Myanmar earthquake disrupts solar wafer production, global supply chain

Myanmar earthquake disrupts solar wafer production, global supply chain The 7.9-magnitude earthquake impacted western regions of China that ac for around 50% of the ry’s total solar wafer producing capacity, leading to companies being forced to suspend production. April 2, 2025 Patrick Jowett Highlights Manufacturing Markets Modules & Upstream Manufacturing China Myanmar Image: Feiza, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Share The large-scale earthquake that struck central Myanmar towards the end of March has disrupted the global solar supply chain, according to a statement from JinkoSolar. A spokesperson for the Chinese module manufacturer told pv magazine the 7.9-magnitude earthquake had a “major impact” on the western regions of China, the ry’s primary wafer-producing area, which acs for around 50% of total wafer-producing capacity. Major wafer companies have suspended production due to equipment failures, JinkoSolar’s statement added, with repairs expected to take “several weeks or even months.” The damage has been most severe in the Yunnan province and Yibin prefecture of Sichuan province, with reports of equipment failures such as furnace shutdowns and explosions that could impact production over a longer period. A forthcoming wafer shortage is expected as a result. Before the earthquake, wafer prices surged nearly 6.7%, according to JinkoSolar, with the peak season for solar installations triggering a wave of stockpiling. “Market analysts highlight that the disruptions from the earthquake could hinder the ongoing efforts to resume wafer production,” JinkoSolar’s statement added. “This could further tighten supply [and] will likely drive prices higher in the short term.” The supply chain has also been impacted by a loss of infrastructure. The collapse of the Ava Bridge in Myanmar, located between Mandalay and the China-Myanmar border, has affected the transportation of PV materials, including silver paste and glass. This means PV modules travelling from the Chinese province of Zhejiang to Myanmar are being rerouted through alternative ports, which is expected to increase transport costs by approximately 15%. Meanwhile, partial damage to roads in Yunnan and Sichuan has extended inter-provincial transport times by 20% to 30%. JinkoSolar’s statement added that some areas in Yinchuan and Inner Mongolia are experiencing decreased production rates due to power line failure and logistics disruptions, which are expected to be recovered in around one weeks’ time. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com. Austa releases all-in-one storage system for residential use 31 March 2025 Austa has launched an all-in-one residential storage system with a three-phase inverter offering output from 5,000 W to 15,000 W and storage capacitie...