polysilicon

China’s antitrust regulator has halted an industry-led effort to reduce polysilicon capacity and coordinate pricing, ordering full rectification of actions that contributed to rising market prices. Futures fell sharply after the intervention.

Polysilicon prices in China rose sharply this week as reduced output, higher costs, and strong downstream demand pushed transactions above CNY 60,000 ($8,590) per metric ton (MT). Module prices, however, remained stable, supported by firm procurement and tight wafer supply.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

UNSW researchers boosted TOPCon solar cell efficiency by locally thinning the rear poly-Si layer, reducing parasitic absorption while preserving wafer integrity. The champion cell built with this approach achieved 25.10% efficiency with improved bifaciality and maintained strong passivation.

Researchers in Norway investigated the melting behavior of silicon kerf agglomerates under different atmospheres and temperatures to improve recycling for solar-grade silicon. They found that vacuum melting enhances deoxidation and produces a homogeneous, oxide-free melt, while agglomerate size has little effect on melting behavior.

Market pressure in the solar and storage sectors often favors low-cost solutions, but long-term success depends on balancing price, quality, and reliability for assets designed to operate for decades. Numerous examples, from low-grade silicon modules to residential hydrogen and redox flow storage, show how technically ambitious products can fail when costs, complexity, or durability are misjudged.

Waaree Energies says its US unit has agreed to invest about $30 million in United Solar Holding to secure a traceable polysilicon supply for its expanding North American manufacturing base.

China’s largest polysilicon producers have launched initial steps toward consolidation to curb overcapacity, but OPIS analyst Summer Zhang tells pv magazine that unresolved funding, capacity cuts and governance issues mean prices are likely to see only modest support in the near term without sustained capital injections and stronger downstream demand.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.