Solar Shortages Threaten Cooperative Utility Projects
Shortages of solar panel equipment are expected in 2016, with lead times of up to six months for larger orders. Dan Danley, contract technical liaison with NRECA’s Business and Technology Strategies unit, has been warning utilities to plan ahead to avoid solar project delays. The projected shortages are the result of increased demand for solar equipment driven in part by a 30 percent federal tax credit for solar farms. Demand may fall, however, if Congress allows the tax credit to fall to 10 percent after December 2016.