# Polysilicon: Feedstocks

Why electricity, not silicon, is the real raw material

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/feedstocks/

What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.

Polysilicon is made from metallurgical silicon, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen, but electricity is the decisive input: 48-55 MWh per tonne by Siemens. That is why Chinese plants sit in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Sichuan and Yunnan, where coal or hydro power is cheap.

#### Inputs per tonne

| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Si Silicon](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silicon/) | about 1.1 t per t polysilicon (indicative) | silicon source | silicon metal fell from RMB 15,000/t to RMB 8,500/t in 2024-25; about a quarter of cash cost (indicative) | China Polysilicon 2026 report; share indicative |
| [Tc Thermal coal](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/thermal_coal/) | 48-55 MWh (Siemens); 11-20 MWh (FBR) | reactor heating and conversion | largest single cash cost (indicative) | China Polysilicon 2026 report |
| [NaCl Salt](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/salt/) | make-up only; chlorine is recycled (indicative) | chlorosilane chemistry | small | Indicative |
| **Hydrogen** | make-up only (indicative) | reducing gas | small | Indicative |
| **Steam and water** | about 2.3 t steam and 8 t water (Siemens average) | utilities | small | China Polysilicon 2026 report |

#### Who is low-cost, and why

GCL's FBR (about RMB 25/kg cash) and Xinte's rods (about RMB 26/kg) are lowest; Tongwei and Daqo follow at RMB 30-35/kg. Wacker, OCI and Hemlock cost far more but sell into tariff-protected or semiconductor markets.

#### Raw materials on the commodity table
[Si Silicon](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silicon/)[Tc Thermal coal](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/thermal_coal/)

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/production/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/links/index.md)