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I wrote about it a handful of occasions final yr — US photo voltaic manufacturing acquired an enormous enhance from the Inflation Discount Act of 2022 (aka IRA) and has supplied much more blue collar (or “green collar”) jobs within the nation once more. Total, the IRA has been the most important reshoring laws within the historical past of the US.
Nevertheless, the photo voltaic manufacturing trade achieved some wonderful progress within the nation even earlier than the IRA was enacted. The Photo voltaic Vitality Industries Affiliation (SEIA) wrote about this over the Christmas vacation and included some huge new information — or a minimum of information that I hadn’t seen earlier than.
“(Solar) is a technology that was invented right here in America, but over the past 20 years, like in many other industries, U.S. manufacturing has struggled to compete against countries that invested in building a domestic industry. While the country maintained important solar manufacturing in some areas, domestic solar products such as panels were fewer and farther between,” SEIA wrote.
“Issues have modified. In 2017, the U.S. ranked 14th on the earth for photo voltaic panel manufacturing capability. Beginning in 2018 after which accelerating in 2022, extra factories began arising left and proper all through the nation, with a spotlight within the South.
“Major investments poured into building factories and expanding existing facilities. Today, the U.S. has leapfrogged competitors and ranks 3rd in manufacture of solar panels, passing large solar manufacturing countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Turkey.”
Wow — from 14th on the earth in 2017 to third on the earth in 2024!
This explosion in US photo voltaic module manufacturing really, in principle, makes the US an energy-independent nation by way of solar energy. “After a record Q3, US solar manufacturing has reached a critical threshold. At full capacity, American solar module factories can now produce enough to meet nearly all demand for solar in the US.”
After all, by no means understanding when to cease, the plans are to construct increasingly photo voltaic module factories. “Despite the growth, American panel production is not done expanding — there are more factories on the way, either announced or under construction. And that means more American jobs as well — if we maintain policies that keep the growth on track, by 2033, America’s solar manufacturing workforce will grow even more.”
SEIA additionally mentions manufacturing of photo voltaic monitoring expertise, photo voltaic inverters, photo voltaic wafer tech, and photo voltaic cells. The photo voltaic cell manufacturing facet is definitely probably the most fascinating. “American solar cell manufacturing resumed in Q3 2024 for the first time since 2019 when Suniva re-opened its Georgia cell factory, creating 240 new jobs. Additional cell manufacturing has been announced in South Carolina, Georgia, and Indiana. All told, 12 GW of cell production is currently under construction, and another 34 GW has been announced. Once operational, these facilities will also have the capacity to meet current American demand.”
SEIA closes with an enormous warning.
“The success of the home photo voltaic manufacturing buildout is exclusive — there is no such thing as a different nation on the earth, exterior of China, that’s constructing a scaled, unified, and full home provide chain. Different international locations have typically elevated manufacturing of sure merchandise. For instance, particular person Southeast Asian international locations have produced photo voltaic wafers, cells, and panels, and South Korea has produced photo voltaic cells and panels.
“The distinction is that, as long as we don’t reverse the insurance policies that acquired us so far and might be affected person as future services are constructed, America goes to have means to supply the important thing parts – from polysilicon as much as the ultimate panel, along with inverters, trackers, and racking.
“SEIA can say with confidence that this is only the beginning. That’s because we are talking to dozens of other companies that are preparing to launch the next wave of domestic solar manufacturing. There is more work to be done to keep things on track, but if key policies stay in place and are not reversed, this may be one of the most successful onshoring efforts in history.”
Yeah, about that….
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