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Search results for: โ€œsilicon polysiliconโ€

  • Global polysilicon production capacity?

    Global polysilicon production capacity?

    Polysilicon is a highly pure, crystalline silicon material, used predominantly for photovoltaic solar, and also for ‘chips’ in the electronics industry. Global polysilicon capacity reached 3MTpa in 2024, and global polysilicon production surpassed 1.7MTpa in 2024. China now dominates the industry, approaching 94% of all global capacity.

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  • Amprius: silicon anode technology review?

    Amprius: silicon anode technology review?

    Amprius is commercializing a lithium-ion battery with a near-100% silicon anode, yielding 80% higher energy density. It can achieve 80% charge within 6-minutes. The company is listed on NYSE. We have reviewed Amprius’ silicon anode technology. The patent library is excellent, goes back to 2009 and has locked upon a specific design. This allows us…

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  • Photovoltaic silicon: the economics?

    Photovoltaic silicon: the economics?

    This model breaks down the costs of photovoltaic silicon, which explains $0.1/W of a $0.3/W solar panel. There is no way silicon producers are making economic returns below $12.5/kg mono-crystalline polysilicon prices. The average kg of PV silicon in a solar panel is also most likely associated with 140kg of direct CO2.

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  • Silicon carbide: production costs?

    Silicon carbide: production costs?

    This data-file captures the costs of producing different grades of silicon carbide: from materials grade SiC ($1,500/ton marginal cost, 5 tons/ton CO2 intensity) through to SiC wafers that are used in the electronics industry ($30M/ton, 200 tons/ton?). SiC semiconductor remains opaque.

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  • Perovskite solar: beyond silicon?

    Perovskite solar: beyond silicon?

    Will the next chapter of solarโ€™s ascent come from perovskite-tandem cells, followed by perovskite-on-perovskites? This 18-page report finds more momentum than we expected. There is potential for 30% cost deflation, new solar applications (in buildings/vehicles), and a disruption of PV silicon?

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  • Commodity prices: metals, materials and chemicals?

    Commodity prices: metals, materials and chemicals?

    Annual commodity prices are tabulated in this database for 70 materials commodities; covering steel prices, other metal prices, chemicals prices, polymer prices, all with data going back to 2012. 2022 was a record year for commodities. The average material commodity traded 25% above its 10-year average and 60% of all material commodities made ten-year highs.

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  • Nexwafe: PV silicon breakthrough?

    Nexwafe: PV silicon breakthrough?

    Nexwafe is growing standalone silicon wafers on mono-crystalline seed wafers, with no need to slice ingots. It should improve solar efficiency, materials intensity and CO2 intensity. Our technology review found 60 patent filings and can partly de-risk growth ambitions.

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  • Sila: silicon anode battery breakthrough?

    Sila: silicon anode battery breakthrough?

    Sila Nanotechnologies claims to have made “the biggest battery breakthrough in 30-years”, integrating silicon with the anodes of lithium ion batteries. Overall, our patent review did support some further de-risking of silicon anode LIBs.

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  • Semiconductors: outlook in energy transition?

    Semiconductors: outlook in energy transition?

    Semiconductors are an energy technology. And they are transforming the future global energy complex, across AI, solar, electric vehicles, LEDs and other new energies. This short article summarizes our outlook for semiconductors in energy transition, and resultant opportunities across our work.

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  • Silicon carbide: faster switching?

    Silicon carbide: faster switching?

    Silicon carbide power electronics will jolt the energy transition forwards, displacing silicon, and improving the efficiency of most new energies by 1-10 pp. Hence we wonder if this disruptor will surprise to the upside, quintupling by 2027. This 12-page note reviews the technology, advantages, challenges, and who benefits?

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