Solar industry blames tariffs for cancelled, delayed projects

NEW YORK – The solar industry is blaming tariffs for delays and cancellations of major solar energy projects.

A new report estimates $8 billion worth of utility-scale projects were cancelled or delayed for the five-year period that ends in 2022.

The report from the Solar Energy Industry Association and Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables says 9,000 jobs were lost or not added because of the tariffs, and projects were cancelled during the lead-up to the announcement when installers, banks and power purchasers didn’t know how high the tariffs would be.

In January, President Donald Trump imposed tariffs of up to 30 per cent on most imported solar cells, aiming to boost domestic manufacturing.

An analyst from S&P Global Platts says despite the tariffs, solar installations have held up reasonably well.