Group 1 - The recent increase in silicon and silver prices has intensified profit pressure on photovoltaic cell and module companies [1] - Since 2019, there has been a persistent supply-demand gap in silver, which is expected to remain in a long-term tight balance due to rigid supply and the growth of new applications requiring silver [1] - To control costs, reducing silver consumption has become a priority for photovoltaic cell and module companies, with copper identified as the most suitable alternative material [1] Group 2 - The industry has experience from PCB, MLCC, and semiconductor sectors to address issues related to copper oxidation and diffusion [1] - Progress in silver-coated copper and electroplated copper solutions in the photovoltaic sector is relatively fast, while pure copper paste remains the ultimate goal with several challenges to overcome [1] - If silver-coated copper and copper paste penetration rates reach 17.7% and 43% respectively by 2026-2027, the corresponding production of these materials will be 813 tons and 2,188 tons, providing significant performance elasticity for material and metal powder companies [1]