LONGi increases wafer prices for third time in six weeks as Tongwei ups cell costs

LONGi solar has increased its wafer prices for the third time in less than six weeks as a four-month high in wafer prices continues, while Tongwei solar has also pushed up the price of its 182mm and 210mm solar cells.
Wafers prices have increased by well over 10% since the start of 2022 and are on par with early December 2021 when polysilicon production was disrupted by energy constraints in China, causing price increases to cascade down the supply chain.
Yesterday (7 March) LONGi increased the price of its P type M10 165μm mono wafer (182/247mm) by RMB0.2 (US$0.03c) to RMB6.50, up from RMB6.20 and representing nearly a 5% increase on the previous price.
The new price comes in just under the average price for the wafer quoted on PV InfoLink, which was RMB6.52.
It is the third time in six weeks LONGi has raised its wafer prices – the other two times were on 22 February and 27 January – and sees wafer prices continue to rise amid a four-month high.
While LONGi did not state the reason for the increase in wafer prices, the average spot price for polysilicon has risen over the past few months. According to PV InfoLink data, the average price for polysilicon has gone from to RMB230/kg in the first two weeks of January 2022 to RMB242/kg today.
PV Price Watch has been tracking the progress of key PV components and material prices for the past six months and has written in greater detail about last month’s wafer price hike, drawing on conversations with analysts and executives to explore what is driving the increases.
Meanwhile, Tongwei today increased the prices of its mono PERC cell line. Its 210mm (160μm) cell now costs RMB1.16/w (US$0.18c/w), up from RMB1.12/w in October, an increase of 3.6%. And its 182mm (160μm) cell was up RMB0.03/w to RMB1.15/w, a 2.6% increase.
Again, these fall close to estimates set by PV InfoLink which put 210mm (160μm) cells at a high price of RMB1.16, while 182mm (160μm) were at a high of RMB1.145.
In February, Tongwei warned of ongoing tight supply of solar PV materials after high-purity silicon remained in short supply, causing sustained prices increases.