Trina Solar to supply modules to SUMEC’s 159 MW solar project; Polysilicon material prices rise this week; Approval for Hoshine 1.5 million tons PV glass facility; Shandong to accelerate green initiatives.

Trina Solar & SUMEC partner for Southeast Asia solar projects: Leading PV and smart energy total solutions provider Trina Solar announced that the company and modern manufacturing service conglomerate SUMEC Complete Equipment and Engineering Co., Ltd. (SUMEC Engineering) have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen their level of cooperation in Southeast Asian markets. Currently SUMEC is involved in building Aboitiz Renewables’ 159 MW solar project in Philippine province of Pangasinan, and for this project Trina will be supplying all the solar modules required. Since 2014, both companies have partnered and worked on projects in Vietnam, Philippines etc. Meanwhile, Jerry Cao, Product Manager Trina Solar, presented details for the company’s n-type i-TOPCon solar product, the innovated Vertex N module series at TaiyangNews Solar Module Innovations Conference that took place on 31 January 2023 (see Jerry Cao, Trina: Trina’s n-Type Solar Product)

Polysilicon material prices rise this week: This week saw the polysilicon material prices rise to about 11%, local media reports said. Here are the details:

• The price range of domestic single crystal re-feeding is now at RMB 220,000 to 249,000/ ton ($32,456 to 36734/ton) and the average transaction price is at RMB 242,300/ton ($35,746/ton), a week-on-week increase of 11.40%; and
• The price range of single crystal dense material is now at RMB 218,000-247,000/ton ($32161- 36,439/ton) and the average transaction price is RMB 239,900/ton ($35,392/ton), a week-on-week increase of 11.48%

The reasons for this continued increase of prices can be attributed to the operating rate of silicon wafer enterprises, which is still relatively low. In consequence, the shortage of supply is causing a sharp rise in silicon wafer prices, a rise that is even higher than the cost of raw polysilicon. Despite the rise, this week saw over 10 companies sign new orders. Most of the orders are till mid-February and there is a significant rise in the number of orders, accord to the reports.

Hoshine 1.5 million tons PV glass facility approved: As per local media reports, Xinjiang Department of Industry and Information Technology announced that it has given approval to Xinjiang Central Hoshine Silicon Industry’s 1.5 million tons of ultra-thin and high-transparency photovoltaic glass manufacturing facility for new energy equipment. Last October, Shuangliang Eco-Energy and Hoshine Silicon had signed a RMB 429 million sales deal for delivery of reduction furnace equipment and its spare parts to Hoshine Silicon (see China PV News Snippets).

Shandong to accelerate green initiatives: Shandong Provincial Energy Bureau has come up with a researched and formulated note that will guide opinions related to energy-related initiatives to be conducted in the province in 2023, local media reported. The aim is to accelerate green, low-carbon and high-quality energy development in the province. Meanwhile, last year Shandong province of China had called for proposals to build 10 pile-based fixed offshore solar PV plants (see Chinese Province Planning 11.25 GW Offshore Solar)