Upstream PV manufacturing remains highly concentrated in China, especially in polysilicon production and supply chains
Polysilicon production continues to rely predominantly on the Siemens process, while FBR remains a secondary approach
Countries such as India are exploring upstream manufacturing expansion, with energy access, production scale, and process expertise identified as critical factors for success
PV manufacturing is a sequential process, in which the benefits realized at the very end of the value chain, i.e., at the module level, result from cumulative improvements throughout the value chain. While the latest TaiyangNews Cell & Module Technology Trends 2026 report primarily focuses on trends at the cell and module levels, where most visible progress is taking place, it is equally important to briefly reflect on developments upstream.
The upstream segment, however, remains heavily concentrated in China, and direct inputs from upstream players have been limited. That said, the recently held TaiyangNews Solar Technology Conference India 2026 featured a dedicated session on upstream developments, offering valuable insights into this part of the value chain. The summary presented in the report draws on that session, complemented by inputs gathered from other TaiyangNews virtual conferences and other open sources, to provide a directional view of key trends in the upstream manufacturing.
At the very beginning of the value chain, polysilicon remains a strategic bottleneck, with China still dominating global supply, and countries like India aiming to become alternatives. The keys to success here are: secure energy, scale, and process know-how. While there are 2 proven approaches to polysilicon production – the Siemens process and FBR – more than 90% of global polysilicon production still uses the Siemens process, FBR being proprietary (see PV Innovation Expands Beyond The Solar Cell).
The text is an edited excerpt from TaiyangNews’ latest report on Cell & Module Technologies Trends 2026, which can be downloaded for free here.