Energy Department Designates Helium as Critical Material to Strengthen American Manufacturing and Supply Chain Security
The Department of Energy announced that Secretary of Energy Chris Wright designated helium as a critical material under the Energy Act of 2020. The department said helium meets the statutory definition because of its essential role in American manufacturing and growing exposure to supply chain risks, and described it as indispensable to semiconductor production with no viable substitutes in many critical applications. It also said global demand for helium is growing faster than production, while limited refining capacity and lengthy permitting timelines constrain domestic production despite significant deposits of helium-rich natural gas.
Why it matters: The designation is an instance of the briefing's supply chain security theme, connecting a critical-material listing to semiconductor manufacturing and domestic production constraints.