China Photovoltaic Industry Polysilicon Shortage Continues:Part 2

Polysilicon supply situation will continue

Polysilicon material mainly used in two areas: semiconductor and solar cell industries, according to the purity, can be divided into electronic and solar grade level. In recent years, the world semiconductor industry and the development of photovoltaic industry, in particular by the development of silicon solar cells is driven to rapid growth in the polysilicon market, the world's polysilicon current imbalance between supply and demand issues outstanding, it has as the world's concerns. 2006 global output of solar cells for 2521 MW, which crystalline silicon solar 2132 MW, polysilicon consumption of about 23,000 tons, accounting for polysilicon demand total 45,000 tons of about 50%; annual output of 3.7 polysilicon 10,000 tons, the market shortfall of about 08,000 tons, but takes the solar cell production capacity in terms of the numerical gap greater.

Faced with a shortage of polysilicon market remained situation, the international advantages of a base set polysilicon production enterprises development plans have large-scale expansion. For example, the United States spent 1 billion US dollars Hemlock polysilicon capacity expansion, the company forecast 2010 polysilicon production by 2006, the 10,000 tons to 31,000 tons; Germany Wacker Polysilicon is a new factory, It is estimated that by 2010 the plant polysilicon production from the current 6,500 tons to expand more than doubled to 14,500 tons, while MEMC is that the 2010 can be expanded two times annually, it is estimated that after 2008, production will reach 6,700 tons ; Japan and Germany-the company plans to invest 390 million US dollars to establish a new polysilicon plants, new capacity of 3,000 tons is expected to be completed in 2009.

At the same time the long-term development of solar energy industry and the potential shortage of polysilicon materials, has also attracted a large number of new investors and new technologies to accelerate the industrialization of the production process. Including a traditional Korean Siemens law input DC chemical, Hoku Hawaii in the United States, Spain Isofotonetal. France FrenchConsortium, Russia Crys-tal, Russia Russia / FSU, Japan M. Setek other metallurgical purification techniques used Elkem of Norway, Japan JFE, Japan's Nippon Steel, the United States companies such as Dow Corning polysilicon solar project started large-scale production.

International original polysilicon manufacturers large-scale expansion and the release of new projects capacity, the global supply and demand imbalance in the situation of polysilicon in 2008 after the end of the gradual easing, it is estimated that in 2010 after the international market prices will also polysilicon With productivity growth down, will be increasingly fierce market competition, technology and cost competitiveness will be the key to success or failure of the enterprise decision.

In recent years, China's IC industry and the development of solar cells, and greatly promote the development of market demand for polysilicon materials. 2001 to 2006 China's integrated circuit (IC) with the average annual growth of the polysilicon market demand for 14.9%, while domestic output of solar cells while the average annual rate of 157% growth. Six years on solar cell production and expand the demand for polysilicon 110 times. 2006 domestic production of integrated circuits used 551 tons of monocrystalline silicon, polysilicon demand of about 847 tons, the output of 370 MW solar cells, polysilicon demand of about 4,100 tons, the total demand for polysilicon was close to 5,000 tons, while the entire polycrystalline Silicon yield only 287 tons, the supply and demand ratio less than 6%.

The rapid development of solar cells, leading to tension in the supply of polysilicon raw materials, the majority of solar enterprises can not operating at full capacity, its yield of only 30% to 40%. In such circumstances, the price of polysilicon materials suddenly increased polysilicon not normal "profiteering" situation has also stimulate domestic investment and business expansion of the initiative.

Source: 中国电子报 Lu Jin & Li Qingyan Dec. 14, 2007

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China Photovoltaic Industry Polysilicon Shortage Continues:Part 1
China Photovoltaic Industry Polysilicon Shortage Continues:Part 2

China Photovoltaic Industry Polysilicon Shortage Continues:Part 1

Polysilicon is the electronics industry and the solar photovoltaic industry basic materials. In recent years, the worldwide semiconductor integrated circuit industries, and solar photovoltaic the rapid development of industry, especially the development of the solar industry driven polysilicon market to be growing rapidly. And the polysilicon market imbalance between supply and demand issues have become increasingly prominent and also caused world wide attention.

In today's increasingly tense energy, increased pressure on the environment increasingly the case, renewable energy by the Governments of the growing importance of solar energy as an important renewable energy, its development and use has become a national sustainable development strategy of group Some 10%. At present, China's renewable energy scale of only 8%, the future development of space is very extensive. As the 21st century the most potential energy, and solar energy industries in the research and development, production, market development have made significant progress, solar industry has also become the world rapid, and steady development of the sunrise industry.

Solar cell is still a great market space

To 2006, cumulative worldwide photovoltaic solar energy systems have been installed in more than 800 GW in 2006, within a year of solar cells manufacturing investment funds over 1 billion US dollars. According EPIA Forecast: 2009, the global photovoltaic industry will reach an annual growth rate of 27 per cent in 2010 to 2020 will reach 34 percent, by 2010, the worldwide installed photovoltaic market volume will reach 11.34 GW (including Japan 5GW, 3 GW Europe, the United States 2.14 GW, and other areas 1.2 GW).

The current global solar market fundamentals from Japan, Europe and other big international companies by the occupation, in 2006 China's production capacity of solar cells enterprises substantially enhance China's Suntech Power, China Sunergy, Motech company has been included in the output of the world row former 10.

Since 2005, the global solar market demand in the international environment under the influence of the global market demand growth, especially in the European market growth of the outbreak, solar photovoltaic industry to China has brought about tremendous growth. China's solar industry has advanced by leaps and bounds, Suntech Power, China Sunergy, Yingli Solar, LDK Solar, SunOasis, Trina Solar, and other companies have entered the stage of growth, constantly expanding production scale, technology has improved continuously, continuously strengthen the competitiveness of enterprises.

China's rapid development of solar energy industry, by the attention of the world. However, the Chinese solar cell to achieve industrial development from quantity to quality changes, is still faced with many problems to be solved: First, the severe shortage of raw materials, more than 90 percent of the silicon material dependence on imports, the prices were too high, businesses started less than the second is the market excluded, the rapid development of domestic photovoltaic industry relies on the rapid development of foreign markets by pulling more than 95 per cent of domestic exports, and rapid development of the photovoltaic industry and slow development of the PV market and the serious imbalance between the lack of co-ordination; Third, China's Sun Industry can be started late, equipment, technology, personnel, such as weak core technology, the ability of independent innovation to be further strengthened; four Although China is "renewable energy" has been officially implemented, but the lack of relevant supporting policies, their implementation, is a process ; five photovoltaic industry is the uneven quality of products, the industry is detrimental to the long-term development; six businesses follow suit widespread phenomenon, brought the matter on, the herd instinct, making it easy for overheated investment industry is not conducive to the healthy and orderly development.

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China Photovoltaic Industry Polysilicon Shortage Continues:Part 1
China Photovoltaic Industry Polysilicon Shortage Continues:Part 2