U.S. solar energy prices rose 8.1% in the second quarter as projects were stalled by a Commerce Department investigation into tariffs on products from Southeast Asia and soaring input costs, according to a report published late on Wednesday. The increase during the period contributed to a whopping 29.7% rise in the combined price of wind and solar contracts, known as power purchase agreements (PPAs), from the previous year, according to a quarterly index by LevelTen Energy that tracks renewable energy deals. Solar PPA prices are 25.7% higher than last year. Economic, logistical and labor market disruptions during the coronavirus pandemic have worsened since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, reversing a decade of cost declines for the renewable energy sector. Wind contract costs were […]