Module prices in China remain stable

Chinese module prices were flat this week as market players weighed the challenge of raising prices against rising upstream costs.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine , OPIS, a Dow Jones company, offers a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

Chinese module prices were flat this week as market players weighed the challenge of raising prices against rising upstream costs.

The Chinese Module Marker (CMM), OPIS' benchmark assessment for modules from China, held at $0.163/W. TOPCon module prices also remained at $0.170/W.

While the market observes the rise in prices in the above segments, most manufacturers remain on the lookout, according to the OPIS market study. Mono M10 cell prices rose 1.73% this week to $0.0939/W. The cell segment has the lowest stock level in the entire supply chain, meaning cell prices could continue to rise, according to a source.

However, increasing module prices is difficult as the market faces oversupply and intense rivalry between vendors, multiple sources agreed. Numerous recent low price offers for projects in China from vertically integrated operators have eroded the leeway of manufacturers who only make modules and lack the advantage of low production costs, according to a source.

International markets are equally gloomy, as they accumulate significant module inventories. Due to delays in the first and second quarters of this year, one manufacturer stopped restocking its European warehouses in June, according to a company source. Echoing this view, another source said that regions like Europe and South America "simply don't have the conditions to raise prices due to the huge backlog of modules."

According to the production schedule of the module manufacturers. China is expected to produce some 47 GW of modules in August, according to a source. Module makers could cut production if cell prices continue to rise, the source added.

OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides energy prices, news, data and analysis on gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, LPG/LNG, coal, metals and chemicals, as well as renewable fuels and environmental commodities. In 2022 it acquired the price data assets of the Singapore Solar Exchange and now publishes the OPIS APAC Solar Weekly Report .