United States Suffering From An Acute Shortage Of Solar Panels

According to some estimates, a few thousand solar panel shipping containers have been detained by U.S. Customs close to ports like Los Angeles, and even more, have been stopped in factories and ports from Vietnam to Malaysia or diverted to locations like Europe as a result of U.S. legislation meant to stop labor abuses in China.

The disruptions have seriously hindered the deployment of solar energy in the United States, where there are few indigenous producers and more than 80% of all panels are imported, primarily from Chinese and other Asian manufacturers.

According to an industry body called the American Clean Power Association, major solar projects totaling 23 gigawatts have been delayed so far this year. This is about twice as much as was installed in all of 2021 and close to a third of all such projects currently under development.

In order to deal with the situation, solar developers and installers are delaying deadlines, rushing to purchase panels from new suppliers, and contributing money to the establishment of solar manufacturing in the United States—even though it will be years before these factories are able to start producing goods.

Many developers claim that their only option is to wait. According to Rebecca J. Kujawa, CEO of NextEra's renewable energy segment, at least three significant solar projects from the Florida-based power firm are halted due to a paucity of panels.

She said, "We don't have the panels we need to finish the work.

A new rule targeting human rights violations in Xinjiang, a region in western China that produces nearly half of the world's solar-grade silicon—a crucial component for the majority of panels—began to be enforced by U.S. Customs agents in June. The UFLPA, or Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, effectively forbids the import of goods complex substrates from Xinjiang.