AS Published on Tuesday 1 March 2022 - n° 395 - Categories:silicon mono/multi
Is it feasible to locate silicon production outside China?
Although the price of silicon fell at the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 (from 269 RMB/kg or $42.59 or $35.46 without 20% sales tax, to 230 RMB at the beginning of January), prices began to rise again after the New Year celebrations.
L R AS Published on Monday 7 February 2022 - n° 392 - Categories:silicon mono/multi
CO2 emissions from silicon production are half the amount previously reported
Energie Commune and Becquerel Institute have taken up the studies onCO2 emissions from photovoltaic wafer production, including those of the IPCC. Improving the manufacturing process and life cycle
L R AS Published on Sunday 6 February 2022 - n° 392 - Categories:silicon mono/multi, forecasts;
What will be the trend in silicon prices in 2022?
Developers would like to know the trend in silicon prices in 2022, as it determines the price of panels and the profitability of plant construction
Additions to silicon production capacity
L R AS Published on Sunday 23 January 2022 - n° 390 - Categories:forecasts;, silicon mono/multi
Silicon still the source of supply problems in 2022
Silicon prices are expected to fall this year. Stocks should start to build up across the solar industry in the first half of 2022.
AS Published on Saturday 8 January 2022 - n° 388 - Categories:silicon mono/multi
Two opposing opinions on the evolution of the price of silicon and therefore of panels in 2022 (2)
Panel prices to remain high in 2022
One of the most significant developments in global solar markets in 2021 has been the sharp rise in PV panel prices. Although it has slowed down, delayed or cancelled some PV installations, the price increase can be seen as a sign of things to come.
AS Published on Saturday 8 January 2022 - n° 388 - Categories:silicon mono/multi
Two opposing opinions on the evolution of the price of silicon and therefore of panels in 2022 (1)
Silicon prices could fall rapidly in 2022
Demand for wafers was strong at the end of 2022, leading to a shortage of supply amidst a rapid transition in wafer size. High profits have also attracted new players, leading to continued growth in wafer capacity in 2021.
L R AS Published on Monday 15 November 2021 - n° 382 - Categories:silicon mono/multi
A new giant silicon plant
Chinese silicon manufacturer TBEA is planning to set up a
AS Published on Tuesday 2 November 2021 - n° 380 - Categories:silicon mono/multi
A review of silicon requirements
The development of photovoltaics has led to a considerable expansion in the need for silicon. By the middle of the decade, it accounted for half of global demand. This has led to a sharp rise in prices. It has gone from
AS Published on Saturday 30 October 2021 - n° 380 - Categories:silicon mono/multi
Adaptation tests for the PV profession
In this phase of rising prices and difficulties in obtaining components, Chinese companies in the sector would join forces to supply finished products to certain projects. This cooperation is necessary in the current context.
AS Published on Saturday 30 October 2021 - n° 380 - Categories:silicon mono/multi
How can the price of silicon evolve?
In May and early June 2021, its price had stabilised after a sharp rise. It was believed that the rise was over and that prices would gradually normalise. It is true that
AS Published on Sunday 17 October 2021 - n° 378 - Categories:the prices, silicon mono/multi
Silicon rises again. The price of panels is starting to follow
Silicon prices jump another 13% as energy measures
L R AS Published on Monday 20 September 2021 - n° 374 - Categories:trade war, silicon mono/multi
The situation of silicon in the PV industry and the Sino-US conflict
Silicon production capacity is unable to keep up with the rapid expansion of PV capacity. It takes more than two years to complete the construction of a silicon production unit and then reach full operation.
The imbalance between supply and demand
L R AS Published on Monday 13 September 2021 - n° 373 - Categories:the prices, silicon mono/multi
Silicon (and therefore panel) prices could fall from October
Silicon would have benefited from the long gestation period of production plants
According to PV InfoLink, the reason for the rise in silicon prices is the longer construction time for furnaces, compared to the faster commissioning of wafer, cell or panel production plants.
L R AS Published on Saturday 11 September 2021 - n° 373 - Categories:silicon mono/multi, panels
The price of panels at the end of 2021-beginning of 2022 will depend on the production of silicon
The rise in panel prices should ease next year, provided that the silicon capacity expansions come on stream. However, it is not clear when prices will start to fall.
The price of panels has risen by 25% between last year and this year, due to the tripling/quadrupling of the price of silicon. InfoLink says silicon has risen from $8.7/kg to $22.2/kg. According to BloombergNEF, it has risen from $6/kg to $28/kg currently (a quadrupling)
According to BloombergNEF, the price of basic mono-PERC and monofacial panels, ex-factory in China, has risen from less than $0.19/W last summer to $0.24/W today. Because of the price of silicon. Wafer manufacturers have entered into purchase contracts to guarantee their supply, which has pushed prices up. This is in addition to glass shortages and the rising cost of silver paste. Since then, some major manufacturers have brought major capacity expansions online.
According to InfoLink, global silicon demand in 2020 was 140 GW for a supply of 133 GW. This imbalance is due to a delay in the commissioning of capacity by silicon producers. BloombergNEF is unable to find the exact cause of the imbalance. "There has been ample supply during the year, but bottlenecks have emerged."
When will prices fall?
InfoLink estimates that global demand for panels is 160 GW with a peak demand of 180 GW at the end of the year. For 2022, total supply will reach 349 GW for a demand of 181 GW, suggesting that prices should drop significantly next year
BNEF forecasts 183 GW of panel demand this year, with demand potentially reaching 204 GW. There will be enough silicon, with a supply of 207 GW.
Both organisations say that silicon commissioning will drive down the price of panels. InfoLink expects 245,000 tonnes of silicon to be commissioned between Q4 2021 and Q2 2022.
Prices will therefore fall. However, Tongwei has increased the price of its cells in recent days.
PV InfoLink said that silicon prices would rise in Q3 and Q4 due to strong European demand. It now sees the price remaining stable at $26.50/kg and then dropping by half to $13/kg in 2022. Daqo instead sees prices remaining high in 2022.
According to PV InfoLink, panels are expected to remain at a high level ($0.246/W) in Q4 2021 and will not fall back untilQ1 or Q2 2022
PV Tech of 9 September 2021
AS Published on Monday 6 September 2021 - n° 372 - Categories:evolution-stat, silicon mono/multi
Some figures on silicon supply and demand in the first half of the year
The steady improvement in the market for photovoltaic applications in China has led to burgeoning end demand growth. Silicon supply and demand remained in tight balance in the first half of 2021,