What does a second Trump term mean for US solar?

The Interchange: Recharged

Could the potential repealing of the IRA halt the progress of solar manufacturing?

A second Donald Trump presidency will have a big impact on the energy transition. The Biden administration’s landmark climate bill the Inflation Reduction Act had incentives for domestic solar manufacturing and installations. Tearing up the act could slow down the exponential growth in the sector.

Sylvia Leyva Martinez is a principal analyst at Wood Mackenzie. She’s joined by Martin Pochtaruk, CEO at Heliene (a US solar manufacturer) to debate the outlook for solar over the next four years. Policy shifts have occurred in the past but, as Martin says, progress in clean energy has been unstoppable. That’s not to say there’s not implications for the industry with a change in government; tariffs and trade policy could create big challenges.

Plus, there are labour challenges in the solar sector – there’s a big need for specialised training. Advancements in solar technology have significantly boosted efficiency and output but there’s a skills gap in installation and engineering. What are the broader implications of reshoring solar manufacturing for the US economy? How can the US solar industry remain competitive globally? Sylvia and Martin discuss it.

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