2023 was one other yr of highs and lows for the photo voltaic trade. Positive-print particulars of the Inflation Discount Act’s many solar-related provisions steadily rolled out and captured the curiosity of C&I and utility contractors searching for further tax credit, whereas rising know-how like smarter inverters and bidirectional chargers promised extra promoting factors for residential installers.
Between the constructive developments got here struggles too. A big nationwide installer shuttered the vast majority of its branches, a examine flagged some severe wire administration set up points and a photo voltaic panel producer’s U.S. plant was raided by federal brokers.
It’s by no means a uninteresting second within the photo voltaic trade. Under are the Prime 10 most-read tales on SPW from the previous yr. Keep on prime of U.S. photo voltaic trade happenings in 2024 and past by following SPW on Twitter and subscribing to our weekly enewsletter.
10. Made-in-USA trackers, photo voltaic panels, inverters and extra qualify for 10% ‘home content material’ adder beneath sure guidelines
SPW readers stored a eager eye on IRA steering coming down from the U.S. Dept. of the Treasury and the IRS in 2023. The home content material bonus applies to tasks constructed utilizing required quantities of domestic-produced metal, iron and manufactured merchandise.
9. New SolarEdge inverters permit for bigger techniques with out important panel upgrades
With new embedded energy management system (PCS) know-how, some SolarEdge inverters can now monitor, stability and management the currents on the primary panel busbar and assist householders keep away from a expensive important panel improve.
8. Enphase enters business market with new three-phase microinverter
Residential microinverter chief Enphase entered the business market with a brand new product for small three-phase purposes and high-powered photo voltaic panels.
7. ADT Photo voltaic to shut 22 of 38 branches
In November, ADT introduced it was restructuring its photo voltaic enterprise it acquired from Sunpro in 2021 and shutting 22 of 38 branches. The corporate stated its complete photo voltaic income for Q3 2023 was $58 million, down 68% in comparison with Q3 2022.
6. Photo voltaic inspection report finds field-made photo voltaic connectors, wire administration precipitated most issues of safety
An evaluation of greater than 60,000 PV system well being datapoints from lots of of unbiased venture assessments discovered the vast majority of points have been associated to wire administration and field-made photo voltaic connectors.
5. SolarEdge bringing bidirectional EV charger to RE+
SolarEdge took its new bidirectional EV charger on the highway in 2023. The product allows solar-powered Automobile-to-House (V2H) and Automobile-to-Grid (V2G) features for purchasers seeking to get extra out of their EVs.
4. Home Methods and Means Committee proposes repeal of IRA in new tax invoice
For the second time in 2023, the Republican-led Home of Representatives proposed a repeal of the Inflation Discount Act. The invoice didn’t advance.
3. Functions now open for IRA low-income bonus credit score
The Dept. of the Treasury, the IRS and the Dept. of Vitality started accepting purposes for the IRA’s Low-Earnings Communities Bonus Credit score Program in October 2023. After the preliminary 30-day utility window, the directors revealed they acquired purposes representing greater than 8 GW of era capability for the 2023 program.
2. IRS releases steering on direct pay and transferability beneath IRA
The IRS printed steering on the IRA’s new possibility for direct pay and transferability of tax credit, which aimed to increase renewable vitality tax advantages to non-tax-paying entities. The brand new provisions apply to organizations together with nonprofits, state and native governments, Indian tribal governments and others.
1. JinkoSolar U.S. operations raided by federal brokers
Earlier than the AD/CVD investigation got here to an finish in August, native information shops reported that JinkoSolar’s photo voltaic panel manufacturing plant in Jacksonville, Florida, was raided by federal brokers within the spring. Though a big Chinese language producer of photo voltaic panels, Jinko additionally has a producing presence in Malaysia and ships many modules for the U.S. market from its Southeast Asian operations.
