US to see first annual decline in solar rooftop demand

Bloomberg

The US is poised to experience its first annual decline in solar-panel installations, as a drop in rooftop demand slows growth in the world’s second-biggest market.
Developers added a total of almost 2.4 gigawatts in the second quarter, putting the industry on pace to reach 12.4 gigawatts this year, according to a report on Monday from GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association. That’s down about 17 percent from a record 2016, and the research company expects another decline in 2018.
The solar industry is girding for a slowdown after a decade of double-digit expansion. Utilities are reaching state-mandated goals and rooftop suppliers are slowing growth in some of the largest markets, dragging down demand this year. And that’s before a trade complaint that may prompt President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on imported panels, a move that the industry warns would dramatically exacerbate the slump.
Imposing tariffs would mean “installations would significantly drop,” according to the report. “Downside risk looms over the long-term outlook for US solar due to the trade dispute.” Total installations in the second quarter increased 8 percent from a year earlier. The industry was anchored by giant, utility-scale solar farms, which increased 17 percent to 1,387 megawatts. That accounted for more than half of all installations and offset a 17 percent
decline in the residential market.