Supply constraints, rising input costs, and the ongoing trade dispute have caused 20 percent rise in the price of Chinese solar panels in the U.S, says a new research by GTM Research.
The green energy consultancy reported that Chinese suppliers have provided almost 3 GW of modules into the U.S. in 2013, which accounts about 55 percent of the total modules shipped to the market.
According to the report, Chinese firms are quoting modules at 80 cents to 85 cents per watt for delivery in the second half of the year, compared to 70 cents per watt at the end of 2013.
More import duties on Chinese and Taiwanese solar modules will further push the price beyond current levels because Chinese firms pass these penalties onto customers or resort to contracting out cell and module production to OEM vendors based in higher-cost regions such as India, South Korea and Malaysia.
The dispute between the U.S and China started when the U.S. began investigating earlier this year after allegations that solar-panel manufacturers in China and Taiwan could be evading duties.
GTM Research also revealed that globally polysilicon spot pricing increased 15 percent quarter over quarter to $21.20 per kilogram at the end of Q1 2014.
GTM’s Q4 2014 base-case forecast estimates polysilicon prices reaching $24 per kilogram and wafer prices 26 cents per watt.
Current Tier-1 Chinese module pricing across the globe ranges from 56 cents per watt in Chile to 80 cents per watt in the EU
Further, pricing for Japanese modules in the Japanese residential market is still as high as $1.50 per watt, but has fallen below $1 per watt in the commercial segment.