Tongwei Co., Ltd. Constructs New "Granular Silicon" Production Project; The Company Describes It as an Independent Technological Pathway

Published: Feb 21, 2025 17:32

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[Tongwei Co. Ltd. Launches New "Granular Silicon" Production Project, Company Claims It as an Independent Technological Pathway] ① Tongwei Co. Ltd. has for the first time ventured into "granular polysilicon," with the project adding one silane-based granular polysilicon pilot production unit, enabling an additional granular polysilicon capacity of 10,000 mt per year; ② The PV industry is currently still at the bottom of the cycle, and for polysilicon companies, there remains stringent cost reduction pressure. (CLS)

Tongwei Co., Ltd. (600438.SH) has launched a "granular polysilicon" production project. According to the environmental impact assessment disclosure by Yongxiang New Energy Co., a subsidiary of Tongwei Group, the company plans to implement the "Yongxiang New Energy Phase II Technological Transformation Project" within the existing plant area of Phase II at the new-type industrial base in Wutongqiao, Leshan. The total investment of the project is 400 million yuan. The main construction content includes technological transformation of the Phase II project based on the already improved various process parameters to enhance product diversification. The project will add a 10,000 mt/year high-purity polysilicon production line and a 10,000 mt/year granular silicon pilot production line, ultimately forming a production capacity of 101,000 mt/year of polysilicon (including 90,000 mt/year of solar-grade polysilicon, 10,000 mt/year of solar-grade granular silicon, and 1,000 mt/year of electronic-grade polysilicon). Among these, the "addition of a silane-based granular silicon pilot production facility, achieving an additional granular silicon capacity of 10,000 mt/year" project has attracted market attention. Although the project disclosure uses the term "granular silicon," multiple analyses suggest that, based on its silane-based production characteristics, it refers to granular polysilicon. In response, Tongwei Co., Ltd. stated in a reply to a reporter from CLS that the granular silicon project is an R&D initiative aimed at enhancing the competitive advantage of rod-shaped polysilicon. The core processes, key parameters, and quality control systems have formed an independent technological pathway, which differs substantially from other industry technical solutions. The silane fluidized bed method and the modified Siemens method are the two main purification processes for polysilicon production. Due to differences in deposition characteristics, the former is referred to as granular polysilicon, while the latter is rod-shaped polysilicon. The competition between these two technological pathways has been a focal point within the industry. Tongwei Co., Ltd. primarily adopts the rod-shaped polysilicon production process. Its polysilicon business subsidiary, Yongxiang Co., has a high-purity polysilicon capacity exceeding 900,000 mt. According to the 2023 financial report, the average production cost of its high-purity polysilicon products has dropped to less than 42,000 yuan/mt. Additionally, market information indicates that the cash cost at several of Tongwei's production sites has fallen below 40,000 yuan/mt, maintaining a leading position in the industry. The main producer of granular polysilicon is GCL Technology (03800.HK). At the end of 2023, GCL Technology announced its decision to abandon rod-shaped polysilicon and fully transition to granular polysilicon. The company, which includes subsidiaries such as Inner Mongolia Xinhuan, operates four granular polysilicon production sites across the country, with a total capacity of 420,000 mt. In terms of cost, granular polysilicon has certain advantages. According to a business update released by GCL Technology in January 2024, the cash cost of granular polysilicon is expected to break new limits again in Q4 2024, reaching only 28.17 yuan/kg. According to statistics from the China Photovoltaic Industry Association, as of the end of 2023, the market shares of granular polysilicon and rod-shaped polysilicon were 17.3% and 82.7%, respectively. However, market analysis suggests that granular polysilicon, as an emerging technology, is developing rapidly and aligns with energy-saving and emission-reduction trends. In the future, as the technology continues to mature and improve, its market share is expected to expand further.

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