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Demand for Copper in the Photovoltaic Industry

1. Demand Volume and Growth  

The photovoltaic industry is one of the significant sources of copper demand. According to forecasts, by 2025, the global newly installed capacity for photovoltaics will reach 390-430 GW (optimistic estimate), with corresponding copper consumption increasing from 920,000 tons in 2022 to 1.88 million tons, representing an annual growth rate of 26.9%. 

The development of new energy has significantly driven the growth of copper demand, particularly in fields such as electric vehicles, photovoltaics, and wind power. With the global energy transition and the advancement of carbon neutrality goals, copper, as a key conductive material, is increasingly being applied in these emerging sector

Tellurium copper alloys, known for their excellent conductivity and mechanical strength, have a wide range of applications in high-tech fields such as electrical contact materials, welding electrodes, switch contacts, and the sliding plates of pantographs in high-speed trains. In recent years, with the development of new energy, rail transportation, and high-end manufacturing industries, the demand for high-performance tellurium copper alloys has been increasing. Advances in alloy preparation technologies, such as the optimization of powder metallurgy and continuous casting and rolling processes, have improved the consistency and performance of the materials while reducing production costs.

Short-term Market Supply Changes: The cancellation of the export tax rebate policy may lead enterprises to accelerate exports before the policy takes effect, resulting in a phenomenon of concentrated export rush in the short term. This will have a certain impact on the supply of copper materials in the market, potentially leading to a temporary increase in domestic market supply, while the supply in the international market may become tighter.

On November 15, 2024, the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration of China jointly issued an important announcement, stating that starting from December 1, 2024, the export tax rebate policy for products such as copper materials, aluminum materials, and chemically modified animal, plant, or microbial oils and fats will be canceled. This policy adjustment affects 34 tax codes related to copper materials, including copper bars, rods, wires, sheets, foils, and tubes.

Beryllium copper alloy, as a high-performance copper-based alloy, plays a crucial role in various industries due to its unique physical and chemical properties.

Beryllium copper alloy is primarily composed of copper and a small amount of beryllium, and may also include other alloying elements such as nickel and cobalt.