Shrinking solar wafer demand sees prices decline further

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Price declines have been affecting the whole solar supply chain in China, as demand for upstream materials and wafers continues to decline. Image: LONGi.

Solar manufacturer LONGi revised the price of its M10 and M6 p-type wafers before the end of 2022 with a sharp decline.

Prices for both the 182mm (M10) and 166mm (M6) wafer prices have reached RMB5.4 (US$0.78) and RMB4.54, respectively, a 27% drop from previous prices in both cases.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The continued decline of wafer prices comes after shrinking demand for wafers, with manufacturers cutting production, according to market research firm InfoLink. It said 210mm wafers prices dropped to RMB6.7.

LONGi had previously revised its wafer prices in late November when it lowered its prices for the first time in almost a year, as shown in the chart below.

LONGi’s latest price update has M6 and M10 wafers dropped 27% from the previous update in November, with prices reaching a low not seen since May 2021.

As wafer prices ended 2022 with an increased decline, there is so far no sign of it stopping, and with the Lunar New Year on the horizon and a resurgence of Covid-19 cases across China, the situation remains complex for manufacturers to decide on their production plans, added InfoLink.

The firm said declining wafer prices have also caused n-type cells and modules to fall, with some TOPCon cell makers selling p-type and n-type cells at a similar price.

According to InfoLink, demand for cells dropped dramatically at the end of 2022 as module manufacturers met their procurement targets for the year.

Moreover, as polysilicon supply increases, demand for it is shrinking in the upstream sector with several manufacturers starting to pile up their inventory.

Cell price declines are even sharper than wafer ones, with RMB0.93-0.95/W (US$0.134-0.137/W) for M6 cells, RMB0.94-0.98/W for M10 cells and RMB0.95-0.98/W for G12 cells as of last week, according to InfoLink.

With falling prices of upstream materials and wafers, module pricing for Q1 2023 in China and for overseas has declined too. According to InfoLink, module prices currently sit at RMB 1.7-1.88/W, with manufacturers expecting a continued price drop for January and February.

10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

September 16, 2025
Chinese polysilicon producer GCL-Tech has entered into a strategic financing agreement with Infini Capital, a globally renowned investment institution backed by a Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund.
September 9, 2025
China has advanced in the integration of AI and new energy, covering areas such as power forecasting, electricity markets, and O&M.
September 4, 2025
The Czech national cybersecurity agency has warned that Chinese solar inverters represent a threat to the country’s data security.
September 3, 2025
Huasun claims it has set new record efficiencies for HJT-perovskite tandem solar cells at both laboratory and commercial scales.
September 3, 2025
LONGi, Jinko Solar, Trina Solar and JA Solar posted combined net losses of nearly RMB11 billion (US$1.54 billion) in H1 2025.
August 29, 2025
Chinese module maker JA Solar has launched DesertBlue, a PV module designed for desert and semi-arid regions. 

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines