Despite record low polysilicon prices seen in January 2016 marking a clear oversupply, PV manufacturing capacity expansions and projected end-market demand could reverse the situation by the end of 2016, specifically in China.
US-based polysilicon producer REC Silicon said in a trading update ahead of releasing fourth quarter results at the end of the week that it would shutdown its Silane IV production unit and remaining FBR production at its Moses Lake plant.
Major polysilicon producer Wacker Chemie said that its new polysilicon plant in the US had started ramping and existing plants remained at full-capacity despite continued price declines that have reached record lows.
Asia-based polysilicon producer Tokuyama Corp said it would take a one-time impairment charge of ¥123.4 billion (US$1.02 billion) on its two polysilicon plants in Malaysia as ASPs were lower than expected and not inline with previous business guidance.
SiTec, a subsidiary of centrotherm photovoltaics said it was developing a highly efficient technology called ‘Genesis’ that when perfected would reduce monosilane fluid-bed reactor (FBR) polysilicon production capital and operating costs by approximately 45% each, compared to legacy FBR decomposition processes.
Japan-based M.Setek, a subsidiary of Taiwan based flat panel display and PV module manufacturer, AU Optronics Corp (AUO) is to stop production of monocrystalline polysilicon production, due to cost competitive issues.
The Government of India is considering supporting polysilicon, ingot and wafer production in India as part of prime minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ programme, that was launched last year.
GCL New Energy Holdings, parent company to GCL-Poly and developer GCL New Energy, has issued a profit warning to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with which the company is listed.
India-based conglomerate Lanco Infratech is planning to build a 100MW solar cell production facility at new dedicated Solar SEZ in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh, India.
Updated: Subsidaries of China-based polysilicon and PV module manufacturer LDK Solar have been forced into bankruptcy proceedings in China only shortly after the parent company, formerly listed in the US, exited bankruptcy proceedings of its own.
