On September 4th, the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association’s Silicon Branch released the latest transaction prices for solar-grade polysilicon.
In the past week:
N-type material: ¥39,000-44,000 per ton, averaging ¥41,300 per ton, up 0.73% week-on-week.
N-type granular silicon: ¥36,500-37,500 per ton, averaging ¥37,300 per ton, up 1.63% week-on-week.
Reconstituted material: ¥35,000-39,000 per ton, averaging ¥36,400 per ton, up 0.83% week-on-week.
Monocrystalline dense material: ¥33,000-36,000 per ton, averaging ¥34,500 per ton, up 0.58% week-on-week.
Monocrystalline cauliflower material: ¥30,000-33,000 per ton, averaging ¥31,400 per ton, up 0.64% week-on-week.
Compared to prices on August 28, silicon material prices have risen slightly this week. The silicon material market is gradually entering a new round of contract negotiations, but overall transaction volume remains relatively stable. Mainstream contract products are primarily N-type or mixed package materials, with P-type silicon materials being less commonly sold individually, leading to a price increase trend. Additionally, due to the price advantage of granular silicon, strong order demand and tight spot supply have led to a slight price increase.
According to feedback from related enterprises, 14 companies are still under maintenance or operating at reduced capacity. Although some secondary and tertiary silicon material companies have slightly resumed production, major leading enterprises have yet to determine their resumption times. Data shows that domestic polysilicon supply in August was approximately 129,700 tons, a 6.01% decrease month-on-month, hitting a new low for the year. Following last week’s increase in wafer prices, polysilicon companies have generally raised their quotes for downstream and futures markets, but transaction volumes remain limited, with market prices rising slightly.
Looking ahead to September, some silicon material companies plan to increase production or resume operations, with new capacities from leading companies gradually being released. As more companies resume production, polysilicon output is expected to rise to 130,000-140,000 tons in September, potentially increasing market supply pressure. With relatively low inventory pressure in the silicon material sector and strong price support from silicon material companies, short-term prices are expected to see a slight increase.
In terms of wafers, prices have seen a small increase this week. Notably, despite major wafer companies raising their quotes last week, downstream battery manufacturers have not yet started large-scale purchases, so actual transaction prices still need further observation. Supply-wise, wafer production in August reached 52.6 GW, up 4.37% month-on-month. However, due to production cuts from two major specialized companies and some integrated enterprises in September, wafer output is expected to drop to 45-46 GW, a decrease of about 14%. As inventory continues to decrease, the supply-demand balance is improving, providing price support.
In the battery sector, prices have remained stable this week. At current cost levels, battery prices have little room to fall. However, due to the lack of significant improvement in downstream terminal demand, most battery companies, particularly specialized battery manufacturers, are still experiencing a decline in overall production scheduling. Battery production in August was around 58 GW, and September’s production is expected to drop to 52-53 GW, with a possibility of further decline. As upstream prices stabilize, the battery market may see some degree of recovery.