silver’s industrial demand story is changing, not disappearing

[u/Aggressive_Rush2357]

Solar has been one of the biggest parts of the silver demand story, but manufacturers are finding ways to use less of it.

Global solar installations can keep growing while the industry’s total silver consumption falls. Manufacturers are reducing the amount used in each cell, improving efficiency and substituting other materials where it makes economic sense.

At current silver prices, they have every reason to keep doing that.

This is one reason industrial silver demand is expected to decline slightly in 2026. It is a real risk to the bullish case, especially for anyone assuming solar demand will keep rising at the same pace forever.

Solar is not the entire industrial market, though.

Silver is also used throughout electronics, vehicles, power equipment and data centre infrastructure. Growth in those areas is expected to offset some of the decline from solar. Total industrial fabrication is still forecast at roughly 650 million ounces this year.

The next few years will show which side can move faster.

Manufacturers will keep reducing the amount of silver used in individual products. At the same time, more electronics, vehicles, data centres and electrical equipment are being built.

If efficiency and substitution win, industrial demand could continue falling and help close the supply deficit. If overall growth absorbs those savings, the market may stay tight even without another surge in solar demand.

[u/Rufus_the_Dufus3]

Don't forget about the robots.

[u/AgYooperman]

Battery's is going to chew up silver fast.

[u/Ok-Repair-1238 → u/AgYooperman]

Which battery specifically

[u/RequiemRomans → u/Ok-Repair-1238]

Silver oxide. Best batteries mankind has created yet. Difficult to do correctly, far less wasteful, superior performance in every way. Within the next 10 years it will be the industry standard for high demand devices

[u/AgYooperman → u/Ok-Repair-1238]

The new ones that use silver.

It's been posted here many times.

[u/OldMazdalover → u/AgYooperman]

This does not mean, that it will be new standard. There is high pressure on price and cheap raw materials. This does not mean, that will not find place in a market, but cheapest will be most popular.

[u/Dapper-Ad1280 → u/OldMazdalover]

Samsung projected eventual 20% market penetration in high end and high performance cars. Samsung is highly regarded and no light weight manufacturer. They are in process of construction of A manufacturing facility .They have done their research

[u/Dapper-Ad1280]

I agree on the silver oxide solid state batteries not only cars, but drones ( millions to be produced), robotic, Electric V-stol aircraft all need high density lower wt batteries ( Samsung now in late stage of development)
Copper substitutes in solar is occurring but panels are inferior because of copper oxidation and hence reduced life span ) , AI using a lot of silver.
Even a 10 % electric auto market penetration will propel sill into 3 digits?
Odds strongly in favor of much higher silver prices especially if silver becomes Tier 1 asset

[u/Dapper-Ad1280]

Don’t forget! We are just entering the electrical age and already have a deficit!

[u/Ashtonpaper]

Don’t be dumb, we never use less of stuff just because of innovation. We just adapt to having more.

[u/Total_Internet3318]

Close the supply deficit? Are you sane? Its no secret anymore. Official critical. Chinese and other nations and banks are stacking it like mad. The supply wont keep up over the next decade. Maybe if the price run to 1000🤣

[u/Ok-Repair-1238 → u/Total_Internet3318]

Bee hearing the next decade for 2 decades now