[SMM PV News] Waaree Solar Americas Invests $30M in United Solar for Traceable Polysilicon

The era of 'cheap imported batteries' is ending for the US energy storage sector as heavy tariffs and the OBBBA's strict sourcing requirements force a rapid shift toward domestic manufacturing. While storage fared better than solar under the new policy landscape, developers are grappling with rising upfront costs, long interconnection wait times, and revenue unpredictability. This high-risk environment led to the cancellation of 20 GWh in planned manufacturing capacity and 79 GW of battery storage projects in 2025. Industry leaders warn that a conservative shift in capital—favoring established multinationals over startups—threatens early-stage domestic innovation and risks ceding the US competitive edge to China.

European solar auctions and corporate PPAs added 92 GW of new capacity between 2022 and 2025, according to SolarPower Europe. After earlier struggles, auction-driven deployment rebounded to a record 25.2 GW in 2025, a 23% year-on-year increase. Meanwhile, corporate PPAs saw mixed results across the continent—dropping 56% in Germany but remaining strong in Spain, Italy, and Poland. Despite utility-scale growth, total EU solar installations in 2025 experienced a slight 0.7% decline to 65.1 GW. This marks the first annual drop since 2016, driven primarily by softened residential demand. With total capacity now at 406 GW, industry reports warn that reaching the bloc's 750 GW target by 2030 will require renewed policy support to address 'persistent inefficiencies' in auction designs.

The California 1st District Court of Appeal has affirmed the CPUC's Net Billing Tariff (NEM 3.0), rejecting a lawsuit from environmental and solar advocates. The ruling upholds the 2022 decision that slashed rooftop solar export credits by up to 80% to address the 'cost shift' between solar and non-solar ratepayers. Despite industry data showing a 60% to 80% drop in sales and the loss of over 17,000 jobs since NEM 3.0 took effect, the court concluded that the CPUC met statutory requirements for 'sustainable growth'. This decision effectively ends the standalone solar business model in California, making battery storage integration essential for homeowners to achieve a viable return on investment.