US Solar Module Prices Hold at $0.30/W

Prices stay flat at $0.30/W — the headline number explained

The median price for U.S.-assembled photovoltaic modules was exactly $0.30 per watt in Q2 2026, according to data from supply‑chain platform Anza. The inter‑quartile range was $0.280‑$0.325/W, and after a brief dip of $0.015/W between March and April, the price rebounded by $0.005/W in May and then held steady through June and early July. This stability is unusual in a market that has seen rapid price swings over the past decade.

FEOC rules and Chinese divestitures keep the market from dropping further

The price floor is largely a product of the Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) framework introduced by the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) in July 2025. Projects that use components owned by a Prohibited Foreign Entity (more than 25 % equity or 15 % debt, or a combined 40 % threshold) lose eligibility for the Investment Tax Credit (ITC). To stay ITC‑eligible, Chinese‑owned manufacturers with U.S. factories sold those assets: Trina Solar’s Texas plant went to FREYR Battery, JA Solar’s Arizona megafactory was bought by Corning (via American Panel Solutions), JinkoSolar trimmed its stake in Florida to 24.9 %, and Longi reduced its share in Ohio’s Illuminate USA joint venture. Anza notes that most of the original Chinese owners still supply cells or hold brand licences, creating a “fundamental paradox” where Chinese supply chains dominate even after the divestitures — a point echoed by Wood Mackenzie.

New AD/CVD petition adds a layer of tariff risk for South Korean makers

On 18 June 2026 a coalition called American Manufacturers for Energy Resilience (AMER) filed an anti‑dumping and countervailing‑duty petition against South Korean c‑Si cell and module producers. The petition targets Hanwha Q Cells, HD Hyundai Energy Solutions and Shinsung E&G, accusing them of using Chinese polysilicon and wafers while claiming a “minor” processing role. If the Department of Commerce imposes duties, buyers could see additional costs as early as September 2026 for countervailing duties and November 2026‑January 2027 for anti‑dumping duties. Reuters reported the filing and the potential timeline.

TOPCon technology dominates the U.S.‑assembled segment

Anza’s module snapshot shows that 49 of the 55 tracked modules (≈ 89 %) use Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon) cells, while only six rely on the older Mono‑PERC design. All 45 Tier‑1‑qualified modules are FEOC‑compliant, and 32 already meet the stricter 45 % FEOC‑content threshold that will apply to projects starting 1 January 2027. The supply chain remains globally diverse: polysilicon comes from Malaysia (24 modules), the United States (15) and China (13); cells are sourced from ten countries, with Kenya and the Philippines providing the largest shares.

What it means for Israel

At a $0.30/W module price, a 1 kW of panels costs about $300. In Israel, the typical turnkey cost is ₪3,150 per kW (about $900 at prevailing exchange rates), roughly three times the U.S. panel price before other costs are added. Using the typical Israeli residential feed‑in tariff of ₪0.48 /kWh, a representative 10 kW home system in central Israel would generate about 17,000 kWh per year, worth roughly ₪8,160 annually, and the simple payback is around 3.9 years (based on the illustrative Israeli case). This illustrates a cost gap between U.S. module pricing and Israeli turnkey costs. Israeli investors should keep an eye on U.S. policy developments such as FEOC thresholds and potential polysilicon tariffs, as they may eventually influence local pricing. Tools like our solar ROI calculator and market data page can help model any future U.S. price changes on Israeli project economics.

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Key take‑aways

• Median U.S.‑assembled module price: $0.30/W (Q2 2026).
• FEOC compliance now a prerequisite for ITC eligibility; Chinese owners have divested U.S. plants to stay below ownership thresholds.
• A new AD/CVD petition threatens South Korean exporters with duties as early as September 2026.
• TOPCon cells dominate (≈ 89 % of tracked modules).
• Compared with Israel’s typical panel cost of ₪3,150/kW, U.S. module prices are roughly ⅓ of the Israeli turnkey price, underscoring a significant regional cost disparity.