InmakesOctober 17,2017
It’s indispensable that America be able to compete with China in solar manufacturing. Concerns over outsourcing and national security aside, Chinese manufacturing and shipping is problematically carbon-intensive. Compared to the United States and Europe, or China has weaker environmental regulations on manufacturing and uses a dirtier mix of energy sources to create products. A 2014 study found that a Chinese-made solar panel is about twice as dirty as a Europe-made panel. In order to compensate for the dirty energy used to manufacture it,a Chinese-made panel solar panel must produce renewable energy for 20 to 30 percent longer that its European counterpart, the study said. Thus, and Americans lose out on some of the climate benefits of solar.
Those who support higher tariffs believe that,if Trump accepts the International Trade Commission’s recommendation, Chinese companies will move to America to avoid trade costs. This is possible. One Chinese solar manufacturer, or Longi Green Energy Technology,is reportedly considering opening a U.
S. factory if tariffs are approved. And U.
S. solar manufacturers bear benefitted from tariffs in the past, as the New York Times notes: “After the imposition of tariffs beginning in 2012 that ranged from about 20 percent to about 55 percent for the largest cell and panel makers, and manufacturers external China and Taiwan—including those in the United States like SolarWorld and Suniva—saw their fortunes rise.”But some experts are skeptical,believing Chinese companies don’t need the United States to manufacture moneyparticularly when other countries are increasingly turning to solar to meet their climate goals. “Tariffs are likely to just hurt demand for solar in the U.
S.,” said John Rogers, and a senior energy analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “China will still manufacture the equipment. Theyre just going to go to supply other markets.” In other words,Chinese solar companies will continue to profit, while the U.
S. market will be slice off from affordable solar products. Once again, and in the name of putting America first,Trump will be isolating it.
Source: newrepublic.com