The polysilicon market saw a return to calm this week, with participants preparing for the next round of contracts and limited pricing activity from companies. Leading manufacturers are attempting to support prices, but downstream acceptance remains low, leading to a wait-and-see approach across the market. Production has slightly decreased due to power restrictions in Sichuan Province, with some manufacturers delaying their resumption of operations until September.
| Material | Average Price (CNY/kg) | Average Price (USD/kg) | Weekly Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| N-type polysilicon | 41.0 | 5.78 | 0.00 |
| N-type granular silicon | 36.7 | 5.17 | 0.00 |
| Mono recharge | 36.1 | 5.09 | 0.00 |
| Mono dense | 34.3 | 4.83 | 0.00 |
| Mono popcorn | 31.2 | 4.40 | 0.00 |
The estimated supply of polysilicon this week is around 30,000 tons, with total August production likely falling below 130,000 tons. However, there is still some oversupply pressure compared to wafer. Additionally, new capacity from one company is expected to come online in September, which may slightly increase the output. Solarbe assumes that the short-term potential for polysilicon price increases is limited, and significant breakthroughs are only likely once inventory levels are substantially reduced.
Wafer leading suppliers Longi Solar and TCL Zhonghuan simultaneously raised wafer prices on August 26, with an average increase of CNY 0.05 yuan per wafer. Currently, all major wafer manufacturers have raised their external prices, and those that haven’t have suspended shipments. Despite recent improvements in wafer inventory, downstream solar cell suppliers are still reducing production, showing limited acceptance of price increases. This round of wafer price hikes may face significant challenges.
Cell prices also saw a slight decline this week. According to insiders, some new entrants and high-cost cell production capacities have largely ceased operations to mitigate losses, and a trend of mergers and acquisitions is emerging within the industry. Under the current market conditions, the cell segment is under greater price pressure, making it difficult for companies to restore profitability in the short term, and market competition is intensifying.
