The photo voltaic panel manufacturing business is rising in the USA, however demand continues to be outpacing the present home provide. If each U.S. plant is working at its full capacity, the nation needs to be producing practically 50 GW of photo voltaic panels every year. With an expected 2024 installation rate of 40 GW, realistically, the USA ought to be capable to fulfill all panel orders from inside its shores. However the information reveals in any other case.
Not solely are American photo voltaic panel assemblers probably not making wherever close to 50 GW of panels, the nation is importing extra completed panels than it wants for one calendar 12 months. Photo voltaic Energy World checked out information from the U.S. Worldwide Commerce Committee to see the larger image.
What number of cells and panels is the USA importing vs. producing?
Eradicating First Photo voltaic’s 10.7 GW of thin-film manufacturing capability from the equation, the USA nonetheless has the capability to supply round 40 GW of silicon photo voltaic panels. Suniva was the one home silicon cell producer to come back on-line earlier than the top of 2024, and its 1-GW capability probably nonetheless hasn’t been reached. So one of the best measure of what number of photo voltaic panels the nation is making is to have a look at silicon cell imports.
Knowledge reveals that the USA imported 13.89 GW of silicon cells in 2024. Photo voltaic cell imports elevated all year long, probably as extra new module assemblers got here on-line. If First Photo voltaic produced its full 10.7 GW in 2024, that added to the silicon cell imports means American photo voltaic panel corporations might have produced round 25 GW of completed panels in 2024.
Knowledge additionally reveals that the nation imported 54.3 GW of completed panels in 2024, as venture builders secured ample provides to satisfy timelines by safe harboring.
The place is the USA getting its photo voltaic cells?
With varied tariff battles and AD/CVD cases in impact, it is turn into extra vital to know the nation of origin for photo voltaic cells. Unsurprisingly, most imported silicon photo voltaic cells are coming from Southeast Asia. Of be aware: solely 490 kW of photo voltaic cells had been imported straight from China in 2024.
Which international locations are supplying the USA with photo voltaic panels?
The Prime 4 international locations from which the USA imports photo voltaic panels are the identical 4 international locations within the ongoing AD/CVD investigation: Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia. Imports from India, Indonesia and Laos are ticking up. Of be aware: 621.4 MW of panels got here from Mexico, and 122.8 MW got here from Canada. America imported 68.3 MW of panels straight from China.
Photo voltaic Energy World is your own home for home manufacturing information
Photo voltaic Energy World has been reporting on the U.S. photo voltaic business for 15 years, and we’re proud to be your own home for the most recent and most correct reporting on home manufacturing. Not solely do our editors monitor the solar panel area, however we even have been compiling lists of inverter and mounting producers organising in the USA. You may observe all of our American solar supply chain coverage here.
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