China and U.S. module prices hold ahead of Golden Week and Section 232 price floors

Solar panel prices are holding steady in both China and the U.S. this week, but the reason has more to do with trade policy uncertainty than anything else, and it may matter for the cost of home solar installations later this year.

In the U.S., prices for imported panels stayed flat as installers and suppliers wait to see how new government price rules will play out. Starting December 4, the government will set minimum prices for imported solar panels and cells under a trade rule known as Section 232. Panels imported from Southeast Asia currently cost about $0.277 per watt, those from India cost $0.332 per watt, and panels assembled in the U.S. using imported parts run about $0.321 per watt. Prices quoted for delivery in early 2027 are notably higher, around $0.345 per watt, suggesting suppliers expect costs to rise once the new rules take effect. There is still disagreement among industry sources about exactly how strictly the rules will be enforced and whether cheaper imported panels will remain available at all.

None of this changes what a solar installation costs today, but it points to higher panel prices, and possibly higher installation costs, once the December price floor kicks in. If you are considering solar for your home, panel pricing may look different by early next year than it does now. Separately, one industry source noted that installers are pulling back on new projects tied to the federal solar tax credit, since developers no longer believe those projects can be finished in time to qualify.