Yingli has long said it wants to be the most fully integrated solar-panel manufacturer in the market. When it starts trial production at its new 3,000-tonne silicon plant this month, it will be the first leading Chinese panel-maker to produce its own raw material.
However, the advantages of having in-house polysilicon have changed radically in the past year. The raw material is now cheap and readily available on the spot market, and the new poly plant risks becoming a drag on growth.
“When
