"Challenges Ahead for Plug Power and SunPower in First Half"

Plug Power and SunPower face downgrades as analysts expect continued headwinds in the residential alternative energy segment through the first half of the year, with both stocks having fallen over 70% in the last 12 months. Plug Power struggled in 2023, issuing a going-concern warning amid quarterly losses and a "severe" hydrogen shortage, while SunPower's stock is down 79% in the last year. Weak demand in the US residential solar market, higher interest rates, and net metering changes are contributing to the challenges, with analysts expecting a 12% decline in residential installations in 2024.