The old adage “what’s in a name” is taking on new significance in what at first glance appears to be a somewhat cosmetic name change by leading solar panel maker JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd. (JKS.US). But a closer look at the announcement, which says the company will drop the words “solar” and “energy” from its English and Chinese names, respectively, turns out to be quite a game changer for one of China’s oldest solar manufacturers.
The company revealed that its main solar business will become one of its two main pillars, alongside a new second pillar that invests in emerging high-tech industries like AI, advanced materials and other “frontier technologies,” according to its announcement last Wednesday. Reflecting that shift, its board has voted to change the company’s English name to Jinko Holdings Ltd., losing the word “solar.” Similarly, its new Chinese name will lose the word “nengyuan,” or “energy.”