Navigating Changing Dynamics in U.S. Module Supply

The U.S. solar market has been experiencing an oversupply of PV modules, accompanied by rapidly falling prices. However, the threat of a new solar AD/CVD case could turn oversupply into scarcity overnight. In this pv magazine Webinar, we examine the risks and opportunities the industry’s rapidly changing supply environment presents to buyers and other project stakeholders and look at the most effective ways to manage them.

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PV manufacturing capacity is rapidly expanding in southeast Asia, India and the US to capture the price premiums available in the US market. This is resulting in significant oversupply and rapidly falling prices. However, industry insiders are warning that a new anti-dumping countervailing duty case against imported solar cells and modules may be only days away in the US.

This situation can leave buyers paralyzed between catching the falling knife of rapidly falling prices and preparing for circumstances of severely constrained supply. This presents a myriad of challenges, including the emergence of new suppliers who may have limited track records in the US market. We are also in the midst of a technology transition from PERC to TOPCon and HJT, and there are questions around how to negotiate a flexible supply agreement. Furthermore, there are quality risks associated with new suppliers, as well as with leaving modules in a warehouse for a long period between manufacturing and installation.

In this pv magazine Webinar, we take a closer look at the factors that have led to this extremely dynamic supply situation. We’ll examine the various risks that this situation presents to module buyers and offer advice on the most effective strategies to manage them.

Speakers:

CEA’s Senior Policy Analyst Christian Roselund provides some background on the differing conditions in U.S. and global markets and the U.S. trade and industrial policies that create the specific conditions in the U.S. market. Engilla Draper, Procurement and Supply Chain expert with CEA, will follow up with a look at the risks and opportunities that this situation presents for the industry. And finally, CEA Engineering Manager Claire Kearns-McCoy, will take us through some of the specific risks to module quality and performance that these supply dynamics can present.

pv magazine webinar content:

• Overview of the current supply dynamics in the PV module industry and how we got here

• Industry risks and benefits that this situation presents for buyers

• Opportunities and challenges related to supplier contract terms that buyers should be aware of

• Module quality and performance concerns as a result of the supply dynamics

• Q&A

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