Energy Insider: 13 Miners Trapped in Shanxi Mining Disaster; Regulators Scrutinize Commodity Hoarding

In today’s Caixin energy news wrap: China’s crude steel production rises as prices start falling; regulators step up scrutiny of hoarding and stockpiling of solar panel materials and coal; freight transport on Yangtze River rises, and more miners are in danger in yet another mining disaster.

Industry regulator blasts solar panel materials hoarding

The China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) warned against hoarding of polycrystalline silicon and silicon wafer products amid recent price surges, saying it will further distort market prices of the key materials for the solar panel industry. The price of polycrystalline silicon has skyrocketed over the past three months and is 2.5 times that of last year-end, the association said. Some PV companies have drastically cut production or halted operations, even in breach of order contracts, taking a toll in the healthy development of the industry in China, the CPIA said.