China has announced new export restrictions on materials that are essential for the thin film solar industry, including critical minerals such as strap, Tellurium and Indium.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the General Board of Customs has imposed export checks on tilla window, Tellurium, Bismut, Molybdenen and Indium.
The decision, approved by the State Council, is intended to protect national security, to protect strategic means and to meet international non-proliferation obligations, according to an official statement. Exportors of these materials must now obtain special approval from the Ministry, in accordance with the Chinese export control legislation and foreign trade legislation. The limitations immediately came into effect.
The new measures are specifically aimed at Tellurium and are connections, including Cadmium Telluride (CDTE), Cadmium Zink Telluride (CDZNTE) and Cadmium Kwik Telluride (CDHGTE). They treat both the refined metal and the chemical derivatives, as well as related technologies and production data.
The move is expected to significantly influence the global solar industry, because Cadmium Telluride is crucial for thin-film solar cells. China dominates the global Tellurium refining and CDTE production, which means that the export roots can strengthen the offer and increase prices. The American first solar energy, the world’s largest producer of CDTE Dunne film PV modules, can be influenced in particular.
According to a recent research report from Dongguan Securities on 5 February, China produced 750 tons of refined Tellurium in 2024, accounting for around 76.53% of the global output. In 2023, the nation exported approximately 1,200 tons of CDTE materials, a considerable part of global consumption.
Based on the export data of China 2023, these shipments supported approximately 12 GW of CDTE-based thin film Solar production.
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