Helium Named a Critical Material
Energy Secretary Chris Wright added helium to the federal list of critical materials, citing its role in making semiconductors and the risk to its supply as global demand outgrows production. No funding or projects were announced with it.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright has designated helium a critical material under the Energy Act of 2020, the Energy Department announced. The department said helium meets the law's definition because of its essential role in American manufacturing and its growing exposure to supply risks.
Helium is indispensable to semiconductor production, with no workable substitute in many uses, the department said, and global demand is growing faster than production. The United States has large deposits of helium-rich natural gas, but limited refining capacity and long permitting timelines hold back domestic output, according to the department.
"Helium is essential to producing the semiconductors and advanced technologies that power our economy," Wright said. The department published a notice of the designation in the Federal Register. Audrey Robertson, an assistant energy secretary, said the department wants manufacturers to have "reliable access to helium." The announcement names no new spending, project or production target tied to it.
Washington — The Energy Department has added helium to its list of critical materials, saying the gas is indispensable to chipmaking and that its supply is increasingly at risk.
What the designation says
Wright made the designation under the Energy Act of 2020, the department said, finding that helium meets the statutory definition of a critical material "due to its essential role in American manufacturing and growing exposure to supply chain risks." The department published a Federal Register notice with the announcement.
Why helium
Helium's properties make it "indispensable to semiconductor production, with no viable substitutes in many critical applications," the department said. Global demand is growing faster than production, raising supply risks for American manufacturers. The United States holds significant deposits of helium-rich natural gas, but "limited refining capacity and lengthy permitting timelines continue to constrain U.S. production," the announcement said.
"By designating helium as a critical material, we are taking another step toward securing our supply chains," Wright said. Audrey Robertson, an assistant energy secretary, said the department wants manufacturers to have "reliable access to helium."
What it does not do
The announcement names no new funding, project or production target. It places helium among the materials the department treats as essential to the economy and exposed to supply disruption.