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80% of the supply chain for solar is based in China[0]. As long as this is the case, it is unlikely there will be as much demand in the US for it due to new Col

80% of the supply chain for solar is based in China[0]. As long as this is the case, it is unlikely there will be as much demand in the US for it due to new Cold War and bipartisan efforts to tariff solar panels from China The article seems to leave this important detail out, despite talking a lot about China 0. https://www.iea.org/reports/solar-pv-global-supply-chains/executive-summary https://www.iea.org/reports/solar-pv-global-supply-chains/ex... EDIT: it looks like the article does mention it, I just missed it: > The huge surfeit of production capacity in China, which produced about eight out of 10 of the world’s solar modules in 2024

happosai 1y ago
I didn't expect China to become the solution provider for global warming while USA contribution to the world is mostly climate change denial. Yet here we are...
- Freedom2 1y ago
  Why not? China has/had the problem in their own backyard and we're likely acutely aware of the impact it has. Wouldn't that hasten their need to come up with alternative solutions? Meanwhile the US is full of hubris and can't see beyond their own nose.
- dylan604 1y ago
  The fact that the US shifted their pollution away from something that causes obvious to anyone issues like acid rain to something that is more easily deniable makes it easy to deny climate change. The hole in the ozone layer stopped growing as well. Maybe it will take that level of problems to start in the US again for changes to happen??
  - joquarky 1y ago
    We are distracted by bread and circuses. Soon to be just circuses.
- netsharc 1y ago
  There was already an op-ed writer during Dubya's admin (remember when he was the dumbest president?) writing how their denial and non-investment in green tech was going to lead to China to be leaders in that space. Sigh, without the Brooks Brothers "riot", the guy people insulted for talking about climate change would've been president...
philipkglass 1y ago
The more depressing problem is that the US is raising trade barriers for solar equipment made outside of China nearly as fast. I think that the current administration just dislikes solar power, and only a part of that animosity is due to its tough-on-China stance. "South Korea files WTO complaint over US solar tariffs" https://www.pv-tech.org/south-korea-challenging-us-solar-tariffs-at-wto/ https://www.pv-tech.org/south-korea-challenging-us-solar-tar... "US DOC issues steep AD/CVD tariffs on Southeast Asian solar cells" https://www.pv-tech.org/us-doc-issues-ad-cvd-tariffs-on-southeast-asian-solar-cells/ https://www.pv-tech.org/us-doc-issues-ad-cvd-tariffs-on-sout... The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has issued anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs against solar cell imports from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia. "A Casualty of Trump’s Tariffs: India’s Nascent Solar Industry" https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/climate/india-solar-panels-tariff-exports.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/climate/india-solar-panel... "Solar products from Mexico and Canada slapped with tariffs for first time" https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2025/02/solar-products-from-mexico-and-canada-slapped-with-tariffs-for-first-time/ https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2025/02/solar-products...
- jameslk 1y ago
  I’d be curious how much of the goal of the tariffs is for solar actually produced in those countries vs just slightly modified goods from China. That’s one reason tariffs don’t work when they aren’t applied universally I don’t doubt that another benefit is the current admin just simply doesn’t like solar of course
  - philipkglass 1y ago
    I know that at least Malaysia, Mexico, and South Korea had genuinely independent solar manufacturing that was not just repackaging Chinese components. In reading the solar industry trade press, I haven't seen indications that the new tariffs are targeted to fight "leakage" of Chinese products via intermediary countries. They seem aimed at keeping import prices elevated across the board.
    - alephnerd 1y ago
ZeroGravitas 1y ago
They installed 67% percent of it this year so that seems reasonable amount for them to build. The full solar supply chain is currently being produced in the US, with low capacity but more planned. SEIA has a solar and storage supply chain dashboard that they update with operational and planned capacities. But clearly recent moves by the current admin are undercutting this progress.
- namibj 1y ago
  I'll care when they hit (inflation-adjusted to now) 10ct/Wp for n-topcon (or better) glass-glass framed modules FOB by the truck/container load. Because that (in Rotterdam) is the normal for central Europe these days. Except that they're already in a warehouse/container pile after their ocean voyage.
jyounker 1y ago
When one government bet on solar power failed (Solyndra) the message from the right in the US was, "look what a waste it is for the government to invest in solar technology," instead of taking the appropriate lesson. That lesson was that we weren't spending enough backing solar companies. China shoveled billions into developing solar manufacturing technologies, and as a result they figure out how to cheaply mass-produce solar cells. Solyndra failed because they couldn't compete against the resulting cheap solar cells.
- standardUser 1y ago
  We'd be similarly behind with self-driving tech if it wasn't for the endless investment by megacorps.
- corimaith 1y ago
  But solar panels are undergoing involution in China while there is mass youth unemployment. Alot of these are zombie companies selling at a loss and propped by provincial debt. You're measuring success only in with regards to how it might benefit you as a foreigner, but dosen't necessarily mean it was wholly successful for the China.

happosai 1y ago

I didn't expect China to become the solution provider for global warming while USA contribution to the world is mostly climate change denial. Yet here we are...

Freedom2 1y ago
Why not? China has/had the problem in their own backyard and we're likely acutely aware of the impact it has. Wouldn't that hasten their need to come up with alternative solutions? Meanwhile the US is full of hubris and can't see beyond their own nose.
dylan604 1y ago
The fact that the US shifted their pollution away from something that causes obvious to anyone issues like acid rain to something that is more easily deniable makes it easy to deny climate change. The hole in the ozone layer stopped growing as well. Maybe it will take that level of problems to start in the US again for changes to happen??
- joquarky 1y ago
  We are distracted by bread and circuses. Soon to be just circuses.
netsharc 1y ago
There was already an op-ed writer during Dubya's admin (remember when he was the dumbest president?) writing how their denial and non-investment in green tech was going to lead to China to be leaders in that space. Sigh, without the Brooks Brothers "riot", the guy people insulted for talking about climate change would've been president...

philipkglass 1y ago

The more depressing problem is that the US is raising trade barriers for solar equipment made outside of China nearly as fast. I think that the current administration just dislikes solar power, and only a part of that animosity is due to its tough-on-China stance. "South Korea files WTO complaint over US solar tariffs" https://www.pv-tech.org/south-korea-challenging-us-solar-tariffs-at-wto/ https://www.pv-tech.org/south-korea-challenging-us-solar-tar... "US DOC issues steep AD/CVD tariffs on Southeast Asian solar cells" https://www.pv-tech.org/us-doc-issues-ad-cvd-tariffs-on-southeast-asian-solar-cells/ https://www.pv-tech.org/us-doc-issues-ad-cvd-tariffs-on-sout... The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has issued anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs against solar cell imports from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia. "A Casualty of Trump’s Tariffs: India’s Nascent Solar Industry" https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/climate/india-solar-panels-tariff-exports.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/climate/india-solar-panel... "Solar products from Mexico and Canada slapped with tariffs for first time" https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2025/02/solar-products-from-mexico-and-canada-slapped-with-tariffs-for-first-time/ https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2025/02/solar-products...

jameslk 1y ago
I’d be curious how much of the goal of the tariffs is for solar actually produced in those countries vs just slightly modified goods from China. That’s one reason tariffs don’t work when they aren’t applied universally I don’t doubt that another benefit is the current admin just simply doesn’t like solar of course
- philipkglass 1y ago
  I know that at least Malaysia, Mexico, and South Korea had genuinely independent solar manufacturing that was not just repackaging Chinese components. In reading the solar industry trade press, I haven't seen indications that the new tariffs are targeted to fight "leakage" of Chinese products via intermediary countries. They seem aimed at keeping import prices elevated across the board.
  - alephnerd 1y ago

ZeroGravitas 1y ago

They installed 67% percent of it this year so that seems reasonable amount for them to build. The full solar supply chain is currently being produced in the US, with low capacity but more planned. SEIA has a solar and storage supply chain dashboard that they update with operational and planned capacities. But clearly recent moves by the current admin are undercutting this progress.

namibj 1y ago
I'll care when they hit (inflation-adjusted to now) 10ct/Wp for n-topcon (or better) glass-glass framed modules FOB by the truck/container load. Because that (in Rotterdam) is the normal for central Europe these days. Except that they're already in a warehouse/container pile after their ocean voyage.

jyounker 1y ago

When one government bet on solar power failed (Solyndra) the message from the right in the US was, "look what a waste it is for the government to invest in solar technology," instead of taking the appropriate lesson. That lesson was that we weren't spending enough backing solar companies. China shoveled billions into developing solar manufacturing technologies, and as a result they figure out how to cheaply mass-produce solar cells. Solyndra failed because they couldn't compete against the resulting cheap solar cells.

standardUser 1y ago
We'd be similarly behind with self-driving tech if it wasn't for the endless investment by megacorps.
corimaith 1y ago
But solar panels are undergoing involution in China while there is mass youth unemployment. Alot of these are zombie companies selling at a loss and propped by provincial debt. You're measuring success only in with regards to how it might benefit you as a foreigner, but dosen't necessarily mean it was wholly successful for the China.