Europe’s solar technology specialists may need up to €7 billion (US$8.51 billion) in capital investment in order to scale up domestic manufacturing to be globally competitive, according to a panel of industry leaders.
Plans for sizeable layoffs by 2022 will mostly affect administrative and non-operational staff in Germany, says poly player of new roadmap launched after €55m losses last year.
Phase 1 agreement sees China accept taking in greater volumes of US poly exports as part of broader loosening of trade tensions, which PV reps hope will lead to scale-back of solar tariffs.
According to polysilicon market specialist, Bernreuter Research recent polysilicon import levels into China surged between October and November 2016, while ASP’s also recovered, a trend seen the year before and ahead of China installing a record 22GW of solar in the first half of 2016.
Major polysilicon producer Wacker Chemie has reported that polysilicon sales declined 6.8% in the third quarter of 2016, due to weaker demand and ASP declines, specifically in September.
Major polysilicon producer Wacker Chemie reported flat second quarter polysilicon sales, despite stronger demand and higher average selling prices (ASPs) as inventory depletion limited shipments.
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.
