Polysilicon falls to 28.3% of module cost, crucible rises to 3.7%

This week saw the polysilicon price fall below the 200 yuan per kilogram mark for the first time since January – it is now $28 per kilogram per the Silicon Industry Branch, so $70 per kW assuming a usage rate of 2.5 grams per Watt. Another $1.2 billion, 100,000-ton factory was put into operation by Daqo New Energy days ago, and 2023 will see production capacity double to at least 2.4 million tons. It’s only downhill from here for the polysilicon price. In contrast, the price of high-purity quartz sand is expected to soon reach $54,000 per ton, which will push wafer prices up. Price reporting for the crucibles themselves is sparse, but a rough calculation featuring 33 kilograms each…