CHENGDU - China's first large cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar panel production line went into operation Tuesday in Southwest China's Sichuan province.

Located in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, the line can produce CdTe solar panels up to nearly two square meters in size, according to CNBM (Chengdu) Optoelectronic Materials Co., Ltd.

The thin-film solar panel can absorb and convert sunlight into electricity and can be manufactured at low cost, which is ideal for exterior walls of buildings.

"An increasing number of buildings use glass as exterior walls. However, glass absorbs heat and causes light pollution. CdTe solar panels could be a solution as they generate clean energy," said Pan Jingong, an official with the company, adding that CdTe photovoltaics will become a new green and environmentally friendly industry.

The price of an ordinary sheet of glass is about 80 yuan ($13), while a sheet of CdTe solar panel would sell for around 1,000 yuan, according to Pan.