Tongwei poised to become the world’s largest polysilicon maker

China-based polysilicon and solar cell manufacturer Tongwei is taking the first steps to implement its ambitious plan of reaching a high-purity polysilicon capacity of 220,000 to 290,000 metric tons (MT) by the end of 2023.

The company has announced that it will expand the 50,000 MT plant of its subsidiary Sichuan Yongxiang in Leshan, Sichuan province by a capacity of 35,000 MT and will build a new 40,000 MT plant in Baoshan, Yunnan province.

Construction on both projects is slated to be completed in September and November 2021, respectively. Along with its existing 30,000 MT plant in Baotou, Inner Mongolia province, Tongwei will then reach a total capacity of 155,000 MT, thus becoming the world’s largest polysilicon manufacturer.

Other top five producers in China will probably follow suit. Daqo has said it will make a decision on its Phase 4B project in the second half of 2020. That expansion would bring Daqo’s capacity to approx. 120,000 MT.

According to a Chinese media report, 80% of the material from Tongwei’s new capacity in Leshan will meet the requirements for n-type monocrystalline wafers.

The company’s new site in Yunnan is in line with the plan of its production partner Longi to increase its monocrystalline wafer capacity in the same province by 20 GW.