Taiwan-based solar-grade polysilicon wafer maker Gigastorage expects to reach full utilization of its annual capacity of 700MWp in March 2015, up from the current 70%, due to growing demand, according to company president Tsai Li-chuan.
There has been strong demand for Taiwan-made high-efficiency polysilicon solar cells with energy conversion rates above 17.8%, and Gigastorage's wafers offer energy conversion rates of 17.8-18.4%, Tsai said.
Many of Taiwan's polysilicon solar cell makers, to meet increasing orders for high-efficiency products, have been decreasing procurement of less expensive wafers produced by second-tier China-based makers and instead increasing purchases from Taiwan suppliers, Tsai indicated, adding the China-made products inferior in energy conversion efficiency.
Despite strong demand, it is difficult to hike quotes for solar wafers and most of Taiwan's makers still suffer net operating losses including Gigastorage, Tsai said.
Gigastorage is in developing P-type and N-type solar-grade monocrystalline silicon wafers and the time to start production hinges on when the demand emerges, Tsai indicated.