The European Union’s REPowerEU strategy could be thwarted by higher material and module costs as a “perfect storm” looms over the sector following the pandemic, according to analysts Wood Mackenzie.
Polysilicon producer Daqo New Energy has received approval from the Shanghai Stock Exchange for a private offering on China’s A-share market to support its capacity expansion.
Aker Horizons ASA has agreed to sell its remaining shares in Norwegian polysilicon REC Silicon to South Korean chemical company Hanwha Solutions Corporation in what Aker has said is a “major step in rebuilding the US solar supply chain”.
Chinese module manufacturer Jolywood Solar has signed an agreement with the government of Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province to construct a high-purity, solar-grade polysilicon factory as it attempts to offset surging raw material costs and push for greater vertical integration.
Module prices are to remain elevated for the next 18 months at least, with any additional manufacturing capacity set to be quickly swallowed by soaring demand and capacity addition outside of China considered risky, Finlay Colville, head of market research at Solar Media, has said.
Polysilicon producer Daqo New Energy’s has signed a long-term supply agreement for high-purity mono-grade polysilicon for a total amount of 30,000MT between 2022 and end of 2026, essentially selling out its inventory for this year.
China is expected to add 83 – 99GW of PV capacity every year from 2022 to 2025, while Europe is now its largest export market for solar products, according to a China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) report on the outlook for the PV industry over the next few years.
Solar manufacturer Xinyi Solar is to diversify into polysilicon production, launching a joint venture to establish a production base in Yunnan, China, with an initial capacity of 60,000 metric tons (MT).
