US solar faces policy and cost headwinds

Recent government move to pause tariffs on imports from Southeast Asia not enough to remove uncertainty hampering the sector, analysts say

The US commercial solar power sector faces significant headwinds in the near term as trade policy uncertainty and soaring costs threaten the viability of some projects, according to speakers at consultancy Wood Mackenzie’s Solar & Energy Storage Summit in San Diego, California. US president Joe Biden paused the imposition of new tariffs on solar panels and modules from Southeast Asia for up to two years in early June to help ease a shortage of components amid a US Department of Commerce (DOC) probe into attempts by Chinese manufacturers to sidestep duties. Biden also authorised use of the Defense Production Act (DPA) to accelerate domestic manufacture of clean energy technologies, includ