China’s Silicon Industry Association has released the latest prices for solar-grade polysilicon, revealing a sixth consecutive rise in prices and a tightening supply-demand situation.
The transaction price for n-type polysilicon ranged from CNY 84 to 93 per kg, averaging at CNY 89.1 per kg, marking a weekly increase of 5.32%.
Polysilicon recharge reached a transaction price of CNY 72 to 80 per kg, averaging at CNY 77.2 per kg with a week-on-week rise of 3.21%.
Polysilicon prime for mono was traded at CNY 70 to 78 per kg, averaging at CNY 75.1 per kg, reflecting a week-on-week increase of 3.30%. Additionally, the transaction price for polysilicon prime for multi reached CNY 67 to 75 per kg, averaging at CNY 72.1 per kg, with a 4.19% weekly increase.
This marks the sixth overall increase in polysilicon prices since July and the eighth price hike for n-type materials.
A comparison with prices on August 16th reveals that due to market supply and demand dynamics, n-type materials experienced a significant surge in prices, with transaction price ranges shifting upwards by CNY 4 to 7 per kg. The average transaction price even exceeded last week’s highest price.
P-type polysilicon saw its lowest price unchanged, but its highest price increased by CNY 2 per kg, resulting in an overall price increase ranging between CNY 2 to 3 per kg.
The rise in polysilicon prices is causing a ripple effect, inevitably leading to an increase in the price of silicon wafers. On August 21st, TCL Zhonghuan announced its wafer prices. The 182mm wafer saw a larger price increase, reaching up to 6.71%, and the 210mm wafer also experienced some price hike.
According to Solarbe, as the increased cost of polysilicon is passed downstream, silicon wafer companies are operating at higher capacities, and specialized enterprises are nearing full production.
The Silicon Industry Association also indicated that in August, the supply of silicon wafers is estimated to be around 58-60 GW, while demand is approximately 58.5 GW, shifting from a slight oversupply in early August to the current balanced supply and demand situation.
Global PV demand remains robust, with a possibility of exceeding 450 GW of direct current PV installations. Many project developers seem relatively insensitive to minor fluctuations in module prices. Consequently, the overall prices of modules have remained stable, with occasional higher or lower prices.
As the polysilicon market continues to be influenced by intricate supply-demand dynamics and technological advancements, stakeholders across the solar industry are bracing themselves for potential shifts in pricing trends and competitive landscapes.
