Key updates from this Quarterly Solar Industry Update presentation:
- The United States installed 4.5 GWDC of PV in H1 2017—cumulative capacity reached 45.4 GW.
- Analysts estimate the United States will install between 8.5GW and 12.5 GW in 2017.
- On September 22, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) found that the domestic U.S. module and cell manufacturing industry had been seriously harmed by imports. The commissioners released proposed remedies in late October less severe than what the petitioners requested, and will officially file its proposal on November 13th, but it is up to the president to determine whether to put tariffs in place.
- Analysts estimate a significant tariff could reduce U.S. PV demand by 36%–43% between 2018 and 2021.
- Utah and New Hampshire are the latest of approximately nine states to adopt successor programs to net metering, lowering the value of exported solar energy to the grid.
- Recent estimates for 2017 global PV demand ranged from 81 GW to 103 GW.
- China (~42 GW), the United States (~11 GW), and India (~9 GW) are projected to be the largest markets in 2017.
- Most data suggest that U.S. PV system pricing, across market segments, continues its downward trajectory.
- U.S. PV system pricing remains higher than in much of the world, including other developed regions.