| Category | |
|---|---|
| Author | InfoLink |
| Updated | March 02, 2022 |
Polysilicon
The polysilicon sector sees steady order volume. Prices for recycled polysilicon scrap and mono-grade polysilicon appear relatively stable for the time being. High-price range sustained at around RMB 248/kg, whilst mainstream prices stay at RMB 240-245/kg.
The polysilicon sector sees steadily increasing production and supply, with new production capacity added by relevant manufacturers coming online. However, immediate growths in production momentum and effective outputs are not likely, as subject to production cycle of the chemical industry and the time new production capacities take to come online.
Supply volume marginally increases in March on levels in the preceding month, but still lags behind rising demand from the ingot segment. The ingot segment is set to raise utilization rates, intensifying the conundrum of imbalanced supply-demand relationship in the polysilicon sector, underpinning the upward trend of polysilicon prices.
Wafer
Wafer prices continue fluctuating, with more frequent and dramatic changes.
Tier-1 wafer magnates, Longi and Zhonghuan, raised wafer pricings respectively on February 22 and 24, placing prices for 210mm wafers with a thickness of 160μm at RMB 8.75/piece, RMB 6.5-6.61/piece for the 182mm/165μm format, and RMB 5.45-5.55/piece for the 166mm/165μm format.
There are 1-2% of differences among prices quotes offered by leading manufacturers.
Tier-2 mono-Si wafer manufacturers followed suit by March 2, a week after the previous pricing update.
Sources said that prices for 210mm wafers with a thickness of 160μm climb to RMB 8.88/piece, whilst the 182mm/165μm and 166mm/165μm formats see prices rise to RMB 6.72/piece and RMB 5.55/piece, respectively.
The frequent upward revisions in mono-Si wafer prices have very much to do with previous raw material price hikes and concentrated wafer demand from the cell sector. Severe pandemic in northern China and stricter regulations disrupt logistics and personnel transportation, posing direct impacts on production and supply capacity in the region.
Optimistic forecast suggests 23-24.5 GW of mono-Si wafer supply in March, a mild increase on levels in the preceding month. Overall, supply volume is not likely to see greater growth.
Cell
Wafer prices hike this week, and manufacturers are still negotiating for pricings in March. As of this Wednesday, in response to rising production costs, average trading prices for M6, M10, and G12 cells came in at RMB 1.07-1.11/W, RMB 1.11-1.14/W, and RMB 1.13-1.15/W, respectively, whilst mainstream average prices sat at RMB 1.09-1.10/W, RMB 1.13/W, and RMB 1.14/W. As wafer prices rally, cell manufacturers offer price quotes in the high-price range this week that may advance further by RMB 0.01-0.02/W next week.
However, subject to acceptance of the module sector, cell utilization rates may drop in March and April.
Due to slimmer demand, multi-Si cell prices sustain at RMB 3.75-3.9/piece this week, and USD 0.53-0.55/piece in overseas markets.
Module
Cost pressure is building in the module sector.
Price quotes mount to RMB 1.9/W this week, at which few orders are signed. Therefore, prices see no evident increase. Mainstream prices for glass-backsheet modules rated beyond 500 W linger at RMB 1.85-1.88/W and stand on RMB 1.89-1.92/W for some distributed projects, whilst their glass-glass counterparts see RMB 0.02-0.04/W of price differences.
Module makers and end users remain cautious, as prices remain elevated across the supply chain. Given decreased demand overseas and undetermined timelines of projects in China, module utilization rates sit at 70-80%.
Prices temporarily stabilized in overseas markets.
In Europe, glass-backsheet modules rated beyond 500 W are delivered at USD 0.27-0.275/W this month and may see prices rising by EUR 0.005-0.01/W in some distribution markets.
Prices in the U.S. stabilize, sitting at USD 0.32-0.35/W (FOB), but with end users appearing more reserved, considering policy uncertainties. The Asia-Pacific region sees module prices slip, sitting at USD 0.255-0.27/W for glass-backsheet modules rated beyond 500 W, for demand drops as Indian inventory draws came to an end.