Wood Mackenzie LCOE Report: Battery Storage and Solar Cost Trends in North America
What happened
Wood Mackenzie's latest Levelized Cost of Electricity report, reported on October 11, 2026, finds four-hour battery storage has fallen below open-cycle gas turbines on cost in all 43 global markets modeled, and single-axis tracker solar is the lowest-cost new-build source in 43 of 48 markets. For North America, the report states near-term solar costs remain elevated under tariffs, AD/CVD actions and Section 232 import restrictions, with module prices projected to climb about 5% annually through 2030. The report does not specify particular AD/CVD case numbers, tariff rates, effective dates or the scope of the referenced import restrictions, so readers should not assume any specific measure applies.
Generated by AI from the reports · updated 2 hours ago
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- pv magazine (Global)Wood Mackenzie report finds battery storage cheaper than gas peakers in 43 markets, with U.S. and Canada facing tariff-driven cost headwinds
Wood Mackenzie's latest Levelized Cost of Electricity report finds four-hour battery storage has fallen below open-cycle gas turbines on cost in all 43 global markets it modeled, and single-axis tracker solar is the lowest-cost new-build source in 43 of 48 markets. In North America, the report says near-term solar costs remain elevated under tariffs, AD/CVD actions and Section 232 import restrictions, with module prices projected to climb about 5% annually through 2030 and residential and commercial module prices forecast to jump 6% in 2027 and a further 14% in 2028.
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