Longi Green Energy Technology Co. has announced plans to start using base metals in place of silver in its solar cells, in what could prove to be a significant shift for manufacturers grappling with intense competition and sustained losses.
The Chinese solar giant, which is amongst the largest producers of solar panels globally, said mass production of solar products using base metals is expected to begin in the second quarter of this year. The move, the company added, is intended to “further lower the costs of solar modules”, though it did not provide additional detail on the materials to be used or the pace of the roll-out.
The decision comes at a time when solar manufacturers are facing increasing cost pressure from upstream materials, even as selling prices for panels remain under strain amid oversupply and fierce price competition across global markets.
Silver has become an increasingly prominent pain point for module producers. The cost of silver has been increasing as global investors retreat to precious metals in the wake of global instability. In December 2025, the price of silver reached an all-time high of $85.50, and while it has dipped slightly, it’s remaining persistently high – trading above $75 at the time of writing.
That is significant for solar panel producers, because according to BloombergNEF, silver now accounts for around 14% of solar module production costs, up from 5% two years ago. Given solar panel costs have been on the decline over many years due to intense competition within the market – manufacturers are keen to reduce their costs.
Industry-wide shift away from silver
While Longi is making its shift away from silver in the second quarter of this year, the industry has been pushing for some time to reduce the amount of silver used in solar manufacturing. One of Longi competitors, AIKO, has started using copper to form interconnection in its all-back contact (ABC) modules.
It’s not exactly clear what Longi’s transition plans entail, but unlike many manufacturers that focus on the more mainstream tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) technology, Longi produces back-contact (BC) solar cells, which can generate more power from the same amount of sunlight.
The company has previously argued that BC technology is more conducive to replacing silver with base metals. In May, it said it is easier to make that substitution in BC cells, and suggested the change could reduce costs by 0.02 yuan per watt.
While BC cells currently represent a smaller share of the market than TOPCon, the ability to reduce silver content – and therefore cut cost volatility linked to the precious metals market – could become a differentiator if high silver prices persist.
