certifications from international bodies. These results build on the company’s proprietary silane-based silicon production process, which GCL has been iterating over the past several years to further lower emissions compared to conventional methods.
GCL says this achievement ties into its broader operational framework known as the 3GCL strategy – short for Technological GCL, Digital GCL, and Green GCL. It adds that, together, these pillars guide how it is trying to navigate the dual challenges of scaling production while also aligning with the solar industry’s shift toward lower-emission, more sustainable manufacturing.
