domestic manufacturing

The global tariffs announced by US president Donald Trump last week will have a limited effect on solar imports from Asia, according to a report from BMI.

This would be treble the installations registered globally in 2024, with China controlling most of the supply chain.

Through its US subsidiary, Mission Solar Energy, the Korean company will invest US$265 million in the construction of the plant.

Construction of the solar cell plant is expected to begin in mid-year 2025 with commercial production beginning in the second half of 2026.

Under this new domestic content requirement, solar PV cells based on crystalline-silicon technology would be considered to be domestically manufactured only if they used undiffused silicon wafers.

The investment will allow the company to build a commercial-scale perovskite manufacturing plant in the US.

Solar manufacturer Solx Energy has signed a PV frame supply agreement with steel frame producer Origami Solar for its module assembly plant in Puerto Rico.

Array Technologies expects that 100% of its trackers will be eligible for domestic content benefits n the first half of 2025.

Canadian solar cell and module manufacturer Heliene has signed a multi-year agreement with PV frame producer Origami Solar for the supply of steel frame modules.

The announcement comes just days after the Trump administration announced plans for a 25% tariff on steel and aluminium imports.