[SMM PV] Film Industry Accelerates Technological Upgrading and Iteration, Moving Towards Differentiated Competition

According to the survey, three top-tier wafer enterprises are jointly holding prices firm. SMM’s specific quotations are as follows: 183mm: 0.88-0.9 yuan/piece 210R: 0.98-1.0 yuan/piece 210N: 1.18-1.2 yuan/piece As of now, the lowest prices implemented by the three enterprises are within the quotation range. SMM analysis indicates that although current wafer selling prices are above cash costs, they will later face pressure from both polysilicon and cell ends, and whether wafers can maintain current prices depends on the determination of top-tier players. Quality and price assurance is becoming a key focus across the entire industry. It is worth noting that using low-quality, low-priced wafers will not only visibly cause module power output to fall below expectations, but more importantly, it will lead to hidden risks such as first-year light-induced degradation (LID) and accelerated aging.

Customs data show that China's cumulative PV product exports from January to April 2026 were up about 43% YoY, as foreign demand remained strong despite the cancellation of export tax rebates for PV products from April 1. Especially in the Southeast Asian market, in April this year, monthly module exports were up 267% YoY. Industry insiders believe that global new PV installations will remain above 500 GW in 2026, and that, while seizing the global new energy transition, China's PV enterprises are accelerating technological upgrades and structural optimization to achieve a shift from scale expansion to quality and efficiency improvement.

At the just-concluded SNEC exhibition last week, the hall layout saw a historic shift: the number of energy storage themed halls surpassed that of solar cell and module halls for the first time, and "PV+ESS integration" has moved from concept to the spotlight. LONGi made its debut in a fully integrated PV+ESS exhibition form, unveiling the "full-stack LONGi" strategy; Jinko Solar designated 2026 as the first year of energy storage volume ramp-up, having already secured approximately 5 GWh of energy storage orders; Trinasolar, JA Solar Technology, and others all showcased full‑stack energy storage solutions. After the mandatory energy storage allocation policy was phased out, energy storage shifted from a "compliance burden" into an asset that must generate profits on its own. Enterprises are no longer satisfied with "selling panels" but are turning to "selling systems" — PV companies are collectively transforming from pure manufacturers into integrated energy service providers.