Sunrise brief: Solar trade headwinds

Also on the rise: Solar energy needs to be a bipartisan issue, U.S. adds 3.8 GW of storage in Q3, solar manufacturing slows in bid to balance supply and demand, and more.

December 16, 2024 pv magazine

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Solar manufacturing slows in bid to balance supply and demand Smaller solar manufacturers have been shuttering production lines, but not at a pace fast enough to return profit margins to healthy territory. InfoLink’s Amy Fang considers what lies ahead for PV companies in the near term.

A solar-powered economy Despite political uncertainty, one thing is clear: solar will play a critical role in powering the US economy. That was discussed at length in the three-day pv magazine USA Week virtual event. Ryan Kennedy provides some key takeaways.

Trump touts solar trade tariffs While the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is reshoring solar manufacturing in the United States, raising import tariffs may slow momentum. The actions of the incoming Trump administration are tough to forecast at this point.

U.S. adds 3.8 GW of storage in Q3, residential battery storage hits all-time high In the third quarter of 2024, the U.S. installed 3.8 GW of storage across all segments, 80% increase from Q3 2023.

The critical path for startups in the energy storage and battery market Early-stage battery and energy storage companies will have to disrupt conventional approaches, forge strategic partnerships, and navigate a landscape dominated by established giants.

Solar trade headwinds Prices across the solar supply chain remained in bearish territory into the fourth quarter of 2024. Trade and regulatory developments have continued to preoccupy the industry and dampen trading activity.

Solar energy needs to be a bipartisan issue It would be economically detrimental for a change in political leadership to negatively impact domestic manufacturing, job creation and harm America’s competitive posture.

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