PHOTON's 8th Solar Silicon Conference, the world's leading event on solar-grade silicon, will provide the latest update on this crucial upstream part of the PV sector that has been facing several challenges in the last few months:

  • Price drops: Silicon prices dropped from over $500 per kg
    in 2008 to $53 per kg in February 2010 – that's even below contract prices of $54 per kg
  • UMG-Si: Mass production of low-cost solar cells made from upgraded metallurgic-grade silicon has yet to take place
  • Delays: Several silicon start-ups have missed their original targets due to problems securing financing and/or technical challenges

In 2010/2011, the silicon world is changing and at least one company is using a technology other than Siemens reactors for its expansion:

  • Leadership: The world's biggest solar silicon company, Hemlock, is likely to defend its No. 1 position
  • Geographical changes: Some relatively new Asian silicon producers are entering the top ranks. OCI from Korea, for example, looks like it will become the world's second largest silicon producer soon
  • Integration: Big Chinese wafer/cell/module manufacturers
    have successfully started internal silicon production
  • Technologies: REC has launched commercial production
    of its fluidized-bed reactor (FBR) technology

At PHOTON's 8th Solar Silicon Conference, we've once again invited the world's premier silicon suppliers to discuss supply and demand, prices, and production technologies, aiming to answer the following questions:

  • Does it make sense to sign long-term contracts at times when silicon is available at spot prices that are lower than contract prices?
  • With demand for solar systems strongly picking up, how
    will the ratio of supply and demand change for silicon?
  • When should mid- and upstream PV companies start their
    own silicon production?
  • Is there any need to look at UMG-Si or other potential breakthrough technologies?

PHOTON's 8th Solar Silicon Conference is the global platform for discussion on the latest on silicon feedstock for the PV industry. It addresses executives, technologists, and sales and marketing experts from silicon suppliers and silicon users, such as ingot/wafer/cell manufacturers.