Demand explosion: all major fields are scrambling for "fibersglass"
Global demand for glass fiber will exceed 7.6 million tons in 2024, with China exporting 2.022 million tons alone, a year-on-year increase of 12.5%. Behind this boom, in addition to traditional mainstays like wind power and new energy vehicles, the rise of the AI industry is becoming a new growth engine:
AI hardware is driving a surge in demand for electronic glass fiber. With the surge in computing power required for large-scale model training, demand for high-thermal-conductivity, high-pressure-resistant glass fiber materials is surging for data center servers and AI chip heat dissipation components. In 2024, my country's total production of glass fiber electronic yarn will reach 809,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 2.7%. Sales of low-dielectric glass fiber cloth for AI server circuit boards will grow by over 15%. This specialized glass fiber can improve chip heat dissipation efficiency by 30% during operation, ensuring the long-term and stable operation of AI equipment.
The wind power sector remains the largest driver. In 2024, China's newly installed wind power capacity will reach approximately 87GW, a 9.6% increase, driving demand for high-modulus glass fiber to 870,000 tons. A single 120-meter-long giant blade uses 12 tons of glass fiber. China Jushi's E9 high-modulus glass fiber saw a 22% year-on-year sales surge in 2024 due to its outstanding wind resistance.
The lightweight revolution in new energy vehicles continues to accelerate. In 2024, national new energy vehicle production is projected to reach 13.168 million units, a year-on-year increase of 38.7%. Each vehicle will use 4-6kg of glass fiber, driving annual demand for thermoplastic glass fiber to 1.684 million tons. Automakers such as BYD and Tesla utilize extensive glass fiber composites in their battery casings and chassis components, reducing weight by over 20% compared to steel.
The photovoltaic sector is also experiencing significant growth. Replacing aluminum photovoltaic frames with glass fiber composites will reduce costs by 30%, leading to a 40% increase in demand in 2024 and driving the consumption share of industrial glass fiber felt products in new energy applications to 28%.
From AI servers to wind turbine blades, from new energy vehicles to photovoltaic panels, this "glass fiber" is taking root in more fields in line with the pace of industrial upgrading.