Cadmium telluride solar power generation concept stocks

What is cadmium telluride?

Cadmium telluride is a type of “thin film” solar cell, and, as that name suggests, it’s much thinner than a traditional silicon cell. Today, panels using cadmium telluride supply about 40 percent of the U.S. utility-scale market, and about 5 percent of the global solar market.

Can cadmium telluride help protect the US solar market?

And in June, the U.S. Department of Energy and its National Renewable Energy Laboratory, or NREL, launched a $20 million program to accelerate research and grow the supply chain for cadmium telluride. One of the goals of the program is to help insulate the U.S. solar market from global supply constraints.

Will cadmium telluride take more market share?

“It’s a very volatile time, especially for the crystalline silicon supply chain in general,” said Kelsey Goss, a solar research analyst for the energy consultancy group Wood Mackenzie. “There’s great potential for cadmium telluride manufacturers to take more market share in the coming year.”

What is cadmium selenium tellurium (CdTe)?

In modern cells, cadmium selenium tellurium (CdSeTe) is often used in conjunction with CdTe to improve light absorption. Learn more about how solar cells work. CdTe solar cells are the second most common photovoltaic (PV) technology after crystalline silicon, representing 21% of the U.S. market and 4% of the global market in 2022.

Is the cadmium telluride sector scaling up?

Especially, she noted, since the cadmium telluride sector is already scaling up. In June, the solar manufacturer First Solar said it would invest $680 million in a third cadmium telluride solar factory in northwest Ohio. When the facility is finished, in 2025, the company will be able to make 6 gigawatts’ worth of solar panels in the area.

What is the cadmium telluride accelerator consortium?

The new Cadmium Telluride Accelerator Consortium will work on continued cost and efficiency improvements that will make CdTe cheaper and more efficient, and more competitive on the global market.