China has proposed banning the export of advanced solar manufacturing technologies, including high-efficiency perovskite and tandem cell production, through a joint announcement published by the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Sciences and Technologies. The move aims to tighten state control over critical photovoltaic engineering know-how as public consultations run through November 15, 2026.
The proposed restrictions, detailed in announcement No. 48 of 2026, add twelve new photovoltaic technologies to China’s official catalogue of restricted or prohibited exports. This initiative forms part of a broader regulatory review encompassing forty distinct technologies across renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and biomedicine. While finished solar panels and standard modules remain outside the scope of the export ban, the regulatory measures target the specialized machinery, intellectual property, and industrial blueprints required to build next-generation solar components.
Export Prohibitions Target Tandem Cell Production Equipment
The proposed export prohibitions focus heavily on advanced manufacturing processes for perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells. Specifically, the rules target equipment capable of producing tandem cells using wafers of at least 182 millimeters with a conversion efficiency of 30% or higher. Slot-die coating procedures applied to perovskites with a coating width of at least 1.1 meters also face strict prohibitions.
Larger module architectures encounter equally rigorous efficiency and size thresholds. Single-junction perovskite modules spanning at least one square meter with an efficiency rating of 18% or higher, alongside tandem modules meeting the same surface area minimum with an efficiency of 28% or greater, fall squarely within the crosshairs of the new policy. pv-magazine.fr reported that the regulatory framework also restricts specialized production techniques for high-performance polysilicon, ultra-thin silicon wafers measuring 70 micrometers or less in thickness, and advanced cold hydrogenation processes.
Immediate Registration Mandates and National Security Rationale
Although the absolute export bans and licensing requirements await formal adoption following the close of public feedback, a provisional registration mandate took effect immediately upon the announcement. Companies seeking to transfer intellectual property, license technologies abroad, alter foreign ownership stakes, or finalize pending international transactions involving the listed technologies must register their intentions through the online system operated by China’s Ministry of Commerce.
State officials justify these sweeping controls through national security concerns, pointing to the expanding dual-use applications of advanced photovoltaic materials within aerospace, defense, and other sensitive sectors. The regulatory text maintains that the restrictions apply neutrally without targeting any specific nation, region, or enterprise.
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