Yesterday the US government ended months of speculation by enacting a withhold and release order (WRO) on solar imports to the US linked to specific polysilicon providers in China suspected of having used forced labour. Liam Stoker analyses what we know so far and, crucially, what the industry still needs to know before it can proceed.
The US government is set to block the imports of some solar products with links to the Xinjiang region of China in response to allegations of the use of forced labour.
Polysilicon manufacturer Daqo New Energy is set to proceed with its initial public offering after completing its registration with the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC).
Finlay Colville, head of market research at PV Tech Research, explores how solar PV has become dependent on low-cost manufacturing, facilitating a dominance by China-based players, and how the industry could engage with current scrutiny of solar’s supply chain.
Amidst surging materials costs, the solar industry needs to avoid any “gaming” on price between upstream and downstream sectors as it could be “very dangerous for both sides”. Leo Xiang, general manager at Jiang Tai Insurance Brokers’ energy department, speaks to PV Tech about the potential remedies to the situation.
‘Solar Module Super League’ (SMSL) members JinkoSolar and JA Solar are to invest in polysilicon provider Xinte Energy’s 100,000 ton facility in Inner Mongolia, receiving priority access to the polysilicon produced as a result.
In the second part of a two-part feature on the solar industry’s response to polysilicon price increases, Carrie Xiao hears from industry leaders about the importance of technology innovation, efforts to reduce waste and the need to avoid cutting prices blindly just to appease customers.
In the face of rising materials costs and natural disasters impacting output, solar manufacturers should heighten their focus on insurance placement to protect against large losses, a Chinese insurance broker has told PV Tech.
Price increases in polysilicon and other auxiliary solar module materials have exerted much pressure on manufacturers, JA Solar has said, impacting on profitability in the first half of 2021. Xinming Huang, senior vice president at JA Solar, tells PV Tech how the company is responding.
