More than 3 GW of the projects currently in the U.S. photovoltaic project pipeline had been set to use Chinese modules, according to analysis by NPD Solarbuzz. However, with the recent anti-subsidy and anti-dumping rulings proposed by the U.S. Department of Commerce, companies may have to find other suppliers or, potentially, pay higher prices for those modules.
The U.S. solar PV project pipeline is now approaching 50 GW of commercial and utility projects. While, such projects generally offer economy-of-scale savings, many could face challenges from the cost increases stemming from the U.S. trade actions, NPD Solarbuzz says.
‘Large-scale ground-mount PV installations are particularly vulnerable to cost increases and potential disruption, as many have signed power purchase agreements at aggressive rates,’ says Michael Barker, senior analyst at NPD Solarbuzz. ‘Any increase in cost for the projects could mean renegotiation, delay or even termination.’
