ET highlights: US solar imports rebound, Europe revamps energy security talks, India marches toward renewable capacity goal

Energy transition highlights: Our editors and analysts bring together everything you need to know about the industry this week, from renewables to storage to carbon prices.

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US solar imports rebound in Q2 amid tariff-induced supply chain shift

Solar panel shipments to the US increased in the second quarter of 2025, marking a U-turn from three consecutive quarters of decline.

The US imported 10,632 MW of modules in the second quarter, down 39.3% from a year ago but up 61.6% from the first quarter, according to the S&P Global Market Intelligence Global Trade Analytics Suite.

The import resurgence comes as domestic solar manufacturers seek to ramp up US factories while navigating import tariffs on components and new sourcing restrictions on key tax credits.

Indonesia accounted for the largest share of module imports with 29.6%, followed by Laos at 23.1%, Thailand at 14%, Vietnam at 12.5% and India at 10.4%.

India joined the top five exporters to the US in the second quarter, and Malaysia dropped to sixth, highlighting a tariff-driven supply chain shift. Imports from Thailand and Vietnam also decreased, while shipments from Laos and Indonesia rose.

Price of the week: ¢29.5/watt

US delivered 5-50 MW solar module prices spiked in September to the highest of the year so far.

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European Commission launches energy security revamp amid crisis concerns

The European Commission launched a comprehensive review of the EU's energy security framework on Sept. 15, acknowledging critical shortcomings exposed during the energy crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine that left the bloc scrambling to adopt emergency measures. The four-week call for evidence, running until Oct. 13, aims to address fundamental flaws in the current system, including a lack of operational readiness for deep supply shocks and insufficient cross-sector coordination between gas and electricity frameworks that operate in silos.

INTERVIEW: Biofuels industry in ‘transitional adjustment’ as mandates, feedstocks evolve

The biofuels industry is transitioning from legacy supply chains to meet rising demand and policy shifts, Clarence Woo, managing director of Singapore-based Global Center for Green Fuels, told Platts, on the sidelines of the recently concluded APPEC 2025 conference. Woo outlined how shifting mandates and breakthroughs in feedstock technology are impacting established global trade flows. In the US, the 45Z has provided a tremendous boost to the domestic market, supporting its biofuel producers and additionally, with ongoing US tariff negotiations, there is a lot of potential for exports.

Platts Connect

India may reach close to 500-GW renewable capacity target by 2030

India may achieve the 500-GW renewable energy target around 2030, though transmission bottlenecks, elevated capital costs and lack of in-house technology threaten to derail the momentum that has driven the world's third-largest economy to unveil ambitious clean energy goals, industry executives say. The South Asian nation has leveraged state-owned enterprises, supportive policies and abundant liquidity to build renewable capacity at an unprecedented pace over the past decade, reaching 242.80 GW of non-fossil-fuel capacity as of July, which is half of the total capacity mix.

Japan seen importing less than 2 mil mt/year renewable ammonia by 2030: trade adviser

Japan is projected to import less than 2 million metric tons/year of low-carbon or "clean" ammonia by 2030, reflecting slower-than-expected progress in global energy transition, Shigeru Muraki, adviser to the Clean Fuel Ammonia Association, told Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights. Japan has earmarked Yen 3 trillion ($19.16 billion) under a support framework -- similar to the international contract-for-differences arrangement -- to bridge the price gap between renewable hydrogen and its derivatives and conventional fuels, as outlined in its Hydrogen Society Promotion Act.

Most project capacity of second EU Hydrogen Bank auction withdraws

Projects totaling 1.9 GW of electrolyzer capacity have withdrawn from the second European Hydrogen Bank subsidy award auction having already secured grant awards, with the seven projects accounting for the vast majority of the 2.3 GW awarded. The European Commission has invited a further 10 projects from the reserve list to prepare grant agreements, though the combined capacity of these comes to just 774 MW, with fixed premium bid prices of Eur0.64-1.22/kg ($0.75-$1.44/kg) compared to the 20-60 euro cent/kg of the withdrawn projects.

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