Longi raises wafer prices as polysilicon hits $34.98/kg

The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMIA) said that prices for monocrystalline silicon ranged from CNY 222 ($32.30)/kg to CNY 248/kg last week, up 31.37% from the middle of January. Longi, meanwhile, has raised its wafer prices by more than 15%.

February 22, 2023 Emiliano Bellini and Vincent Shaw

Image: Daqo New Energy

From pv magazine Global

CNMIA‘s silicon branch has reported that polysilicon prices rose after the Chinese lunar year and will likely remain at current levels for a relatively long period, due to increasing demand from wafer manufacturers.

It said that the prices for the raw material ranged from CNY 230/kg to CNY 250 last week, and noted that prices for monocrystalline silicon ranged from CNY 222/kg and CNY 248/kg, up 31.37% from the middle of January. The organization said that the average price of monocrystalline silicon has now hit CNY 235/kg.

“After China’s recent new year holiday, wafer manufacturers returned to high operation rates in order to handle downstream orders. As a result, they quickly consumed all polysilicon in stock,” the CNMIA said. “This contributed to a tense supply situation and higher prices.”

The association said that the recent drop in polysilicon prices is a temporary phenomenon.

“Wafer manufacturers improved their operating rates in response to the false signals, resulting in a remarkable increase in polysilicon demand,” said CNMIA. “Polysilicon buyers will make procurement decisions as quickly as possible and determine the price as early as possible in the price upturn, as inventories are running low and the pressure will rise on manufacturers to replenish their stocks. This will likely bring the price rebound continues.”

CNMIA said it expects a long-term price rebound in the first half of the year, before another series of new polysilicon plants go online.

Longi, meanwhile, has raised the prices of its wafer products. The solar manufacturer now prices M10 p-type, 150-micrometer wafers at CNY 6.25 each, up 15.74%. It is selling its M6 wafers for CNY 5.40 each, up 18.94%.

“The price increase is mainly due to the recent big increase in the price of upstream polysilicon,” Longi said in a statement. “The company’s silicon wafer prices have to be adjusted in line with the market.”

This is the first time this year that Longi has raised prices. Its last silicon wafer price update was on Dec. 23, 2022.

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