The top 10 posts from Bernreuter Research on LinkedIn in 2023

The announcement of its new market report, The Polysilicon Market Outlook 2027, is the most popular among the top ten posts from Bernreuter Research on LinkedIn in 2023. Along with an info brochure for download, the post received the most clicks, reactions, comments and reposts in sum. It shows once again that PDF downloads are very popular on LinkedIn.

The second place is occupied by our analysis of the heavy slump of the polysilicon price at the turn of the year from 2022 to 2023 and our prediction that the slide would soon come to a halt (which was correct).

The third most popular article is also an analysis of the polysilicon price trend, namely after the crash in June. Our comparison of the developments in 2023 and 2011 turned out to uncover amazing parallels. Another assessment of the price trend in early February is Number 6 in our ranking.

Always popular are our analyses of the quarterly EBITDA results achieved by the polysilicon manufacturers Daqo New Energy, OCI, Wacker and REC Silicon. Three of these articles landed among the top ten posts (No. 5, 9 and 10).

The ranking of the world’s top ten polysilicon manufacturers and an update on OCI’s expansion plans, which got the third and fourth place, respectively, in 2022, have only come in as Number 7 and 8, respectively, this year.

As in 2022, we have ranked our most popular posts on LinkedIn by the absolute amount of engagement (the sum of clicks, reactions, comments and reposts); we have also included the scope of engagement with the commenting repost of the respective topic by company head Johannes Bernreuter. Here is the complete list of our top ten posts:

10. Polysilicon margins have started to descend from their peak (May 11)

Weak demand and declining prices left first marks on the results of polysilicon manufacturers, such as Daqo, OCI and Wacker, in the first quarter; earnings have started to descend from their peak.

9. After polysilicon price crash: Daqo loses its margin lead to OCI (Aug. 15)

The polysilicon price crash in China seriously impacted the earnings of Daqo in the second quarter. The Chinese manufacturer lost its lead to OCI, which benefited from the higher price of non-Chinese polysilicon.

8. OCI firms up 42,500-ton polysilicon capacity expansion by 2027 (Feb. 14)

South Korean chemicals group OCI will implement its plan to increase production capacities for both solar-grade and electronic-grade polysilicon later than originally envisaged.

7. Tongwei Dominates the Polysilicon Industry (May 16)

Chinese polysilicon manufacturer Tongwei has extended its position as world market leader. In 2022 the company produced 1.6 times as much polysilicon for solar cells as the second largest manufacturer, GCL Technology, and even twice as much as the third biggest, Daqo New Energy.

6. Polysilicon Price Trend (Feb. 1)

The strong rebound of the polysilicon price continues. It seems to confirm our previous assumption that demand could grow more quickly than additional supply from the ramp-up of new production capacities in the first quarter.

5. Polysilicon makers Daqo and Wacker down to same margin level (Dec. 12)

The polysilicon price crash in China drove the EBITDA margins both of Chinese low-cost producer Daqo New Energy and its German competitor Wacker down to less than 15% in the third quarter.

4. U.S. customs detained more than 2 GW of solar panels in 2022 (Mar. 29)

Under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency has released 41% of all detained solar modules since June 2022; only 0.8% have been denied.

3. The crash of the polysilicon price was merely a matter of time (Jun. 15)

After the crash below US$10 per kg, the global polysilicon price has not yet reached its bottom. This lies below US$7 per kg – the cash cost level of the last producer needed to satisfy demand.

2. Polysilicon price slump accelerates, but will not last very long (Jan. 6)

Since the last week of December 2022, the slump of the polysilicon price has accelerated drastically; however, there are good arguments that the price collapse will soon come to a halt.

1. New: The Polysilicon Market Outlook 2027 (Nov. 28)

The long-awaited Polysilicon Market Outlook 2027 has been released now. The 102-page report analyzes many new developments on the polysilicon, solar and semiconductor markets.

Thank you for your interest in 2023. We wish you a peaceful holiday season and a happy, healthy New Year.