Solar wafer, cell price hikes underscore new polysilicon pricing volatility

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Large area wafer production at a LONGi facility. Image: LONGi Solar.

Recent solar wafer and cell price increases from both LONGi Solar and Tongwei, which have seen prices rise by between 5.6 – 7.7%, have underscored heightened volatility in the solar supply chain.

Last week LONGi Solar announced an increase in the price of its solar wafers across the board. Prices for its 166mm M6 and 182mm M10 wafers are to increase by 6.8% on pricing from last month, the full details of which are below.

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

Wafer size14 September Price11 October Price% Increase
158mmUS$0.72US$0.765.6%
166mm (M6)US$0.73US$0.786.8%
182mm (M10)US$0.88US$0.946.8%
LONGi Solar wafer prices as of 11 October 2021.

The move followed a similar price hike from solar cell producer Tongwei, which last week revealed its cell prices for the month of October were up by as much as 7.7% on September’s prices. The full details of Tongwei’s price hike are below.

Cell sizeSeptember PriceOctober Price% Increase
166mmRMB1.06/WRMB1.12/W5.6%
210mmRMB1.04/WRMB1.12/W7.7%
Tongwei solar cell prices for October 2021.

Material, component and module prices have soared in the past fortnight after Chinese authorities imposed restrictions on power consumption and manufacturing operations in the wake of an ongoing power and coal crisis in the country. Factory utilisation rates have fallen as a result, and an already turbulent period for the solar value chain has become even harder to navigate.

Last week PV Tech Premium reported how module prices have soared to in excess of US$0.30c/W in some instances – prices not seen since 2019 – while a shortage of silicon metals triggered by the collapsing output has driven polysilicon prices to a new annual high.  

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 10, 2025
Cordelio Power has started commercial operations at its 150MW Winfield solar project in Lincoln County, Missouri.
September 10, 2025
Japanese solar cell manufacturer Toyo Solar has sold 1.6GW of solar PV cells in the first half of 2025, driving revenue of around US$139 million.
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 9, 2025
Leading solar industry professionals discussed the importance of US solar PV manufacturing at the RE+ trade show in Las Vegas, US.
September 4, 2025
The Czech national cybersecurity agency has warned that Chinese solar inverters represent a threat to the country’s data security.
September 4, 2025
US polysilicon company Highland Materials has aimed to begin construction at its polysilicon plant in the second half of 2026.

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