Chinese PV Industry Brief: Zhonghuan Semiconductor raises wafer prices

Solar manufacturer Zhonghuan Semiconductor has increased the prices of all its 170um-thick solar wafers, a week after competitor Longi made the same move. The price of the former’s 166mm, ‘M6’ wafers rose 3.13% from last week, to RMB5.28 per piece (US$0.82). For 210mm, G12 products the price rose 2%, to RMB8.33 per piece (US$1.29), and customers will have to pay RMB5.18 per piece (US$0.80) for Zhonghuan’s 158.75mm, G1 products, which saw a 3.19% price rise.

Solar panel glassmaker Xinyi Solar Holdings is planning to build solar parks with a combined generation capacity of 5 GW in Daqing City, Heilongjiang province. Details published by the municipal authority state the project will cost RMB1.6 billion (US$247 million)

Data published today by power industry membership body the China Electricity Council show the nation added 22.05 GW of solar generation capacity in the first eight months of the year, with 14.63 GW of new wind capacity installed during the same period. The statistics indicated industrial power consumption rose 13.1% from the same period of last year, with the volume used specifically for manufacturing up 14.9% under the same comparison.