Solar PV and Carbon Border Pricing Mechanisms, an Overview and Assessment
February, 2024
The EU and US are leading efforts to reduce the carbon intensity of PV manufacturing through targeted import tariffs. As well as supporting decarbonisation efforts, such policies could also promote geographic diversification in the solar supply chain and greater supply resilience, writes Michael Parr of the Ultra Low Carbon Solar Alliance
Read MoreWhat the Auxin tariff ruling means for the pursuit of low-carbon solar manufacturing
August 30, 2023
The recent final determination by the US Commerce Department in the Auxin Solar tariff case, finding that a number of Chinese solar manufacturers in Southeast Asia are circumventing previously levied anti-dumping duties and will be subject to very high duties beginning 2024, is not unexpected.
Read More
Three Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Module Manufacturers Are Pursuing EPEAT Ecolabel in 2023
June 21st, 2023
Specifying EPEAT Panels Sends Signal to Entire Solar Supply Chain to Produce Sustainably-Made, Low-Carbon Products for Developers and Buyers.
Read MoreLatest Trends in Sustainability Standards for Solar PV Modules
April 30, 2023
Life cycle assessments estimate that PV modules made with energy from high carbon resources can have nearly twice the embodied carbon as modules produced with lower carbon resources.
Read MoreInflation Reduction Act Responds to Asia's Solar Markets
April 6, 2023
The IRA, a historical shift in US policy, provides a more comprehensive framework with significant incentives for domestic manufacturing of PV technologies across the supply chain and PV deployment.
Read More
GEC Working to Advance Decarbonization of Solar Panel Production
March 23, 2023
“The market needs a trusted methodology to evaluate the carbon emissions of solar panels during production in order to make informed purchasing decisions” says Bob Mitchell, CEO of GEC.
Read MoreNew label to designate solar modules made with less carbon
March 22, 2023
The Global Electronics Council officially publishes new ultra low-carbon solar criteria for the EPEAT ecolabel.
Read MoreCan the U.S. fill its domestic solar supply chain gaps?
March 15, 2023
Michael Parr talks with Anne Fischer of PV Magazine about the state of the current domestic solar supply chain and what needs to happen next.
Read MoreSupply Chain Woes Strain Solar Industry’s Use of New Tax Breaks
February 9, 2023
Bloomberg analyzes the importance of expanding manufacturing for all steps of the solar supply chain.
Read MoreEuropean PV equipment makers pitch machines to US solar manufacturers
February 3, 2023
The Alliance recently co-sponsored a VDMA event to matchmake between EU equipment suppliers and PV manufacturers expanding in the US.
Read MoreEurope’s solar industry forms alliance in bid to revive supply chains
December 9th, 2022
European renewable energy leaders have formed an alliance aimed at reviving the continent's solar supply chains.
Read MoreUS government calls for continued tariffs on solar imports
December 5th, 2022
A new US government ruling is a mistake that the solar industry will have to deal with for the next several years, according to a solar trade group CEO.
Read MoreCommerce suggests antidumping tariffs be extended to solar cell and panel imports from Southeast Asia
December 2nd, 2022
The Dept. of Commerce today released its preliminary decision, stating that certain Chinese solar cell and panel producers in four Southeast Asian countries are indeed working in those countries to avoid paying duties on Chinese-made solar goods.
Read MoreCommerce Department AD/CVD ruling calls for continued tariffs on solar imports
December 2nd, 2022
The ruling is a mistake that the solar industry will have to deal with for the next several years, according to a solar trade group CEO.
Read MoreNew tool showcases solar manufacturing outside of China
October 11th, 2022
A new interactive tool aims to showcase the solar industry's manufacturing capacity outside of China, which currently dominates most supply chains, and has been subject to trade disputes and forced labor concerns.
Read More
Making solar panels isn't always green
September 20th, 2022
Tellurium is used to make solar panels—an important clean energy source—but mining it in China is decidedly not.
Read MoreThe US solar industry has a supply problem
September 18th, 2022
Matt Blois writes for Chemical & Engineering News: China’s control of solar manufacturing puts the sector at risk of disruption.
Read More
The new solar playing field
June 21st, 2022
Michael was interviewed by Kelsey Tamborrino of Politico about the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. He was quoted in two POLITICO newsletters, including Morning Energy.
Read MoreSolar is one of the cleanest power sources we’ve got. But it could be even greener.
June 21st, 2022
This piece explores the ongoing efforts to make polysilicon production cleaner, including from Alliance members.
Read MoreA greener PV
April 22nd, 2022
Michael Parr and James Scully at PV Tech discuss industry-wide efforts for a greener solar pv industry.
Read MoreSecuring a better solar supply chain, one purchase at a time.
May 6th, 2022
Michael Parr and Patricia Dillon of the Global Electronics Council discuss future opportunities in sustainable solar procurement
Read MoreHow US solar manufacturers can compete with China as decentralisation of PV production grows
April 5th, 2022
Michael Parr discusses US solar manufacturing competitiveness with China with Sean Rai-Roche.
Read MoreSupply Chain University: Building a Better Solar Supply Chain
March 31st, 2022
Michael Parr discusses building a sustainable supply chain with Jeff Weiss of Steptoe & Johnson, LLP.
Read MoreSolar energy had a bumpy ride in 2021
March 10th, 2022
John Engel writes about current and future trends in solar manufacturing.
Read MoreSolar module makers seek Biden administration support
March 8th, 2022
Several Alliance members signed the Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Coalition. John Engel reports.
Read MoreUtility scale solar deployments could fall farther behind estimates
February 1st, 2022
Executive Director Michael Parr is quoted: "We are seeing a supply chain realignment.”
Read MoreEvidence Grows That Global Solar Supply Chains are Diversifying
January 20th, 2022
David Wagman reports for Renewable Energy World: “evidence is mounting that supply chains are diversifying.”
Read MoreSupply chains, Sustainability and Solar Energy: A roadmap to a better future
November 17th, 2021
Michael Parr writes for Solar Power World.
Read More
Fixing Our Supply Chains Is Necessary For the Clean Energy Transition
October 19th, 2021
Sally Talberg writes to Utility Dive that supply chains are in integral part of decarbonizing solar manufacturing.
Read MoreAlliance Op-Ed: IPCC report proves why we can’t rely on coal-fired solar to solve the climate crisis
August 26th, 2021
Alliance Executive Director Michael Parr responds to the recent IPCC report in this August 26th Op-Ed.
Read More
Decarbonizing Solar with Ecolabels
August 18th, 2021
Check out this upcoming webinar by the Global Electronics Council and the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA) about using ecolabels to facilitate purchasing solar panels from decarbonized supply chains.
Read More
Behind the Rise of U.S. Solar Power, a Mountain of Chinese Coal
July 31, 2021
Matthew Dalton writes about why not all solar panels are created equal.
Read More
The Alliance Welcomes Biden Administration’s 100-Day Review of Critical Supply Chains
June 24th, 2021
The Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance today released the following statement regarding the Biden administration’s 100-day review of critical supply chains.
Read More The ULCS Alliance Applauds New Legislation to Expand U.S. Solar Manufacturing
June 21st, 2021
Alliance Executive Director Michael Parr released the following statement in support of the new Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act bill.
Read More
Alliance LTE: Bad Practices in the Solar Power Supply Chain
May 7th, 2021
If the solar industry is going to continue to thrive, it needs transparency and sustainability throughout its supply chain.
Read More
Meyer Burger secures sustainable supply chain for production of highly efficient "clean" solar modules
April 22nd, 2021
Alliance members Meyer Burger and Wacker have teamed up to produce Ultra Low-Carbon Solar heterojunction module.
Read MoreThe Case for Taking Back Solar
March 24th, 2021
Installing a lot more solar is part of the path to clean, renewable energy. But we also need to be producing the entire supply chain.
Read More The Alliance Statement regarding the Congressional Hearing on H.R. 1512 The CLEAN Future Act
March 18th, 2021
The Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance has submitted the following statement about the CLEAN Future Act.
Read More
Alliance Authors a Second White Paper, "Solar Is At A Fork In The Road"
March 17th, 2021
The Alliance released a new white paper which highlights the role corporate solar purchasers will play in the future of embodied carbon in solar panels.
Read More
Alliance Authors New White Paper, "Coal Fired Solar vs. Ultra Low-Carbon Solar"
February 23rd, 2021
The Alliance just released a new white paper detailing the clear differences between Ultra Low-Carbon Solar and coal-fired alternatives, and reputational risks that the latter pose to corporate buyers.
Read MoreREC Group claims lowest carbon footprint for silicon
February 23rd, 2021
Small polysilicon producer REC Solar Norway has claimed a carbon footprint of 11.2kg CO2-eq per kg silicon, which was verified by EPD Norway and published Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for solar grade silicon and for multicrystalline silicon blocks made by REC.
Read More
Spare capacity exists to support a supply chain shift, industry group says
February 8th, 2020
Michael Parr of the Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance said that excess production capacity in the U.S. and EU could support a call for a supply chain shift.
Read More
NorSun's wafers first in the world to receive Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), certifying its low CO2 footprint
February 4th, 2021
Alliance member NorSun has received the first ever EPD certifying a low CO2 footprint for their mono-crystalline silicon wafers.
Read More
California can lead the nation in making solar energy even cleaner
January 28th, 2021
As California decarbonizes its grid and transportation, it can also decarbonize the industrial supply chain for solar energy.
Read More The Alliance Statement on Forced Labor in the Solar Supply Chain
January 8th, 2021
The Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance has the following message in response to the recent New York Times article regarding forced labor in the solar supply chain.
Read More
Influential solar panel players launch alliance to promote their low-carbon products
October 8th, 2020
A new alliance dedicated to deploying ultra low-carbon solar energy today announced its formation. Leading renewable energy companies have joined together to launch the Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance.
Read More Not all solar panels are created equal, according to the Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance
October 8th, 2020
As the world accelerates towards decreasing carbon emissions, so too should the solar industry’s supply chain. This was the idea that has led to the founding of the Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance, which officially launched today.
Read MoreSouth Korea introduces carbon footprint rules for solar modules
May 29th, 2020
The regulations will come into force on June 15 and will entail panel carbon footprints being calculated according to life cycle assessments of their environmental impacts according to the KS I ISO 14040 Korean standard.
Read MoreFrance makes 44 GW solar target official
April 23rd, 2020
Today’s edition of the Official Journal of the French Republic featured two long-awaited decrees: One concerning the multi-year energy program and another on national carbon budgets and the state’s low-carbon strategy.
Read More