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Solar PV and Carbon Border Pricing Mechanisms, an Overview and Assessment

Photo Courtesy of Trina Solar

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

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What the Auxin tariff ruling means for the pursuit of low-carbon solar manufacturing

Photo Courtesy of Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

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.

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Three Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Module Manufacturers Are Pursuing EPEAT Ecolabel in 2023

Specifying EPEAT Panels Sends Signal to Entire Solar Supply Chain to Produce Sustainably-Made, Low-Carbon Products for Developers and Buyers.

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Latest Trends in Sustainability Standards for Solar PV Modules

Photo Courtesy of Economic Times Energy World

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.

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Inflation Reduction Act Responds to Asia's Solar Markets

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.

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Solar Industry

GEC Working to Advance Decarbonization of Solar Panel Production

“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.

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New label to designate solar modules made with less carbon

Photo Credit: Toledo Solar

The Global Electronics Council officially publishes new ultra low-carbon solar criteria for the EPEAT ecolabel.

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Can the U.S. fill its domestic solar supply chain gaps?

Photo Credit: Qcells

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.

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Supply Chain Woes Strain Solar Industry’s Use of New Tax Breaks

Photo Credit: Angel Garcia/Bloomberg

Bloomberg analyzes the importance of expanding manufacturing for all steps of the solar supply chain.

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European PV equipment makers pitch machines to US solar manufacturers

Photo Courtesy of Fraunhofer ISE

The Alliance recently co-sponsored a VDMA event to matchmake between EU equipment suppliers and PV manufacturers expanding in the US.

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Europe’s solar industry forms alliance in bid to revive supply chains

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European renewable energy leaders have formed an alliance aimed at reviving the continent's solar supply chains.

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US government calls for continued tariffs on solar imports

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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.

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Commerce suggests antidumping tariffs be extended to solar cell and panel imports from Southeast Asia

Photo Courtesy of Namaste Solar

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.

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Commerce Department AD/CVD ruling calls for continued tariffs on solar imports

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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.

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New tool showcases solar manufacturing outside of China

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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.

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Utah Business

Making solar panels isn't always green

Tellurium is used to make solar panels—an important clean energy source—but mining it in China is decidedly not.

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The US solar industry has a supply problem

Photo Courtesy of Hemlock Semiconductor

Matt Blois writes for Chemical & Engineering News: China’s control of solar manufacturing puts the sector at risk of disruption.

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Politico

The new solar playing field

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.

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Solar is one of the cleanest power sources we’ve got. But it could be even greener.

Photo Courtesy of Hemlock Semiconductor

This piece explores the ongoing efforts to make polysilicon production cleaner, including from Alliance members.

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A greener PV

Photo Courtesy of PV Tech

Michael Parr and James Scully at PV Tech discuss industry-wide efforts for a greener solar pv industry.

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Securing a better solar supply chain, one purchase at a time.

Photo Courtesy of Duke Energy

Michael Parr and Patricia Dillon of the Global Electronics Council discuss future opportunities in sustainable solar procurement

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How US solar manufacturers can compete with China as decentralisation of PV production grows

Photo by Q CELLS

Michael Parr discusses US solar manufacturing competitiveness with China with Sean Rai-Roche.

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Supply Chain University: Building a Better Solar Supply Chain

Michael Parr discusses building a sustainable supply chain with Jeff Weiss of Steptoe & Johnson, LLP.

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Solar energy had a bumpy ride in 2021

Image by German Solar Power from Pixabay

John Engel writes about current and future trends in solar manufacturing.

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Solar module makers seek Biden administration support

Image: Science in HD/Unsplash

Several Alliance members signed the Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Coalition. John Engel reports.

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Utility scale solar deployments could fall farther behind estimates

Image: Flickr/Corey Seeman

Executive Director Michael Parr is quoted: "We are seeing a supply chain realignment.”

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Evidence Grows That Global Solar Supply Chains are Diversifying

David Wagman reports for Renewable Energy World: “evidence is mounting that supply chains are diversifying.”

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Supply chains, Sustainability and Solar Energy: A roadmap to a better future

Michael Parr writes for Solar Power World.

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Utility Dive

Fixing Our Supply Chains Is Necessary For the Clean Energy Transition

Sally Talberg writes to Utility Dive that supply chains are in integral part of decarbonizing solar manufacturing.

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Alliance Op-Ed: IPCC report proves why we can’t rely on coal-fired solar to solve the climate crisis

Alliance Executive Director Michael Parr responds to the recent IPCC report in this August 26th Op-Ed.

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Not All Solar Is Created Equal

Decarbonizing Solar with Ecolabels

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.

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The Wall Street Journal

Behind the Rise of U.S. Solar Power, a Mountain of Chinese Coal

Matthew Dalton writes about why not all solar panels are created equal.

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The Whitehouse

The Alliance Welcomes Biden Administration’s 100-Day Review of Critical Supply Chains

The Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance today released the following statement regarding the Biden administration’s 100-day review of critical supply chains.

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Not All Solar Is Created Equal

The ULCS Alliance Applauds New Legislation to Expand U.S. Solar Manufacturing

Alliance Executive Director Michael Parr released the following statement in support of the new Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act bill.

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New York Times

Alliance LTE: Bad Practices in the Solar Power Supply Chain

If the solar industry is going to continue to thrive, it needs transparency and sustainability throughout its supply chain.

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Meyer Burger

Meyer Burger secures sustainable supply chain for production of highly efficient "clean" solar modules

Alliance members Meyer Burger and Wacker have teamed up to produce Ultra Low-Carbon Solar heterojunction module.

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The Case for Taking Back Solar

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.

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Not All Solar Is Created Equal

The Alliance Statement regarding the Congressional Hearing on H.R. 1512 The CLEAN Future Act

The Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance has submitted the following statement about the CLEAN Future Act.

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Cal Matters

Alliance Authors a Second White Paper, "Solar Is At A Fork In The Road"

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.

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Cal Matters

Alliance Authors New White Paper, "Coal Fired Solar vs. Ultra Low-Carbon Solar"

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.

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REC Group claims lowest carbon footprint for silicon

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.

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Not All Solar Is Created Equal

Spare capacity exists to support a supply chain shift, industry group says

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.

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Cal Matters

NorSun's wafers first in the world to receive Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), certifying its low CO2 footprint

Alliance member NorSun has received the first ever EPD certifying a low CO2 footprint for their mono-crystalline silicon wafers.

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Cal Matters

California can lead the nation in making solar energy even cleaner

As California decarbonizes its grid and transportation, it can also decarbonize the industrial supply chain for solar energy.

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Not All Solar Is Created Equal

The Alliance Statement on Forced Labor in the Solar Supply Chain

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.

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Not All Solar Is Created Equal

Influential solar panel players launch alliance to promote their low-carbon products

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.

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Not All Solar Is Created Equal

Not all solar panels are created equal, according to the Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance

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.

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South Korea introduces carbon footprint rules for solar modules

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.

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France makes 44 GW solar target official

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.

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