According to the latest figures in the »Research Report on China's Polysilicon Industry, 2017-2021«, published by British consultancy Research and Markets, in 2016, production volume of polysilicon in China was 194 thousand tons, up by 17.5 percent year over year. Production volume of silicon wafers was about 63 GW (+31.2 percent), production volume of photovoltaic batteries was 53 GW (+20.7 percent) and new installed grid-connection capacity of photovoltaics reached 34.5 GW (+127 percent). Cumulative installed capacity was 77.42 GW.

In 2016, the export value of silicon wafers, battery pieces and components was around $13.84 billion, down by 11.3 percent compared to the previous year. Export to emerging markets like India, Turkey, Chile and Pakistan significantly increased while that of occident traditional markets decline to below 30 percent. In 2016, photovoltaic export decline was influenced by many domestic photovoltaic enterprises' setting up plants oversea, says the consultancy.

By the end of June, 2017, annual effective production capacity was about 230,000 tons per year, which increased by 20,000 tons compared to the end of 2016. GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Limited, TBEA Co., Ltd. and Daqo New Energy Corp. are leading enterprises. The analysts estimate that, by the end of 2017, annual production capacity of polysilicon in China will reach 250 to 260 thousand tons.

Due to the prediction of increasing demand for polysilicon in China photovoltaic industry in the next few years, some new investors, including East Hope Group, announced to enter the market. East Hope Group has invested to build a polysilicon project with annual production capacity of 120 thousand tons in Changjizhou,

Xinjiang Province so far. When it is finished, the group will become the largest polysilicon manufacturer in China, says Research and Markets.