Audi to invest $4B in first U.S. assembly plant in Georgia

Audi, Volkswagen Group's luxury brand, announced it will invest $4 billion in its first U.S. factory, at the Middle Georgia Mega Site in Peach County near Macon, Georgia, with construction slated to begin in 2027 and the first U.S.-built vehicles produced in the early 2030s. The plant will assemble premium SUVs for North America with annual capacity of up to 200,000 vehicles and is expected to create around 4,500 jobs. Audi said the plant will reduce its exposure to trade and currency risks, such as the 15% tariff on European auto imports to the U.S.

BNEF raises U.S. energy storage deployment forecast by 30% despite trade barriers

BloombergNEF said in its semiannual energy storage outlook that the United States will deploy 30% more energy storage capacity over the next 10 years than it forecast six months ago, reaching cumulative deployments of 213.9 GW by 2030 and 434.4 GW by 2036. BNEF puts the combined duty on stationary storage batteries imported from mainland China at 40.9%, and cites import restrictions on foreign-made power conversion systems and recent broad limits on imports of bulk power system equipment among the trade barriers.

Intertek CEA forecasts 15% to 30% decline in U.S. energy storage prices by 2030 as trade barriers and 45X rules reshape supply

Intertek CEA's ESS Price Forecasting Report (Q3 – 2026) projects U.S. DC block prices will decline roughly 15% to 30% by 2030, while import markets could see reductions exceeding 40% as Chinese manufacturers shift from standard prismatic cells to larger formats. The companion ESS Supply, Technology, and Policy Report (Q3 – 2026) cites supply concentration in China, delayed U.S. factory timelines and evolving tax incentives, with about 11% of announced 2026 U.S. production capacity at risk of slipping into 2027.

Helen of Troy plans to direct $80.5 million in tariff refunds to inventory and packaging

Helen of Troy, owner of Hydro Flask, Osprey and Drybar, said on an October 8 earnings call that it plans to spend part of a projected $80.5 million in tariff refunds this fiscal year on cleaning up its inventory and redesigning packaging to comply with U.S. and foreign environmental laws. The company recognized $26.9 million of the expected refund in the quarter ended August 31 and expects the remainder by the end of FY2027, ending February 28, 2027. The refunds follow the Supreme Court's February ruling that invalidated tariffs the Trump administration imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

FMC proposes $200,000 per-voyage fee on Spanish-flagged vessels and restrictions on certain Spanish imports

The Federal Maritime Commission is proposing a $200,000 per-voyage fee on Spanish-flagged vessels and restrictions on imports of certain Spanish goods, according to an Oct. 14 press release. Imports facing possible restriction include perfumery and cosmetics, oils and fats, ceramics, articles of stone, and sugar and confectionaries; the FMC is still considering whether to broadly limit, target, or limit only certain of those categories. The proposal follows an FMC investigation initiated in 2024 that found Spain denied U.S.-flagged vessels, including two Maersk vessels operating under the Maritime Security Program, access to its ports. Public comment ends Dec. 14, and Spain will be given an opportunity for a hearing.

Levi's to spend three-quarters of $80M tariff refund on supply chain and marketing

Levi Strauss & Co. recorded roughly $80 million in tariff refunds last quarter and plans to spend three-quarters of the returned funds on supply chain improvements and other areas of the business, EVP and chief financial and growth officer Harmit Singh said on an Oct. 7 earnings call. A third of the $60 million will go to distribution and logistics, with the rest split equally between marketing and promotional activities, and a small portion went toward inventory clearance ahead of the holidays.

pv magazine roundup: sodium-ion specs, California plug-in solar law and U.S. solar manufacturing financing

pv magazine USA's weekly roundup reports that the U.S. energy storage market is developing its own sodium-ion specification amid federal domestic content policies, FEOC sourcing rules and UL 9540A testing, and that California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 868, allowing portable solar devices to connect through a receptacle. It also reports that the New York Public Service Commission approved a two-year meter socket adapter pilot, that more than 70% of announced U.S. solar manufacturing expansion plans are not yet financed, and that a Wood Mackenzie report finds four-hour storage cheaper than open-cycle gas in 43 modeled markets while tariffs threaten near-term U.S. gains.

Costco CFO doubles down on tariff strategy, winks at churro comeback