| Work Detail |
In a new weekly update for pv magazine , OPIS, a Dow Jones company, offers a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.
FOB solar cell prices in China have remained steady this week as there have been no major changes in supply and demand fundamentals. PERC M10 and G12 mono cell prices remained stable at $0.0482/W and $0.0473/W, respectively, while the TOPCon M10 cell price remained stable at $0.0584/W week after week.
PERC M10 mono cells in the Chinese domestic market remained at 0.387 yuan ($0.055)/W, according to the OPIS survey. Part of the price stability can be attributed to wafer prices stabilizing after stopping rising. The price of Mono PERC M10 wafers in the Chinese domestic market remained flat this week as a result of wafer producers attempts to raise prices and restore profits, derailed by weak demand, remaining at 1.98 yuan/ unit without any change compared to last week.
However, cell suppliers continue to try to invent new price increases. According to a source in the cell segment, it is optimistic that the price can rise to more than 0.4 yuan/pc in early February.
According to this source, market participants believe that Mono PERC M10 cell prices are at their lowest point in the foreseeable future, because these cells are about to transition from mass-market products to customized products. “Manufacturers do not have to sell custom products at huge losses,” the source adds.
In contrast, a downstream market source is cautious about further price hikes for Mono PERC cells ahead of the Chinese New Year, arguing that there is not enough demand to support the price increases. “The majority of new module purchase orders signed by European developers from the second half of 2023 are n-type,” the source continued.
One promoter agreed, saying that it may be difficult for all cell types to rise in price in February and that module companies cash flow may not be able to support cell price increases.
Even after switching to n-type cells, another cell supplier claimed that the manufacturers financial situation has not improved significantly. The source stated that non-silicon costs, such as silver paste, are the main reason why creating n-type cells is more expensive than producing Mono PERC cells. The market participant added that the higher price of N-type cells is insufficient to cover these costs, although the price of TOPCon M10 cells is between 0.08 yuan/W and 0.09 yuan/wp, i.e. , about 21% more than that of Mono PERC M10 cells.
Product diversification remains a key strategy for cell companies looking to stay in business. A mid-sized cell producer told OPIS that they plan to start production of TOPCon M10 cells with 16 bus bars in 2024, which are more efficient than conventional 10-bus bars cells and require less silver paste. |
