Did you just seriously use a VICE article as a source for technical information? Aside from that gaffe, even they don't mention any use for rare earth metals in solar panels. I challenge you to find some use that would make sense in your bog-standard crystalline silicon PV panel. I've never been able to find any.
Zero mention of rare earth metals in conjunction with PV, as expected. Thanks for agreeing with me.
[EDIT: Even in wind turbines, they're not technically necessary, as, e.g., Enercon turbines such as https://www.enercon.de/en/products/ep-8/e-126/ with induction generators are demonstrating. But I'm glad we dispelled once and for all this with this nonsense that lanthanoids have anything to do with PV technology.]