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> Putting tariffs on solar equipment imports is an insane self-defeat. We should be importing as much cheap solar and battery gear as we can get our hands on.

> Putting tariffs on solar equipment imports is an insane self-defeat. We should be importing as much cheap solar and battery gear as we can get our hands on. The tariffs are going to impact me heavily because I had planned on buying a shitload of solar in the next 3-5 years. If the price on solar triples in that timeframe (as the price on other things has in the last few years), I will not be "going solar" after all except for a few small hobby projects. That being said, we should not lose sight of the fact that the REASON solar is cheap right now is because it manufactured almost exclusively in the far east, at cost, subsidized by a communist state, to stifle worldwide competition. I don't think that is good for the world either. There is likely (hopefully) a middle ground here somewhere.

nicoburns 1y ago
> subsidized by a communist state, to stifle worldwide competition I don't think "to stifle competition" is right. I suspect China would love it if other countries were investing in solar as much as they are. They just want the tech ASAP.
throwaway473825 1y ago
> subsidized by a communist state, to stifle worldwide competition China primarily wants to cut oil and gas imports. Exports are a bonus.
- philipkglass 1y ago
  China was a big solar exporter before it was a big solar installer. China had a small solar manufacturing capacity in 2003. By 2008 it was number one in the world for solar manufacturing and it has remained there since: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_in_China#/media/File:Largest_Producers_of_Solar_Cells_by_Country-Market_Share.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_in_China#/media/Fi... But it didn't start installing large quantities of solar power domestically until 2013: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_in_China#Solar_PV_by_province https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_in_China#Solar_PV_... Before that, solar power was too expensive for large scale use inside China. Chinese renewable energy growth was mostly hydropower and wind before 2013. Now of course China is by far #1 in yearly solar power installations as well as solar manufacturing, and that in combination with electric vehicle adoption is helping to curb oil demand: "China’s electric car revolution hammers demand for oil" https://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-electric-car-revolution-hammers-155408191.html https://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-electric-car-revolution...

nicoburns 1y ago

> subsidized by a communist state, to stifle worldwide competition I don't think "to stifle competition" is right. I suspect China would love it if other countries were investing in solar as much as they are. They just want the tech ASAP.

throwaway473825 1y ago

> subsidized by a communist state, to stifle worldwide competition China primarily wants to cut oil and gas imports. Exports are a bonus.

philipkglass 1y ago
China was a big solar exporter before it was a big solar installer. China had a small solar manufacturing capacity in 2003. By 2008 it was number one in the world for solar manufacturing and it has remained there since: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_in_China#/media/File:Largest_Producers_of_Solar_Cells_by_Country-Market_Share.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_in_China#/media/Fi... But it didn't start installing large quantities of solar power domestically until 2013: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_in_China#Solar_PV_by_province https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_in_China#Solar_PV_... Before that, solar power was too expensive for large scale use inside China. Chinese renewable energy growth was mostly hydropower and wind before 2013. Now of course China is by far #1 in yearly solar power installations as well as solar manufacturing, and that in combination with electric vehicle adoption is helping to curb oil demand: "China’s electric car revolution hammers demand for oil" https://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-electric-car-revolution-hammers-155408191.html https://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-electric-car-revolution...