The Silver Institute has forecasted a 20% increase in silver demand from the solar industry this year, to 7,217 tons – 19% of total global demand which is forecasted at 37,918 tons. The biggest growth both in absolute and relative terms already occurred the year before, from 3,672 tons in 2022 to 6017 tons in 2023 (ahead of the Silver Institute’s forecast of only 5,034 tons), but the general silver price only jumped up by 50% in mid-2020 and has stayed there stably ever since. Now the silver supply has come under further intensified pressure – judging by the 15% price rise for photovoltaic silver paste this month, as opposed to only 25% price rise in the past 11 months…