In a new weekly update pv magazineOPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick overview of the most important price trends in the global solar industry.
The situation of the dependent global market collides sharply with China’s domestic polysilicon market. Average polysilicon prices there, as assessed by OPIS as China Mono Grade, fell sharply this week by 8.81% to CNY158.83 ($22.86)/kg. The eleventh consecutive week of decline highlights how Chinese producers are under considerable pressure and face their own challenges as they sit on excess material that is difficult to shed.
According to one source, a “price war” for polysilicon has already begun. Manufacturers are promoting second-grade polysilicon, which is more difficult to sell, and are offering their products at a lower price because this part of their inventory has accumulated since the third quarter of 2022.
In May, wafer production is expected to reach around 49-50 gigawatts (GW), according to one source. There is a broad consensus in the market that there is still room for wafer prices to fall, because the current production of wafers is sufficient and polysilicon prices have continued to fall.
OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides energy prices, news, data and analysis on gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, LPG/NGL, coal, metals and chemicals, and renewable fuels and environmental commodities. It acquired pricing data assets from the Singapore Solar Exchange in 2022 and now publishes the OPIS APAC Solar Weekly report.
