The 40-gigawatt phase II of the monocrystalline silicon project of Shuangliang Silicon Materials (Baotou) Co. [Photo/WeChat account of Baotou Daily]

In recent years, Baotou has seized opportunities brought about by China's vigorous development of the new energy industry and selected crystalline silicon photovoltaics as the main focus of development. The crystalline silicon industry has become one of the most competitive industries in the city.

Last year, Baotou's photovoltaic industry developed rapidly and the output value increased three-fold. Baotou has also become the first city in China with a silicon industry generating more than 100 billion yuan ($13.71 billion) in output.

The city has formed a complete crystalline silicon photovoltaic industrial chain and has become a representative city in the industry. Since the beginning of this year, the city has made efforts to build a trillion-yuan crystalline silicon photovoltaic industrial cluster.

Baotou has formed 475,000 metric tons of polysilicon, 188.8 gigawatts of monocrystalline silicon, 25 gigawatts of slices, and 12 gigawatts of components. By 2025, the production capacity of polysilicon and monocrystalline silicon in the city is expected to account for 50 percent of China's total and achieve an output value of 600 billion yuan.

By that time, Baotou plans to build the largest polysilicon and monocrystalline silicon production base in the world and become an important base for crystal silicon production, research and development.

Baotou will continue to expand the scale of its crystalline silicon industry, extend the downstream photovoltaic industry, and build the world's largest production base for crystalline silicon materials. The 100-billion-yuan semiconductor industrial clusters and silicone industrial clusters will also be built here.