The overall market continued to show mixed developments for mono- and multi-Si products this week. The polysilicon manufacturers were pressured by the multi-Si wafer manufacturers to lower the price. The price of the multi-Si wafers continued its downward trajectory.
Image by Michael Schwarzenberger from Pixabay
The prices of PV cells and modules also followed the same trajectory as the multi-Si wafers. The overall market has demonstrated the following trend: the prices of the mono-Si products maintained their stability, while the prices of the multi-Si products were declining. In the future, the prices of the mono-Si products will continue to be supported by demand with a high likelihood to bounce back. Multi-Si product manufacturers will have to survive on whatever they could get. The bottom line for them is to avoid losses.
Polysilicon
This week, the Chinese domestic prices of polysilicon continued their decline. The polysilicon manufacturers were pressured by the multi-Si wafer manufacturers to lower the price. Most polysilicon manufacturers could not afford to sell their products at the price lower than their cash cost, which led to them reducing or suspending production. As for the mono-grade polysilicon manufacturers, they were still under pressure to lower their prices, although the pressure was not as obvious. Consequently, the manufacturers were forced to adjust their prices. Not only the Chinese domestic market but also the overseas market have shown prices being revised down. This was mainly due to the price pressure in the Chinese domestic market.
In the Chinese domestic market, the range of the mono-grade polysilicon price revision is 69 ~ 75 RMB/KG at the moment. The average price remains unchanged at 72 RMB/KG. The range of polysilicon price revision is 53 ~ 55 RMB/KG. The average price is lowered to 54 RMB/KG. In the overseas market, the range of the price revision is 8.55 ~ 9.18 USD/KG. The average price is lowered to 8.80 USD/KG. The global average price is lowered to 8.54 USD/KG.
Wafers
This week, the prices of wafers still showed the same development: the mono-Si price stayed stable, while the multi-Si kept on falling. There were instances where the supply of mono-Si wafers were tight, but it was only the case for the smaller and medium manufacturers. Therefore the price did not rise, even if there was a shortage. It is estimated that there might be some disruption in the market prices next week. The price of multi-Si wafers will continue to fall. Some manufacturers expect that the duration of production suspension would continue until the end of this year. This pessimistic sentiment is taking hold of the market.
In the overseas market, the range of the multi-Si wafer price revision is 0.201 ~ 0.205 USD/Pc at the moment. The price of the black silicon products remains unchanged at 0.255 USD/Pc. The price range of the 156.75 mm mono-Si wafers remains unchanged at 0.395 ~ 0.421 USD/Pc. The price range of the large size wafers (158.75 mm) remains unchanged at 0.425 ~ 0.460 USD/Pc. The price of the wafers with the size of 161.75 mm and above remains unchanged at 0.470 USD/Pc.
In the Chinese domestic market, the range of the 156.75mm multi-Si wafer price revision is 1.68 ~ 1.72 RMB/Pc. The price of black silicon products is lowered to 2.02 RMB/Pc. The price range of the cast-mono wafers remains unchanged at 2.65 ~ 2.68 RMB/Pc. The price range of the 156.75mm mono-Si wafers remains unchanged at 2.98 ~ 3.15 RMB/Pc. The price range of the large size wafers (158.75mm) remains unchanged at 3.30 ~ 3.37 RMB/Pc. The price of the 166.75mm wafers remains unchanged at 3.47 RMB/Pc.
Cells
The market price of the PV cells demonstrated an almost identical development as the wafers this week. There were some developments in the Chinese domestic market of multi-Si products, which had no impact on other regions or product categories. Compared with the multi-Si wafers, the demand for mono-Si wafers was relatively stronger. The capacity of the top-tier manufacturers was almost maxed out. Therefore the prices were relatively stable. The multi-Si cell market continued to be in a slump. The overall inventory level was on the rise. There was little trading at the current price in the market.
In the overseas market, the range of the general multi-Si cell price revision is 0.081 ~ 0.118 USD/W at the moment. The average price remains unchanged at 0.093 USD/W. The price range of the general mono-Si cells remains unchanged at 0.102 ~ 0.107 USD/W. The price range of the high-efficiency mono-Si cells remains unchanged at 0.112 ~ 0.133 USD/W. The price range of the superior high-efficiency mono-Si cells (>21.7%) remains unchanged at 0.115 ~ 0.168 USD/W.
In the Chinese domestic market, the range of the general multi-Si cell price revision is 0.63 ~ 0.68 RMB/W. The price of the high-efficiency multi-Si cells is lowered to 0.7 RMB/W. The price range of the general mono-Si cells remains unchanged at 0.80 ~ 0.85 RMB/W. The price range of the high-efficiency mono-Si cells remains unchanged at 0.87 ~ 0.93 RMB/W. The price range of the superior high-efficiency mono-Si cell (>21.7%) remains unchanged at 0.94 ~ 0.98 RMB/W. The price of the bifacial superior high-efficiency mono-Si cells (21.7%) remains unchanged at 1.00 RMB/W.
Modules
The market price of the modules also followed the trajectory of the PV cells this week: the downward spiral of the multi-Si product prices and the mixed development of the overseas markets.
In the overseas market, the range of the general multi-Si (270-275W) price revision is 0.201 ~ 0.205 USD/W at the moment. The average price is lowered to 0.203 USD/W. The range of the high-efficiency multi-Si (280-285W) price revision is 0.208 ~ 0.225 USD/W. The average price is lowered to 0.213 USD/W. The range of the general mono-Si (290-295W) price revision is 0.215 ~ 0.245 USD/W. The average price is raised to 0.230 USD/W. The range of the high-efficiency mono-Si (300-310W) price revision is 0.295 ~ 0.320 USD/W. The average price remains unchanged at 0.315 USD/W. The range of the superior-high efficiency mono-Si (>310W) price revision is 0.233 ~ 0.395 USD/W. The average price is raised to 0.280 USD/W.
In the Chinese domestic market, the range of the general multi-Si (270W~275W) price revision is 1.55 ~ 1.68 RMB/W. The average price is lowered to 1.65 RMB/W. The range of the high-efficiency multi-Si (280-285W) price revision is 1.67 ~ 1.72 RMB/W. The average price is lowered to 1.70 RMB/W. The price range of the general mono-Si (290W~295W) remains unchanged at 1.65 ~ 1.70 RMB/W. The price range of the high-efficiency mono-Si (300-310W) remains unchanged at 1.72 ~ 1.80 RMB/W. The price range of the superior-high efficiency mono-Si (>310W) remains unchanged at 1.78 ~ 1.84 RMB/W.