On 16 October, China's Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Science and Technology published Joint Announcement No. 48 of 2026. It proposes adding 12 solar manufacturing technologies to the national catalogue of technologies prohibited or restricted from export. The solar items sit inside a wider package of 40 technologies, and public comment is open until 15 November.
Why Beijing says it is acting
The ministries frame the move as a security measure. They say solar technology is "increasingly being used in sensitive areas like aerospace and national defense" and that controls are needed to "guard against the risks of technologies from running out of control or being improperly disseminated." They add that the measures "do not target any particular country, region or company."
What would be banned
The proposed outright bans target the frontier of the industry: production know-how for perovskite-silicon tandem cells at 30% efficiency or more, large-area perovskite modules above set efficiency thresholds, perovskite slot-die coating at 1.1 metres width or more, and silicon wafers of 70 micrometres or thinner. On the materials side they cover cold-hydrogenation fluidized-bed trichlorosilane lines of 250,000 tonnes a year or more and silane fluidized-bed processes of 20,000 tonnes a year or more.
What would need a licence
A second tier would require government licences. It covers polysilicon plant engineering from 30,000 tonnes a year, advanced crystal-pulling and wafer-cutting processes, and high-performance TOPCon, back-contact and heterojunction cell processes, including deposition, passivation, diffusion and metallization steps.
Not yet law, but already biting
The bans and licensing rules are still drafts. An interim registration regime, however, started on 16 October. Exporters of the listed technologies, including qualifying key equipment, must now register with the ministry before any transfer. That covers IP transfers, overseas licensing and deals that hand a foreign entity ownership or control.
Modules and cells keep flowing
The draft does not restrict finished cells, modules or wafers. Technologies below the stated thresholds, and products made with controlled technologies, fall outside its scope. The controls would instead hit licensing, equipment exports, line installation and commissioning, and on-site technical support.
Why now
China holds more than 80% of global polysilicon, wafer, cell and module manufacturing capacity. Reuters reported earlier this year that officials had discussed curbs with manufacturers and that Beijing had already limited solar technology exports to India. Analysts read the move as an effort to protect that lead while other countries try to build their own supply chains.
What it means for European developers
For EPCs and developers buying Chinese modules, nothing changes today: supply contracts and module prices are not directly affected. The exposure sits further up the chain. European manufacturers that planned to license Chinese TOPCon, back-contact or heterojunction lines, or to buy tandem and perovskite process know-how, may face delays, licence requirements or refusals. That strengthens the case for Europe's own manufacturing push and for diversified procurement. Watch the consultation close on 15 November and the final catalogue text, and check any technology-linked supply or equipment contract for Chinese export-licence clauses.
