Cadmium telluride is a substance that is made up of two elements, cadmium and tellurium. It is commonly used in making solar panels because it can convert sunlight into electricity. Full definition
If production of cadmium telluride solar panels increases substantially, it could trigger a scarcity of tellurium, raising the price for that type of panel. (news.nationalgeographic.com)
Additionally First Solar is building two new PV factories in the nation to make its large - format Series 6 modules; however First Solar's cadmium telluride thin film products are not subject to duties. (pv-magazine-usa.com)
In fact, cadmium telluride solar cells are currently the most ecofriendly devices, even though they use a toxic heavy metal, primarily because they require the least energy — typically provided by burning fossil fuels — to manufacture, says environmental engineer Vasilis Fthenakis, senior scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory's National Photovoltaic Environment Research Center in Upton, N.Y., and Columbia University. (scientificamerican.com)