Q1 2026 A1 Solar Index: U.S. solar panel prices surged 61% to $0.560/watt as domestic supply hit record lows. Trade tariffs eliminated Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Indian imports, but U.S. manufacturing hasn’t scaled to fill the gap. Inventory sits at just 42% of last year’s peak, buyers paid above asking price in 6 of 8 regions, and raw material costs keep climbing — just as peak installation season begins.

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