China's control of rare-earth metals poses risk to U.S. solar future

China's tight control of rare metals may hurt developing domestic solar industries, according to a research director at the National Renewable Energy Lab.

"Folks are looking at, if we don't get it from China, how will we get it?" said Ryne Raffaele, director of the center for photovoltaics at NREL, the U.S. government's premier energy lab. "Can it easily be mined?"

Scientists at NREL, west of Denver, use an array of rare metals in their research.

The Chinese government's recent move to cut rare-metal exports by 35 percent and rapid growth of solar-panel manufacturing inside China also are chilling the climate for scientific cooperation. China produces 55 percent of the world's solar panels.

NREL hosts scientists sponsored by corporations and governments around the world, including a Chinese delegation last year. U.S. and Chinese leaders had discussed greater collaboration between their national academies of science.

"Obviously we have to be a lot more circumspect," Raffaele said. "There's been some speculation with regards to Chinese business practices."

Trade matters are expected to surface as President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao confer this week in Washington, D.C.

Bruce Finley: 303-954-1700 or bfinley@denverpost.com