Why cannot all the solar companies set up shop in the USA? Is not that what Trump wants?
2
If Trump was president in early 20th century, we’d still be riding around in horse buggies. He is trying to kill the solar industry to prop up a dying coal industry.
6
I would be for a wall between Mexico and the United States made up solely of Solar Panels.
4
It simply does not matter that economic facts and logic do not support Trump's new tariffs. I have not yet seen a decision from him that was based on anything other than self interest, payback to major political donors, destroying anything Pres. Obama accomplished, ignorance, or the impulse of the moment. We can speculate every hour of the day as to what drove this or any other decision, and the NYT can print thoughtful articles examining the impact of that decision. The Trump voters I know care not one whit -- even though they live in NC and think the solar industry's growth in NC is a good thing. And the two NC US Senators definitely do not! Nor the NC GOP controlled legislature. Depressing beyond words.
7
Trump could care less about America buying American made products. If he cared about US products, he would have purchased US steel on all of his real estate products. He does not care about American workers getting paid, else he would have paid the people he stiffed who built his casinos that went bankrupt.
He does not care about America investors, else he would not have defaulted on his US bank loans.
He does not care that foreign child workers make the clothes that he and his daughter sell.
The simple truth is he wants coal to make a comeback as payback to the coal owners that backed his campaign.
These tariffs are one of many diversions to come as Mueller builds a case against Trump's misconduct.
5
This has absolutely nothing to with protecting American businesses and everything to do with enriching Trump’s fossil fuel buddies.
14
We live on a globe. Its global climate change. Not Trump Climate change. allowing China, fueled by coal, absent environmental controls and slave wages to manufacture just about anything is suicide. For the 3% price increase in solar installation the planet is better off with American manufacture.
1
What else is new? Destroy the domestic solar energy industry by pricing it out of the market. Ensure that fossil fuels remain cheaper than renewable energy sources. Continue to deny the reality of man-made climate change. Undo existing regulations regarding emissions.
It's all part of Der Fuhrer's master plan.
6
Ahh to reminisce on Bush 2’s tariffs on steel I guess back in 2002 which raised the price of auto components and led to those manufacturers shuttering and moving plants overseas to remain competitive. I recall around 20,000 job losses in the Midwest.
2
If other countries such as China can subsidize their manufacturers why can't the US do the same. In the case of solar panels, that's a sure way to ensure that clean renewable energy will win.
That's a better approach than killing solar energy in order to promote the coal industry.
3
And to what good and productive use does the government use this implicit tax on us?
This piece leaves out two major factors:
1) many states such as my home state of California have increasing requirements that utilities use renewable sources - so the potential alternatives to solar are largely limited to wind not fossil fuels. This should not hurt solar much when it is located in favorable locations. If places where solar has a slight advantage over wind in the pre-tariff market, wind energy will be used instead.
2) Solar electricity receives very large Federal subsidies through tax policy. So in a sense, these tariffs have the result of having larger net subsidies when the panels are made by US workers, as oppose to imports. I think most tax payers would favor that policy over subsiding imports as much as domestic production.
So, best case scenario, for every American job "saved," ten American jobs are lost. It sounds as though a lot of intelligent thought went into this little policy gem.
3
This is a subsidy for fossil fuels. The solar component tarriff slows growth of the renewable industry and allows fossil fuels to poison our environment for a longer period of time. The fossil fuel industry are big donors to the Republicans; don't be fooled by the rhetoric "protecting American manufacturers".
4
This is just a way for Trump to prop up the coal industry by finding ways to attack renewables (like solar by making solar panels more costly).
1
This has more to do with protecting the fossil fuel sector than a couple of American solar cell manufacturers. The washing machine thing was just a ruse to make it look like the renewable energy sector wasn't being singled out.
1
US made solar panels are not cheaper, even with the tariffs. Period. Fact supported by data. Further, there isn't enough volume manufactured in US (even if the price was right) to supply the demand required. Fact supported by data. Due to the tariffs less solar plants will get built than would have without the tariff, at least in short run. Hypothesis, ascertained by using data. Unless you believe that US Manufacturing jobs are more valuable than other US Jobs (engineers, electricians, installers of solar, workers who maintain the solar plants, landscapers who cut the grass around solar fields....etc) than this will likely be a net loss of jobs. Hypothesis, ascertained by using data.
Not only are the solar tariffs clouding the industry's future.
They're clouding our entire ecosystem's future.
2
I don't believe for a second Trump was out to protect American Solar panel makers. Its nothing more than a payback to Big Oil just as the move to open drilling on the east Coast is. And I wouldn't be surprised at all to learn to Trump himself is getting a little on the side.
2
-------- trade, open and equal, has always been a win-win for us . Protection creates bloated, inefficient production supplying users with obsolete, uncompetitive products. In the end, factories close and jobs are lost n spite of the protection and subsidies. If other governments around the world pursue the same policies, markets contract and world suffers .. .
1
I can't wait for solar panels imported to NC (and only NC) are exempt from the tariffs.
Solar panels manufactured in Asia are produced with little or no environmental regulation and with low pay rates for the workers. Americans purchasing lower price panels are supporting degradation of the environment and inadequate salaries for the people working in these factories.
1
During the election there was an interview in Iowa with some workers from a company manufacturing solar panels, seems their biggest problem was thatthey could not get enough skilled workers (welders, etc.) to work at full capacity.
We are in global economy with parts coming from all over. If you put high tariffs on something it’s just going to hurt us down the road.
1
Wow..... This is another great business decision that has been made by a man known for bankruptcy.
I live in NC..... Folks, Big Tobacco is gone, ain't coming back. Please allow these entrepreneurs the opportunity to make something useful out of these never ending patches of dirt that once produced a cash crop. If that means cheap foreign solar panels, so be it. My monthly utility bills will thank you.
Trust me , capitalism will prevail. Perhaps Don can pick on another foreign made product , like ties and clothes made in Asia. If he does I might have enough money left over to buy made in America products. If not, no spending on USA products.
2
This has nothing to do with American jobs, just a show to interests in the conventional energy sector that you matter and renewable energy does not matter.
3
So by making imported solar energy components more expensive US consumers will purchase higher cost US manufactured components. Presupposes that the US consumer can afford the higher cost US manufactured components.
Bring back coal, slow the move to renewables. Just part of the weirdness that is the worlds most dangerous climate change denier.
6
Solar panels and washing machines? Okay, protect the coal and oil industry in order to garner more "love," but washing machines? What is up with that? Not everyone needs solar panels, even though it is a quickly growing industry in the US and, as stated in the article, all other parts and installation provide an increasing number of jobs. I don't get the washing machine thing. In our next anti-trump march, let's all wear dirty clothes.
3
I can see both sides of this issue so I will take a wait and see attitude. I would like to see more manufacturing in the U.S., besides weapons. I have already heard of some foreign manufacturers willing to move their factory to the U.S. thereby employing more workers here. However, in solar there is only so much the average citizen can afford to pay for solar installations. But just think how much will be saved from not paying those horrendous shipping charges from say China to the U.S.
I feel like most of Trump’s policies are made without any serious understanding or analysis. He is unaware of how little he knows yet he is completely unrestrained. It’s like the angry guy sitting at the end of the bar is now President.
7
Really? I'm no trump voter but why did Obama put so much money into Solydra and then it went bankrupt after losing a ton of our tax dollars! Common sense tells me if these companies can produce outside of the U.S beat our prices why does that sound stupid if trump highlights and tariffs might bring them into the U.S to manufacturer?
This is so backwards thinking. Solar is clearly the future. Remember the efforts to go to the moon? It was all about progress. Imagine taxing the space program.
Some attention needs to be paid to the fact of the dumping and unfair subsidies involved in this case. We also need to be concerned when cheap products are shipped to the U.S. based on cheap labor and lax environmental policies in the countries which export to us. How many times will it be okay to have American technology and jobs shipped overseas or our intellectual property stolen without recourse? How many people here would want to loose their jobs and companies over that? This is more complex than Trump bashing. And there a lot of ways to clean up the power grid that are better than solar panels (more energy efficiency, wind power for example).
3
This has everything to do with killing solar energy and nothing else.
6
My money says trump will now NOT put American Made solar panels on the White House. No need to put his actions where he talks.
Crippling America on edict at a time.
5
Tariffs on solar panels help the coal industry (because it raises the price of solar, which is now as competitive than coal). Trump knows he needs Pennsylvania for re-election, and so he's pandering to coal country, hoping to boost jobs there. The "America First" explanation given by the administration is a distraction that the media have swallowed to distract from the underlying objective. (And why tariffs on washers and dryers? As a "shot across the bow" to South Korea, with whom Trump is angry because they're "soft" on North Korea.) These are nakedly political maneuvers, and I wish the media would ask more questions about them.
18
The story of the trump administration is written in the headline ' Tariffs on Solar Panels and Washing Machines.' Solar panels and..washing machines?
What Mr. Trump and his ministers lack in vision they more than make up for in incoherency.
Instead of shooting from the hip (as Trump seems to love to do) how about a coherent policy which incentivizes American solar development taking into account ALL of the trades and manufacturers mentioned in this article? Make it easier to do it American but make certain that the product is available here at a cost which is competitive BEFORE hand.
5
So trump lacks vision? So it's visionary to continue to have Americans purchase products built outside the U.S?
Another case of ideologues surrounding the Pres. who don't understand, and don't want to properly analyze, the impact of their ideologies on actual policy. Somehow it's better to be convinced, than properly informed.
6
All the left wing who have been there with Yellen demanding inflation will now get your wish. The prices for washing machines and solar panels are now going to substantially rise. As Trump puts his anti-free trade policies into effect, prices of nearly everything will rise. As Trump puts his cheap dollar policy into effect, prices of nearly everything will rise still further. The only people benefiting will be the modest number of people working in companies that manufacture products that have previously had to compete with more efficient foreign producers. But everyone will suffer from higher prices for nearly everything.
Republicans have traditionally been strong supporters of free trade while Democrats have traditionally been opposed. Now partisan Republicans have abandoned their principles and are supporting Trump's adoption of Democrat trade policies. It will be interesting to see how the Trump-hating left will respond to Trump's implementation of Democrat anti-free trade policies and Republican support thereof.
Wait a minute . . . is it possible that this tariff will kneecap the American companies who politely bid adieu to the good ole US will now have to PAY that God-forsaken tariff in order to bring back their product to the US and park them on our roofs (or wherever)? Maybe this is a completely circuitous way to bring back jobs. Next, I wonder if it was by design or strictly an accident (as republicans are notoriously averse to helping the general public)? Let me think . . .
1
Trump is attacking the solar industry with an ice pick to protect his new found friends in the coal, oil and gas industry. This is another give away to his buddy Scott Pruitt, the EPA chief and über-corrupt energy psycho.
8
The best way to fight Trump is for all of America to buy American made solar panels, hire your local solar company to install them, take advantage of the 30% Federal Tax credit and KILL KING COAL at the same time. Action speaks the LOUDEST.
The solar installation industry is being pitted against the solar cell manufacturing industry. In the long run it makes sense to have a robust solar cell manufacturing industry.
https://e360.yale.edu/features/could-trade-dispute-with-china-bring-an-e...
Could a Trade Dispute with China Bring an End to U.S. Solar Boom?
Trade experts agree that China has subsidized its giant solar manufacturers. Beijing and provincial governments provided free or low-cost loans; artificially cheap raw materials, components, and land; support for research and development; and a demand that was artificially driven by domestic regulation, according to Usha C.V. Haley and George Haley, wife-and-husband authors of a 2013 book, “Subsidies to Chinese Industry: State Capitalism, Business Strategy and Trade Policy.”
What’s more, a solar industry dominated by a handful of Chinese companies will have little incentive to innovate, argues Stephen Ezell, a vice president at the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, a Washington think tank. The U.S. industry, which invented solar photovoltaics and still leads the world in solar patents, simply will not have the resources it needs to invest in research.
I don't understand why everyone is freaking out about this. The tariff is only applied to foreign made solar panels. As a result it would make more sense to buy American made ones (as they should be cheaper) which would hopefully result in more sales to US companies. As US companies make money from sales of US made solar panels, they will be able to hire more Americans (which will generate tax revenue), export solar panels abroad (bring money into the US to better our economy), and encourage US companies to research solar energy more to produce greater energy yield with less expensive materials (as having a better, cheaper option will only help said businesses) further pushing solar in America. Any sales of foreign made panels here will result in increased tax revenue even though it will not otherwise help American industry. Love or hate the guy I think this may help improve solar energy adoption in the US.
3
Artificially removing competition so an American company can win is bogus. It just raises the prices for everyone and lowers the number of Americans who can afford panels on their homes and businesses. It's another trick to prop up firms who can't compete globally.
13
John:
American solar panel manufacturers are less efficient that foreign producers. That is why so many foreign panels have been imported. The tariff will allow American producers to raise their prices substantially. They can now raise their prices by a little less than 30% and still be cheaper than the foreign competitors' prices due to the tariff.
However, home solar buyers and commercial solar farms are some of the very few people who do not deserve sympathy for the higher prices that these tariffs will cause. The home solar buyers and commercial solar farms have been the beneficiaries of huge subsidies which the government has forced taxpayers to provide. This tariff will raise prices of solar systems by much less than the subsidies they have been receiving. I am not defending the tariffs. I strongly support free trade, oppose tariffs, and oppose subsidies.
1
Cheaper [how so]? Why do you think companies take their manufacturing abroad. Cheap labor that's why. Abroad, companies don't have to pay health insurance for their employees because the government funds health insurance. Abroad, labor laws are looser which help reduce costs. Combine those bennies with how companies are able to take advantage of tax loopholes, products produce overseas are far cheaper than those manufactured here which mean they can be sold for much less.
This is what we expect from Trump's 'do something horrific every day' program. So today he's trying to kill solar, in order to aid his fossil friends in fossil fuels.
4
Unfortunate, that the Times refers to promotional material from investment bank Lazard to represent the levelized cost of various sources of electricity. As the manager of $billions in energy investment Lazard has skin in the game, and can be credited with an unending parade of advertising promoting the usefulness of meager and intermittent “renewable” sources of energy.
The most impartial source for levelized cost is the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which in its Levelized Cost and Avoided Cost of New Generation shows nuclear energy more cost-effective than solar for generating clean electricity:
https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/pdf/appendix_tbls.pdf
Though the American Petroleum Institute no doubt finds Lazard’s materials useful in its own efforts to promote fossil-fuel “natural gas”, presenting it as an objective source here does neither the public nor the environment any favors.
5
Hey NYTs, you put this article out last year criticizing China's dumping of solar panels. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/08/business/china-trade-solar-panels.html
Now, you are raising the "cloud" that Trump will be killing US jobs.
Rather than poke at Trump (which is EASY to do), do a nice follow-up story on what China has been doing in this area and what the proper response should be.
1
Home Depot just canceled my washing machine order, thanks to Trump. Maybe in a few years time american manufacturers will fill the gap, but I'm not betting on it.
10
How do u know President Trump interfered with your washing machine purchase?
Too bad that that previous Presidents allowed low tariffs to benefit large corporations, but the tide has turned. Mayb e you can buy American now that u cannot afford a Chinese washing machine!
2
Bad credit rating?
1
I doubt Home Depot cancelled your order because of trump. These tariffs were just announced. And few years. You can buy Whirlpool, Maytag, Electrolux products now which are built in the U.S.
1
Less solar means more use of oil. What a nice gesture from the Trump administration to the fossil fuel industry.
5
23,000 jobs is nothing compared to the environment that is being destroyed by the mining of silica, use of deadly greenhouse gases, energy to manufacture the panels (powered by oil and coal), the pending nightmare of what to do when these panel start failing (recycling isn't priced in like a tire when you buy it) and the "wealthy" homeowner doesn't have the $$$ to replace the dead panels.
2
Congress doesn't have to approve tariffs? Trump can just dictate announced this is how it is going to be?
3
It shouldn't be, but it still amazes me how slanted these stories are depending on the writer or publication. I do know that if you want to push an agenda, that you can find people or stats that will bolster your position regardless of the merit. There is nothing that President Trump could possibly do that wont draw a negative response from those inclined to negativity.
1
With a few solar panels on my roof I have not paid for electricity in years, while helping cutting seasonal spikes which necessitate the use of standby generators at the power company. The industry which produces solar panels is not the issue here. Trump is cutting the foundation of a much more complex chain which is one of the few that can actually guarantee energy independence. Another moronic action to protect a few manufacturers and the oil industry while hindering progress for millions of US citizens. Once again with Trump everybody loses and America is made worse again.
5
Kudos to you!
How much did the upgrade cost? Panels, installation, upgrade to the homes' electrical system? Pay-back period?
2
I guess this is one way to bring back coal. Now, if Trump can persuade the wind to stop blowing the pastures in coal country will once again turn green (or is it black).
5
"But by raising the cost of one all-important ingredient, the tariffs could make solar power less competitive with other sources of energy..."
Yep, there it is. Let's see, ExxonMobil is Secretary of State, Devon Energy is the EPA, Zinke of Frack the World Inc. is the Department of the Interior, Goldman Sachs is Treasury, and Koch Industries has its tentacles in everything. Don't threaten the fossil fuel industry with a cheaper energy source they can't own.
The washing machine thing is hilarious.
Let's track the 23,000 jobs lost to the Great Job Creator.
The solar panel installations springing up all across the country were a rare sign of hope that, despite it all, something is going right. Gotta mess that up!
13
Trump could care less about the ramifications and outcome of his actions on the domestic solar industry with these tariffs.
As long as he continues to personally benefit from all of his actions, and his billionaires continue to stoke his campaigns is the only real concern he has.
8
"But by raising the cost of one all-important ingredient, the tariffs could make solar power less competitive with other sources of energy, like gas and wind, resulting in the construction of fewer solar projects." This is what it is about. Trump has been in bed with the fossil fuels industry for a long time. Other countries will now surpass us.
10
My solar panels are going up next week. Contract is signed, permits have been received, work will start next week, weather permitting. I think my panels have already been bought - at least I haven't heard anything to the contrary. And if the price goes up because of this action, I'd still go ahead. I want to be part of the solution. Our president clearly does not.
50
Yes, your conscious is salved. At what price? Cheap panels, but there is still installation. Are u paying up-front? Or some company promising to never raise your monthly expense?
1
I think the U.S.'s problem with imports has less to do with unfair trade practices and more to do with the lack of innovation in this problem. This year, the U.S. fell out of the Bloomberg list of top ten most innovative counties. We are now in 11th place and the trend of dropping down the list is likely to continue. Who's number one on the list? South Korea, where they have been for the past 5 years. South Korea also has the highest percentage of STEM-educated workers in the world. See
http://bigthink.com/news/the-us-falls-off-list-of-the-top-10-most-innova...
2
It would be nice to get more information on who the "players" were supporting and lobbying for this panel tariff. It's clear to see the POV of the U.S. domestic panel makers, but I doubt they had enough clout to make this happen in light of the relatively straight forward cost benefit analysis as far as domestic jobs go. I suspect bigger players in the petroleum and utility world played a more significant role.
6
There are a few basic points that should kept in mind in this debate. First, solar power survives on a range of subsidies and benefits (tax breaks, net metering and renewable portfolio standards at the State level). These are all put in place because we will not impose a carbon tax to truly price the externalized cost of fossil fuels. The best thing we could do if we really wanted more solar would be to impose a +$75 per ton carbon tax. Of course Congress and Trump will never do that.
Second, how solar power is integrated into the existing power system need more thought and care as runaway installations of residential roof top solar panels is not prudent (we are putting power in places we don't need it). Also net metering transfers cost on to those who don't have the money for residential systems (not fair and a subsidy to the rich).
Economically integrating solar into the power system we all share is more complex than this simple trade decision or the Trump bashing going on here.
1
In Germany everything from collectives to individuals are getting reverse power bills, where they are credited money. Some hydro projects are using free electricity to pump water into reservoirs and then harvest the hydro power as the water drops through turbines, getting free electricity twice. US is way behind in power generation.
32
How fortunate to have lost WW 2 and then have the even greater good fortune to benefit from the Marshall Plan and our protective military shield....
1
As can be expected, DT and co. never think through the full implications of their actions. If it feels good to DT, he does it, without thought or insight into the complexity of trade issues. Sad state of affairs.
6
Trump again on the wrong side of history. Why can't he see that renewable energy is the wave of the future? Doing just what the oil and gas, and coal industry campaign contributors want him to do, to protect them. This will harm the US in its global economic competition with China in the long run.
7
If the Chinese government chooses to give us highly discounted solar panels in support of american jobs, why should we not accept this gift? The product is not a Trojan horse. I think the VSG has introduced tariffs in support of the fossil fuel industry.
1
I just signed on to put solar panels on my roof. I've been going to do it for years, and after Michigan finally 'enlightened' themselves, and put info out where you could find it, the job is finally attainable. Go for it, Solar! That (and wind) are the only truly clean energy sources. (And didn't God provide it, after all? Actually, he provided that source first)
3
I'm surprised this article didn't mention that of the two solar companies that brought this suit, one was majority Chinese owned, the other German...how
does that make sense? With solar energy one of the fast growing job markets in the country, this move seems very much focused on picking 'winners and losers', and the losers seem to be American consumers who will pay 3% more now for this poorly thought through move. Solar is the 21st century...shouldn't we be encouraging as much adoption as possible?
36
It seems Trump is going to fulfill his promise of increasing coal jobs. Instead of a future with renewable energy Trump and his cronies want America to have to rely on dirty energy from coal and oil.
3
Lets think about this another way: This move is not designed to bring back jobs, but to bring back Trump in 3 years.
8
This is all about putting a cap on renewable energy, a sop from his oil-friendly advisors and cronies.
8
America needs a national non profit that teaches and pays its student to manufacture solar panels, and it will have a service company the will install and maintain the solar systems it installs. Since it is a non profit, there are no profits needed to drive up the price too high. it creates jobs, good paying jobs, and we can have hundreds of these facilities all over America. All it has to do is pay its operating costs and maintain wages and benefits for its employee's. Who says a business needs a profit? Businesses only need profits when some one invests money. This is a nonprofit that sustains lives and a great America at the same time. And it will make us pollution free. Do the same with the wind farms and their factories !!! Governments operate this way as non profits, only they steal our taxes and freedoms......
Big Oil Bucks in action. Read it and weep for the USA.
4
Making Coal Great Again!!
3
Trump is 101% right. China’s policy is very simple, copy technology of other countries then sell it cheaper. They have done this to pretty much everything ever manufactured. Solar panels are not the inventions of Chinese companies. They have copied technology illegally and their products should not just have levies but be banned all together. It is pure business, it is pure theft.
2
The whole scenario is a lie. Trump is protecting oil, and some few rich corporate entities, including foreign ones that own the major US solar manufacturers. In other words he is protecting Wall St. What do you expect?
There is no "dumping" of a product as beneficial as a solar panel. The US should vacuum up all the cheap solar panels it can, from any source. They must be installed by US hands, that's called a job. This is as dumb as how we allow Comcast to rip us off for slow internet service and how we contend with 55 mph on our highways. Wake up America and stop acting the backwater because Wall St is not done squeezing the last bit of juice out of the American rind.
8
Given the unstable price/supply of oil for Ocean going transport and the nature of "most favored nation" status for China.....
Isnt it cheaper to make Solar PV's in the USA???
........
1
Perhaps if there were higher tariffs years ago when we saw that the Chinese companies were dumping solar panels on the US. But what company in the US is producing quality solar panels?
1
Forgive me for biting the hand the reads me, that would be you, NY Times headline writer -- but Cloudy? Yes, indeed; however, the front page headline link reading "Threatens Solar" is utter nonsense and indicates you don't know what is going on. Clouds in July happen, even in Seattle, but tornadoes and hurricanes do not. Check with the Rocky Mountain Institute headline today in the sources that are knowledgeable about the push for 50-cent per Watt installed PV. The game is over for fossil fuels, but it takes time -- a long time. What you may want to focus on is that Trump and his not so well trained monkeys, by pulling this stunt, are in fact Making China Great Again. Wake up -- and I'm talking to you too, Mr/Ms headline writer and editor. Thus endeth the Rant.
Isn't the whole point to cripple the solar industry and continue to prop up the dying fossil fuel industry which has Trump and the entire GOP in its pocket? We keep debating specifics when the generalities are completely clear. Leaving the climate accords and gutting the EPA are pretty good indicators that this administration has zero interest in taking a long term view....make some bucks now and to hell with the planet.
4
"Trump Tariffs Could Threaten Solar Industry’s Future"
Don't look now, but.....that's clearly the intended result.
MADA*
*Make America Dirty Again
6
Again???
Hopefully the thousands of soon to be unemployed Solar industry workers will know what to do on the first Tuesday of next November.
2
Yet another brilliant policy decision.
As I recall it, American businesses shipped jobs overseas to China and India, just for examples. With China, the initial narrative was there was a huge untapped market there for purchasing American products. But what largely happened was that products may have been designed with US innovation, were then manufactured in places with cheaper labor so US companies could maximize profits. Too bad for American workers.
I do not see how raising the cost of imported materials on solar products helps the initiative for renewable energy, and I suppose that's part of the rationale here. But I also do not see how raising prices on imported materials spurs domestic manufacturing. That would be up to the companies that took our jobs and their taxable income offshore.
It's always cart before the horse with this administration—we'll shut it down first hoping a replacement will be developed at a later time.
2
This isn't really about "dumping" of solar panels by foreign entities. Dumping occurs when (1) a country has an unexpected surplus of a product (i.e., Chinese steel) or (2) when a country deliberately sets out to run another country's production out of business, even if it means operating at a loss for a while.
With solar panels, we're simply talking about straightforward competition, where countries like Malaysia have an enormous production cost advantage in the form of cheap labor. That is not an "unfair advantage", but rather a competitive advantage that's a simple fact of life.
In economics, the rule is to find out what you do best with a quality product, then go out and sell it. Also in economics, protective policies to create artificial market advantages serve hardly anyone's interests, except in the short term.
In the present case, the long term artificiality is higher prices for solar panels. So we prop up a relatively small industry at the cost of higher utilities costs nationwide. That's "protectionism" in a nutshell.
Also, one might be tempted to see the hand of the fossil fuel industry in there...
2
The republican congress hog-tied the solar industry by protecting their friends, the fossil-fuelers right up to the present (and beyond, if they have a choice). They have been subsidized from start to finish, and the "powers" that be, (temporarily, I hope) have attempted to pull solar off the bottle, pre-birth. Now,THAT is protectionism - but they're not protecting the country, they're protecting a single industry.
4
Two news stories on NPR last evening:
1. Tariff on solar panel imports, probably to the detriment of the solar industry.
2. Increased consumption of natural gas during cold snaps seriously cuts into the availability of natural gas for generating electricity. Proposed solution: spend more on gas infrastructure. (NOT: Encourage more solar to reduce the strain on power providers.)
Does anyone else see any irony here?
1
Where are all those "job killing" statements from Republicans? When President Obama had 7 3/4 years of month to month job growth they all claimed he was killing jobs.
This will cost 26,000 jobs JUST in the solar industry, and ripple down through all the other industries that have been flourishing in support of it.
We are not going back to the 19th century and coal no matter how bad trumpy wants to pretend.
We will however be left a decade or so behind the modernized world by this one simple stupid spite and greed driven unforced error.
4
Well, when Trump gets rid of the energy star program, American manufacturers can start cranking out appliances that waste energy, thereby increasing the demand for energy, pushing us back to coal.
2
Why is their alternative energy industry more important than the solar panel industry?
Hayak was prescient. When socialism succeeds next comes the experts from competitive interests.
Why should we be forced to import Chinese products? Are there no unemployed Americans?
Competition between American manufacturers will force costs down.
"Could threaten... "? How about DESIGNED TO THREATEN?
4
Just another example of corrupt short-term cronyism and willful ignorance of the long-term damage this wrecking crew is inflicting on the country. Frustrating, infuriating , and disgusting. Where’s Congress in all of this? Just gorging at the trough I guess
2
Humm...For some time all I heard was how china was gobbling up the solar panel market sending American and European firms to bankruptcy or very diminished roles. Same thing was happening in the wind turbine industry. So Why are these tariffs being seen as problematic in America now is beyond me? It may spur the return on the solar jobs we lost to China. After all solar cells can now be produced cheaply anywhere so why not here in the USA? Frankly this is good news, reporting its POSSIBLE negatives without anything occurring just yet look like one more trump bashing news item. Where was the reporting on the tariffs good side? look at how news about the so called "bad tax bill" suddenly disappeared once companies started giving bonuses and pay raises to employees and giving the tax bill credit. Chances are these tariffs will correct a bad situation in the US solar industry not hurt it.
. . . suddenly, you think corporations have developed a heart of their very own. How quaint. Pay-off maybe, but not compassion.
3
This is a simple minded way for the administration to pay lip service to American manufacturing while really intending to kiss up to fossil fuel extractors and suppliers -- oil and coal and frackers. I smell the Koch brothers.
2
The point isn't "spurring growth in solar"; the point is to avoid the Chinese using their economic might to gain a malicious monopoly in solar production. Coal and gas are going away, and we better not destroy our ability to build energy production just to save a buck or spite Trump.
I'd like to hear an editorial masquerading as a news article from American manufacturers of solar panels. I'd venture they'd say the exact opposite: that the tariff is necessary for the survival of their industry.
Manufacturing is more important than installation. A country needs a manufacturing base or it runs the risk of facing a shortage of critical products during times of shortage. We are going to be at war with China in the next 20 years or so, so it would be highly advantageous for us to wean ourselves off of as many Chinese manufactured products as possible.
The installers who are complaining about this tariff are traitors to this country. If they don't like it, they can move to China. Good luck with learning Mandarin.
Makes sense that a dinosaur like Trump would try and destroy an industry that has the potential to save the world while he lines the pockets of the fossil fuel industry.
1
Maybe that was the point in this oil-rich administration.
2
But what happens to all that tariff money? Does the government profit from tariffs or are the funds dedicated to Solar Company grants for R&D? The tariff money should go to the solar companies.
1
The overwhelming majority of American jobs in solar are in installation; manufacturing is just a small fraction. The Trump tariff imperils those installation jobs. This is foolish.
1
It was well known there are more jobs in the renewable industry than the coal industry, but incredibly there are more jobs in the renewable industry (3.08 million) than the entire fossil fuel industry (2.99 million).
Conservatives view the fossil fuel industry as one where real men with titles like roustabout, wildcatter, driller, roughneck, derrick hand work wearing hard hats and coveralls and move massive machinery that teaches Mother Nature who the boss is.
Conservatives view the renewable industry as one populated by liberal tree huggers who want to work in harmony with nature (wind, solar, water) and establish a symbiotic relationship with Mother Nature and leave her as close to her natural state as possible.
Right now Trump's alpha male persona, when he's not lounging around on "executive time" in his silk pajamas tweeting and watching TV, makes support any way possible for fossil fuels critical to maintaining that image.
1
Maybe all these laid off solar industry workers can go get jobs in the the booming coal mines that Trump is bringing back.
3
Vladimir Putin, as dictator of a yuge fossil fuel exporter, approves mightily of his puppet's tariff on solar panels.
1
This was tried in 1987 when tariffs were imposed on Japanese computer memory chips. These form a small part of the cost of building a computer, the rest of which was mostly American-made. The result was that an industry much larger than the memory-chip business suffered. It's stupid policy, but I'd expect nothing else from the likes of Trump, who probably can't remember what he said yesterday let alone what similar policy failed in 1987.
1
Just another example of uneducated, short-sighted decisions made by the President. He claims to want a free market, but only if it is beneficial. You can't have your Big Mac and eat it too, Mr President.
1
As others have already said, it should have been subsidies not tariffs. It is in our long-term interests to not be utterly dependent on imported solar panels, especially if we are (hopefully) moving to a greener renewable energy grid. But China became dominant in this by providing huge state-supported incentives to build up market dominance. They were wise to do so. We should do the same to maintain a state of parity.
The time will come when solar power, like oil or natural gas, is a matter of national security.
Let's hope that the more Trump acts on his disastrous promises, which were made by Trump without the benefit of knowing much about their consequences, the sooner people come to understand that we are being led by a con-man who only cares about himself.
13
The article failed to include in its analysis the apparent
condition that the 30% tariff only begins after 2.5 ggw of
panel energy production is imported at the pre tariff rate.
It would be helpful to factor that in to the projected cost increase
of total solar farm projects currently planned. The Duke energy
person was not asked to address that wrinkle. In addition, there is the
duration of the 30% tariff since it is supposed to decrease
over a (relatively short?) time interval.
Net metering would seem to be a reasonable antidote to this apparently
shooting in the foot of domestic solar energy production. Whatever
decrease in solar production occurs in southern states from a net solar
farm reduction, could this not be neutralized by promoting/reinforcing
net metering option to residences? This seems a worthwhile question
to address in understanding the consequences of this short sighted silly
decision.
The other point to bring up is that if the unstated goal is to
lend aid and comfort to the carbon based energy sector, which it presumably is, the only competitor in price, according to the cost graph, would appear to be the fracking industry. But how would that industry's costs increase
were the methane capture regulations be strictly enforced and
widely adopted? Something serious needs to be done
about keeping methane from leaking, and pruitt, perry, zinke ( three - of the four active - horsemen of the apocalypse) are not the guys to do it, unfortunately.
6
Trump's action is likely to destroy America's solar power industries. Solar is, even with imported cells is far more expensive than fossil fuel power or hydroelectric in most of the country. I'd like to switch to solar but it would take me 20 years to break even on my electrical costs. If we cannot use imported panels. it would take me 30 years to break even. As a Senior, I won't live long enough for either.
In Trump's mind, this is a two-fer. He gets to impose tariffs, and also hurt a clean energy source.
13
it's a trifecta, he can also pander to coal.
I think that is exactly the point. This is an Administration that has made no secret of its contempt for alternative energy and how beholden it is to dirty energy like coal, petroleum and of course the radioactive stuff. This isn't about trade, its about killing the solar industry that threatens his real base (coal and oil companies).
10
You are desperately worried about global warming and sea level rise in the future but focused on the present minor increase in the price of solar that will help alleviate Global warming. Reconsider your priorities and pay the extra 5 or 10 percent more for a solar system installation.
2
Solar is the one industry that allows small and large installation and manufacturing companies to thrive; employs every level of worker from entry level labor to the top tier engineer, industrial designer, MBA, etc. A loss of 23,000 blue and white collar jobs is not important to this administration. Supporting an industry that is sustainable and profitable is not a concern. This is all about rewarding the fossil fuel industry, picking a fight with China, and whatever else the short finger vulgarian came up with as a reason. Solar will survive but that is cold comfort to the people who are losing jobs and small businesses.
10
What about the strong possibility of reciprocal tariffs which would hurt us ? The net result will be some stuff will cost more and more people will be unemployed.
America is hooked on foreign energy, let's start making solar panels at home. If anyone can do it, we can...with or without the government. Make America innovate again!
3
Weren’t solar panels manufactured here until the cheaper(albeit inferior) Chinese imports forced our companies out of business?
1/2 right. Compared to 99% of comments that is 200% more accurate! The US is now a net energy EXPORTER!
"Trump’s Solar Tariffs Are Clouding the Industry’s Future"
That's probably Trump's intent. He'll show those environmentalist. He wants to go back to burning coal.
What better way for Trump to show his whole-hearted support for oil and coal than by making solar energy less attainable.
6
Bean counters on Wall Street and other financial companies exported American Manufacturing with their incessant control of Corporations with investment money for decades to bring us to this point in time. Trump is a Bean Counter with little knowledge of what manufacturing entails. We need Engineers running Companies innovating new products and processes. Bean counters are bleeding the economy.
Consider the impact of that 30 percent tariff. Traditionally, the cost of materials in producing a product is only a fraction of the cost so increasing the cost of Solar panels or Silicon cells is minor.
The idea of a tariff may help the national solar companies, but have minimal impact on final installation sales, as you have outlined. The obvious solution is for the Government to give grants to the Solar companies to dedicated Research and Development efforts. Companies should be heavily vested in engineering, such as hiring more engineers and physicists.
Bean counters only know money. Engineers know technology and how to create new and better products that people want.
Let's get away from simple bean counting and selling the same old products that can no longer compete with newer technologies from foreign innovators. Then you won't need tariffs.
An ideology exists dictating the exclusion of government from business thus leading to tariffs as penalties instead of grants as incentives to grow. What do you think is the better course of action?
1
Grants imply government guiding the future of innovation. This limits government charity to politically popular technology, not on true innovation.
Here is one more visceribly sickening , agenda-driven policy
to assure the primacy of corporations over individuals, and isolation over globalism. The last thing people like this president
want, is an empowered populace possessing the tools to be
economically independent. Lock them up and keep them in low paying jobs, the goals are transparent. No independence for
individuals is the insidious outcome desired.
No solar farms. No alternatives period, economic or social.
No individuals but me and my friends, he says.
No power but his power, is what he means.
6
Not really.
Low Tariffs are a subsidy for companies.
Do you benefit from low solar panel prices? No, you don't. So sorry a few companies will not get their solar panels as cheap as they could. If they were smarter they would buy their projected growth in panels at the low tariff subsidy.
The increase in solar installation price should be highlighted, not the cost of materials which is only a fraction of the total cost. The tariff will have minimal impact on the final cost of an installation.
Would Trump slap tariffs on imported oil and gas, or Apple products, the biggest imports there are?
Who's paying who?
The protective tariffs are set to expire in four years. What manufacturing plant -- with land acquisition, zoning code approvals, construction, hiring, etc. -- comes on line in time to benefit from this intervention?
How will its small R & D staff come up with efficiencies and innovations that compete with KYOCERA Solar in Japan or LG in South Korea?
How many solar-affiliated companies will go out of business or not expand with workers laid off waiting for those American plants to come on line? The U.S. has few solar manufacturing jobs. The jobs are in installation, rack-building, inverters, batteries.
How does the tariff apply to panels and modules built overseas, but the company is nominally headquartered in the U. S.?
Another poorly-considered-but-it-plays-well-to-the-uninformed-35%-base Trump pronouncement.
3
I dispute the 3% claim on residential install. Yesterday an article claimed the tariffs willcost 15 cent per watt. That’s $150 per kilowatt. If a residential install is 5 grand for 3 kilowatts. That 450 added. That ain’t 3%.
The question is whether Chinese manufacturers will open up new facilities in the U.S. to avoid tariffs.
3
As the article explicitly states, the cost advantage will still remain in Asian countries even after applying the tariff. So, no. We'll just be paying more for solar than we did before. This isn't about solar: it's about support for the oil/gas industries. Thanks, Trump/Tillerson!
3
No, they won't. They will slap tariffs on US made good like other countries have done in the past. This is a stupid thing to do, hurts renewable energy efforts, takes us back decades and helps oil companies. It's clear as day why he's doing this.
Why are taxpayers still subsidizing fossil fuels?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ucenergy/2017/02/01/the-200-billion-fossil-...
7
Because sustainable generation costs more in the short-term than in the long-term?
Do you have solar panels on your roof? Are you off-the-grid?
1
This is totally the wrong way to spur growth in solar. Keep in mind that imported solar panels still need to be installed and maintained - those are American jobs at risk as a result of these tariffs.
The better way to increase solar production would be in the form of tax breaks and subsidies to encourage the growth of domestic supplies. The tariffs don't do that, and those service jobs will wilt in the meantime.
It's not enough to weed the garden. You need to fertilize it to spur growth.
11
If sustainable energy was cost-effective over a reasonable time-period more Americans would opt for roof-top solar. Yes, the expanse of the panels for an average American is like 10% of the cost of roof-top solar.
Low tariffs are subsidies for for-profit companies. The Chinese solar manufacturers invested many Renminbi into developing a product. The low tariffs effectively priced most American companies out of the business.
If roof=top solar companies cannot make a profit without the low tariff on Chinese solar panels they just have to increase their cost to the customer.
On the morning the Stimulis Plan went into effect I signed up for solar panels with man i had known on and off for 15 years he had a 3 man operation.
He has since retired but the 100 man company he left behind grew faster than just about any business I have seen.
Trump want to slow this down? For Who?
11
He wants to slow solar growth to help oil companies of course! republicans take up backwards and Democrats take us forward.
Clark Kent - not really the truth. Low Tariffs helped destroy American companies from doing R&D on solar panels. Chinese companies invested many Renminbi, with or without Chinese tax breaks, that American companies did not.
The NY Times chart shows that solar generation of electricity is far below coal, I don't think that it correct.
If I was to do roof top solar, the expense of panels would probably be 25% of the cost. Installation, upgrading my electrical system and electrical storage would far outpace the panel expense.
It would be interesting to find out whether Trump had considered that the tariff would actually cost solar jobs in the USA. I suspect that he was told so, but went ahead anyway because his buddies in the fossil fuel industry don't make money from solar and his base will be satisfied that foreign manufacturers of solar panels will be hurt.
8
The Fossil fuel industry lobbied against subsidies for solar and other alternative energies while they have been receiving billions of dollars in subsidies of their own.
16
NREL has a well reasoned report here
https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy17osti/68925.pdf
They mention only that there was an imbalance between supply and demand for solar cells.
Did this administration asked experts about how to help the solar industry. Less solar installations means even lower demand for US products, no? Where are the white papers ?
A quick glance shows that the solar cells only reflect 35c out of a residential cost per kWh of 2.80 for residential customers or 1.03 for large scale utility level installations. Usually money means jobs and in this case "soft costs" aka non-hardware costs are a whopping 68% of total cost.
Installation, design, manufacturing of inverters, stands, companies that do that are all US jobs. Solar cost, as shown in the plot in the article entitled "Solar’s Expansion Is Tied to Its Plummeting Cost" is now lower per kWh than everything but wind.
Solar jobs, outside of manufacturing, are great red state jobs, allowing you to live outside of big metro areas and install solar cells on farms and brownfields. Lordstown Ohio GM parking lot is now home to lots and lots of solar panels, all installed by local residents I am sure. Distribution of the electric grid is good for transmission losses and also good for electricity security, especially if solar farms could continue to provide power to say nursing homes, hospitals, water pumps, sewage treatment, etc.
3
Solar panel installation and maintenance is perfect work for old time America: It's physically demanding, done in the countryside, and a little dangerous.
If China want to subsidize this US industry, so much the better for us.
3
If DT wanted to help our solar companies, why didn't he simply subsidize them, like we do for oil ? This tariff will help Big Oil, and is another step backwards for my country.
10
Another attempted quid pro quo for the coal industry, which owns the administration. It will fail at that.
3
Our two inverters, which are an important part our residential rooftop solar system, are made in Italy. The racking system is from Texas. Panels from S. Korea. Other problems looming for this industry are the utilities themselves. They are getting laws passed that make installing individual residential solar less and less financially appetizing. They claim it is hurting their income. In the end, people may end up installing even more on our roofs and buying an Elon Musk American made battery system to store our own energy and going off the grid entirely!
75
And no more brown-outs! What's to lose?
Sure and when any of that stuff breaks down or is unreliable then what? Will they want help from the local utility? If so, how will they still be business with declining sales?
1
beech13, the reason you aren't "off the grid entirely" is because you'll never have enough solar panels or batteries to provide electricity when you need it reliably.
And you never will. Only a tiny fraction of Americans who live in the Desert Southwest, and live on a tenth of the electricity most of us take for granted, are capable of going off the grid. And it will always be that way, even if solar panels were free.
It is a bit silly that the US managed to stop depending on countries like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela for their fossil fuels (which is a good thing since most oil-exporting countries are usually not the kind you want to give money to or depend on), but is becoming dependent on China (which despite the hype remains a totalitarian state with nationalist views and geopolitically dangerous) for its electrical power.
Either we manage to make solar profitable when built in the US (or Canada, or Europe, or other democratic allies), or we are probably better off continuing subsidizing it until it is profitable, rather than in effect pouring money to China (which by the way probably subsidizes the sector heavily one way or the other). It might only be a couple thousand jobs at the moment actually producing the panels, but when solar will actually be a profitable alternative to gas and the whole power sector starts shifting to it we will feel pretty stupid if China has got the technological edge (rather than just subsidizing and under-paying its workforce) because it has been the main producer for years and reaps all the rewards. That would be a lot of jobs.
Trump is a disgrace, and he might be happy to have a good alignment of planets allowing him to help the fossil fuel industry at the same time, but even the broken clock gives the right time twice a day…
6
Big fossil fuels had as much to do with this as the 2 badly managed companies that lobbied for these tariffs. What was needed, ten years ago, were tax breaks and incentives to ramp up manufacturing here. But when you have a government owned and operated by the Koch mob, this is what happens.
48
Tax solar and subsidize coal. Brilliant, not.
86
Hmmm..... smells like a repayment to the Koch Bros who are neck deep in dying technologies. Can you say Smoot-Hawley Mr. Trump? Do you even know what Smoot Hawley did?
27
Some ironies. Solar capacity buildup in the U.S. would not have happened to anything like the degree it has if China hadn't made a huge investment in cell/panel capacity. China was willing to take the hit, where investors in the U.S. would not, because there's not a lot of profit in the cells and panels. The ROI is poor. That's why the tariffs will achieve very little. That's why there wasn't all that much cell capacity in the U.S. when China dove in. We lost very little from "allowing" China to invest and then dump solar product, taking a loss on every shipment; on the contrary, we are benefiting from China's investment. We should be thanking China.
Instead we slap them with a tariff insult that harms our own solar capacity build industry. It also harms consumers of electric power who stand to benefit from reduced power costs thanks to cheap solar based on China's products.
Trump cares nothing about U.S. jobs, clearly. He's just throwing a bone to his pals in the fossil fuel industry.
65
I agree with your first paragraph. No American company (there may be some small boutique companies) wanted to invest in solar panels over the long-term.
But the graph further down shows that the cost of solar energy is now far below coal. That suggests that solar panels do not need to be protected. If there is a profit to be made, American companies should step in and produce a product at a less expensive cost than buying and shipping the panels from China.
Wonder if the Koch's will be making a similar donation to Trumps campaign as they did to Paul Ryan after getting the Tax Scam bill passed in the house? Charles and Elizabeth Koch each donated $247K to Ryan, Is there significance in that number?
Keep your eyes on Trumps campaign filings in the near future.
22
Republican resistance to solar power is based on one economic principle; that of maintaining the market share and profits of oil companies who contribute a great deal of money to Republican incumbents and candidates. This simple quid pro quo has handed a big lead in solar and other alternative energy options to China and held back American efforts in this direction. It also increases the risk of the consequences of global warming and climate change.
Americans have been conditioned to seek the lowest price in the marketplace and it is surely the goal of the Administration that we be lured back into an over dependence on an energy source that is demonstrably causing harm while enriching a favored few because it is currently cheap.
If we allow this to happen we can be sure of one thing: that this OILigarchy will protect itself and its wealth while the rest of us choke on the fumes, stew in heat waves, and struggle to hold on while catastrophic weather events gradually rob us of life and property.
I'd rather see a healthy, growing American solar industry, encouraged and supported by public policy, than this attempt to monopolize our energy production. If this doesn't happen we will all pay at the pump in the end.
12
Oil does not produce much electricity. Electricity from solar has no impact on oil companies.
Electricity does not power cars, except for a trivial amount for Teslas, etc. (less than 1% of miles driven). Solar has no impact on pricing or availability of gasoline or diesel
Stopping solar power by using tariffs will only benefit the big oil, gas and coal companies. Additionally there will be more air pollution leading to more climate change in a negative manner. And of course this will cost more American jobs in the solar energy industry to be lost. This president never really thinks things through before making decisions.
16
This is simply a move to play to his base which still believes that he will bring coal jobs back.
The President's supporters will see this as him fulfilling his promises despite the fact that it could cost the country over 20,000 jobs. Facts simply don't matter.
24
Does the term "Law of Unintended Consequences" come to mind? What will happen the long run besides putting the United States behind the rest of the world in the expansion of a "cleaner" more sustainable industry? President Trump is again taking the "short" term view versus playing the "long" game. I don't understand why the number of jobs that are potentially going to be lost is not more upfront! BTW, this as my solar panels on my roof continue to generate flawlessly day after day after day!
5
In this case, it's The Law of Intended Consequences, An Indirect Subsidy to Fossil Fuels and a Disincentive for Americans to invest in Solar Power.
Could we see an analysis of the Washing Machine tariffs? I'm guessing they may be warranted because they may save (not increase) American jobs and will not damage, as all the evidence suggests. a major new American industry, solar power, critical to national security as well as the planet's future.
The administration, hopelessly afflicted with short term thinking, has sold our future for a mess of Koch Brothers pottage.
1
I'm pro-solar & wind energy and I'm not sure what the real effects of the tariffs will be but I do take issue with the cost chart.
Because both solar & wind are not available 24/7 and because energy storage is difficult and expensive you have to add the cost of backup power to the solar & wind costs. On a night with little wind & no solar the utility company has to pay for the "base power" to be available. In addition, solar and wind fluctuate during the day and so again there has to be "base load" power available. In a sense, you have twice the capital cost for some of the electrical power.
When we can solve that problem we will be off to the races.
3
The base already exist. Solar and wind just add to the party. Use them when available else fall back to EXISTING generation. Why is this so hard to grasp?
Think the problem is on the way to solution with the cost of storage headed down (solar walls, etc). Worth a Times investigation.
I agree that perhaps the cost of energy chart is out-of-whack. I have been looking at roof top solar generation since 2005. I have not been able to justify the upfront outlay to the long-term benefit (for myself, my house, my current and future energy expenses, etc). I would love to be able justify the expense, I would love to say I factored in that I was being socially responsible not being dependent on a coal-fired generation system, but the upfront expense does not justify that,
These guys producing a product, electricity, and getting subsidized are just putting our tax money in their own pockets. Great for them while it lasted, but too bad Sam if the rules change.
Perfect example of how complex our global economy and ecosystem is. While I’m open to new approaches, I have no confidence whatsoever that Trump has thoughtfully analyzed all factors from both short and long term perspectives, and taken his own personal interests out of the equation before making a decision. None whatsoever.
5
"Trump’s Solar Tariffs Are Clouding the Industry’s Future."
Um, that's the point. Coal, oil, a wall, are his 3rd century solutions to 21st century problems
10
One core issue that is basically neglected in this article is whether foreign manufacturers have been "dumping" product in the US. This is clearly an unfair trade practice which would justify tariffs. It is well known that China overbuilt its solar industry and has every incentive to keep factories open even if it means selling at below the cost of production.
3
Ironically, and which the article fails to mention - one of the companies bringing the suit, Suniva, is currently a Chinese majority-owned company, and the other, SolarWorld, was previously a subsidiary of a German company and now looking for a lifeline. Not only does the tariff NOT support US solar panel manufacturers, it has the potential to eliminate nearly the same number of high-paying solar installation jobs comparable to the total number of current jobs in coal.
17
Thanks for pointing that out Buck, ?how did this get overlooked by the authors? Big oil lobby $$ will continue to sway opinion and policy in our pay to play (and control) so called democracy. This stifles true innovation in thin panel, high efficiency solar films and panels, leaving us, the voters, at the behest of the energy monopolies. Fortunately battery storage technology is progressing, no thanks to the troubling and ongoing self serving behavior of the Koch empire.
2
Once Donald is impeached for soliciting loans from Russian billionaires whose assets were the subject of sanctions (or in jail with Jared for money laundering)and unctuous Mike Pence does not get the nomination in 2020, a rational President, Republican or Democrat, will reverse this tariff and solar will proceed apace. I applaud the Times for identifying the "Ignorant Decision of the Day" award: yesterday it was drilling oil off U.S. shores in all directions, oil that is slowly going out of business as the auto industry worldwide turns to electric cars. Today, solar panels, that should be getting cheaper, hit by tariffs that will harm American industry. Donald, the world's greatest economist, will be in Davos tomorrow, displaying his brilliance. Perhaps he will find a home there and stay. Let us pray.
8
Sorry, the Republicans control the US House which has to return an indictment of Impeachment. Won't happen this term, won't happen next term. Democrats will never control the House or Senate again.
And BTW, the Democratic Party will not offer a candidate who can defeat President Trump in the 2020 elections.
This tariff is not about protecting American solar panel manufacturing, it is about killing the solar industry to protect the oil, gas and coal industries.
12
Make America 1878 Again....where corruption, greed and Robber Baron fossilized thinking reigned supreme....the environment, workers and citizens be damned to 0.1% Fossil Fuel profits and the patriarchal rape of Mother Earth.
Nice GOPeople.
136
Americans have raped the land since 1492. If you were alive in the 70's, you know that we recognized that environmental reform takes decades. We are still in that transition to sustainability.
1
For more than 35 years, I have traveled the world selling high quality products. My experience has taught me that countries who impose protectionist measures for import goods simply slow the progress and development of their own markets, while those who encourage free trade seem to become stronger and more sophisticated markets. This does not bode well for our own solar industry----which leads one to the suspicion that the goal is actually to protect other energy industries (fossil fuel providers?), rather than to help solar develop.
328
Maybe so, but would you be touting "free trade" if your firm put you in direct competition with Indian, Chinese or Vietnamese salesmen, eager to work at 10% of your salary, and no more Hilton Hotels, melon for breakfast and first class travel?
Some positions are protected from foreign competition, by custom and mutual interest. Is it mere coincidence that it's among those classes, including publishers, editorial writers and journalists, you find the loudest proponents of "free trade"?
Of course. This is consistent with everything the EPA and Trump have done so far. Now that all other countries, with which we had trade agreements and backed out, have done their own agreements with each other EXCLUDING the USA, we are heading to Flintstoneland. We have become an enemy.
This is a job and economic growth killer. Making America non competitive again not "great" just grating. Strange that the Republican Party which has always resisted a "central government industrial policy" is now doing this through protective tariffs. Mismanaged trade not free trade. I too have worked abroad for 30 plus years and home industries grow strong by innovations and not protectionism and misguided delusions of grandeur about import substitution.
Yet another, daily example of an unhinged, impetuous, child-like, unfit "human"
pretending to be a president. Hurt the solar industry? Why? Because his idiotic base wants to burn coal. Going after the FBI? The stench of treason that pervades throughout the whitehouse and in the back rooms of the complicit, sycophantic, republican congress, is beyond my comprehension. Traitors all. November seems so far away.
72
Solar panels cost do not include the cost of maintaining generators for night time and storms.
In California high energy cost impact the poor more than the middle class who are proud to partake in government subsides.
2
And who wins from this, the fossil fuel industry. No surprise here, just republican business as usual.
126
I'm beginning to think, with each passing day, with each passing tweet, that President Twit may ultimately prove that basing decisions on ignorance is, has been, and will continue to be, an epic fail.
39
Another case of ignorance negatively impacting a thriving growth industry for the sake of an outdated one, i.e. coal. This has nothing to do with American jobs, it is the consequence of stupid policies favoring a select group of industries that cannot compete on their own.
96
I worked in solar industry sourcing panels for many years and have visited most Chinese suppliers (including JA Solar). It is not quite accurate to say American companies are not "competitive". Many/All of the Chinese suppliers receive massive incentives and subsidies. Free Land. 0% interest for 7 Years on capital loans from government. Subsidized factory housing and other infrastructure support. Chinese Provinces bent over backward and competed against each other to attract these factories. It is not a level playing field.
Having said that, I agree with the general view of this article and think we should have approached this through the USA content requirements to use the Investment Tac Credit.
It is likely that Trumps sees this as a 2-fer. Stymie solar while pretending he is protecting jobs and US manufacturing.
123
Renewable energy SHOULD be subsidized. A responsible government will encourage new + clean technology. While oil+gas+coal are pointing the finger at subsidies, they are happy to rake them in for their own 19th century industries.
The Trump/Rep tariff hurts the small business owner. How can they build a business when laws change on a whim?
9
Incentives and subsidies are pretty common in the US as well. The way southern states like GA, AL, SC, MS have given away land, tax revenue, etc. while subsidizing technical training, healthcare for the employees of automobile manufacturers is not very different from the Chinese practice. Ironically, hasn't the state of WI recently bent backwards to get the Taiwanese (Chinese) FoxConn plant located in their state? How about the race to the bottom among states to become the HQ2 for Amazon? Given all these economic development practices all over the world, incl. USA, the only way to raise criticism against another country could be with reference to lack of or lax environmental/labor regulations, democracy deficit, etc., but even on that count, US is not on a higher ground given Trump administration's "total war" against environment, labor, press, etc.
I think this is pure and simple favoritism towards the fossil fuel industry.
11
If the US gave the same subsidies and incentives to the solar industry that they give to oil and gas, it would be much more of a level playing field. The problem is that the US pushes money in the wrong direction while other countries are smart enough to see the future is in renewables.
4
Trump hands his friends in the oil and gas industries a huge favor on the backs of workers.
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Since Trump must know this will result in a net job loss in the solar business, it becomes obvious that it is yet another gift to those working in his preferred source of power generation, coal. Even if you don't think the planet is heating up due to carbon emissions, solar provides cheap, reliable, low-maintenance electricity. So of course, let's kill it.
42
This misguided tax was imposed solely to benefit coal. Does anyone really believe he cares about American solar? And the washing machines were added to obscure the true intent.
52
Did Trump impose these tariffs at the request of the domestic solar panel industry or did he do so at the request of the Koch Bros. and other fossil fuel interests who don't want to compete with clean energy?
Did he consider asking Congress for more tax breaks for the domestic panel industry so it could effectively compete with imports?
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I think you have put your finger on who is behind the tariff on solar....the Kochs. I read "Dark Money" by Jane Mayer about the Koch's infiltration into our lives, into our politics (I live in Arizona where the Governor Ducey is bought and paid for by the Kochs), and particularly into our public school system. Betsy DeVos is just their tool.....they do not want "Government Schools", as they have called our public schools, and have pumped $ into Charters until Charters are booming. Oh, the Kochs! Will anyone fight back? Certainly not President Trump. Solar Power? (our overarching regulator is also bought and paid for, and gone are the initial solar deductions that enabled solar on many homes in Arizona.)
"The two solar companies that had sought the tariffs, Suniva and SolarWorld Americas"
The two American companies filed suit.
The Earth heats, the seas rise and acidify, storms intensify, sources of food and drinking water are destabilized and oversubscribed. No child of today - no matter how rich or powerful the parent - has any chance for a decent, healthy future even remotely resembling that the parent experienced.
This has less to do with the solar industry than the President sending a message to the rest of the world that the United States is no longer going to tolerate unfair trade practices.
5
"No man (nation) is an island" I pray we don't run aground on the island reefs before we can correct our course (in November?).
Framed in the way you suggest, is it not a serious case of cutting off the nose to spite the face? I'm not a policy advisor, but I'm fairly certain that cutting 23,000 American jobs and putting a national industry back three years in development doesn't exactly send a formidable declaration to the world stage.
China drastically subsidises the manufacturing of solar panels, but that's hardly an unfair trade practice; they're a socialist country and that is exactly in line with their manufacturing philosophy. However, those cheap solar panels have boosted a thriving American solar economy which, as the article suggests, doesn't focus on competing with Asian panels in the markets. Why change that?
5
No, this obviously has more to do with hamstringing the solar industry in favor of fossil fuels - in this country only - which shows the world that the USA is stupid.
9
Is the goal of this action to revive the solar manufacturing or to strike a blow against renewables in favor of fossil fuels? What a swamp!
18
Solar installation jobs potentially can be had in nearly every town in America. They are good paying and do not necessarily require a college degree. They are the type of jobs we need to create more of. Ironically, what we should be doing is encouraging more cheap solar panel imports.
47
It would be much wiser to put a "Made in USA" requirement to be able to use the Federal Investment Tax Credit. At present that credit is close to 30% of capital invested.
5
Sounds reasonable but that would require the Trump Administration to have a functional policy apparatus. They don’t, so we have to live with whatever dumb idea falls out of Trump’s head, ergo tariffs.
Obviously Trump is doing this to protect the coal and gas industries. He is too
ignorant to realize that no matter what he does the coal industry is not coming
back. He is a denier of climate change so he thinks we do not need solar and wind. There is only two solutions to these problems. First, return either the
house or senate back to Democratic control. Second, send Trump packing in
2020.
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The Trump administration (and the Republican party) continues to expand financial support for 19th and 20th century fossil fuel energy production while impeding the development of the rapidly growing renewable energy fields. Instead of looking forward and promoting innovation in energy production (a recent report stated the US is no longer even in the top ten countries in innovation), the government is choosing to side with the losers, no doubt because of their generous financial contributions, and in the process increasing pollution and further contributing to global warming. Republican obstruction of renewable energy nationwide has succeeded in helping make China great again instead of the US.
31
The cynic in me says Trump knows full well the effect his new tariff will have on the solar industry. He fully understands it's counterproductive and that's the point. We're talking about a regime that's opening up the entire coastline of the U.S. to oil exploration, has opened up ANWR for drilling, taken back federally protected lands so they can be given over to private interests for mining and oil exploration, has scrubbed the words "climate change" from all official documents and even gone so far as to hire an oppo research firm to sniff out disloyalists within the EPA. It's clear Trump and the Repubs who support him are firmly on the side of oil and gas interests and will do anything to quash the competition.
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How much money is expected to go into the government coffers as a result of the tariffs?
With the opening of more ocean to off-shore drilling, seems Trump is determined to bury renewable energy under an increasing cloud of CO2. Watch for tariffs on imported wind-related equipment next, masked as a way to return manufacturing to the US
12
The article is pro-"Buy from China" and very one sided. NO one is arguing that solar is bad. We are complaining that unfair trade practices are bad.
As we all cannot look away from the train wreck of the Trump admin and his daily shenanigans, here is another example is real damage being done to our future.
5
In other people, Trump's attribute of sheer laziness would stand out, but hidden behind his other attributes of dishonesty, racism and corruption, it's little noticed. Like all Republicans he loves to push the hot buttons but takes little or no time to actually examine the consequences. More importantly if / when he sees the consequences of what he's wrought, the only calculation is political.
5
I live in a county where there are solar farms and also in the adjacent counties. Opinions here are strongly divided with many people thinking they are "eyesores" and others alleging they ruin "valuable" farm land. One news outlet quoted a citizen as expressing the view that the solar farms were detrimental to the environment because they were "sucking away all the sunlight"??? Some counties in NE NC now have moratoriums against more solar farms, while due to mismanagement of our city owned utilities, our electric bills are the highest in the state. I see no downside to the solar farms and they certainly are more attractive and well-maintained than rusty mobile homes and junked vehicles on that "valuable" agricultural land.
12
My guess is the "one company that's expressed interest" was enough for this administration to justify their action. The cost of solar and wind contrast favorably with coal, which continues to be on its way out. This tariff won't reverse that. If the administration really wants to make America a world leader in solar they'd encourage more solar to lower the cost of production here. This policy, like so many others, seems to be born from watching too much TV, looking in rear view mirror, and doing too little due diligence.
2
Protecting American solar jobs or really just protecting coal/oil/gas? We must return to incentivizing consumers to adopt solar and clean energy, not this thinly veiled cronyism.
8
For a long time I thought the solar industry, dominated by solar panels, lacked imagination and innovation. I thought how much the transformation to solar energy could grow if there was solar siding and solar decking for housing; for example. I recall from many years ago there was a company that was working on developing smart solar roads. Perhaps, just perhaps this possibly deliberate set back in the solar industry by our fossil fuel loving president may re-ignite our genius for invention and actually help to re-invigorate our solar industry beyond the confines of just solar panels. One can hope.
34
“I don’t know but perhaps”. That is how conspiracy theories work… Just analyze your own proposition to see why it wouldn’t work, instead of imagining outside evil forces.
The smart solar road is one of the stupidest projects I have ever seen, and there have been many demonstrations about why it cannot work. The problem is the same with solar decking and siding (or tiling): roads, sidings, deckings and tiles have very specific requirements, that are very different from the requirements of solar panels. You can make compromises and find materials that can do both, but they are much more expensive, and do neither very well. And what problem did you solve? The lack of space for installing panels? In the US this is certainly not an issue considering the amount of unused space everywhere, including on people’s properties. The main problem of solar at the moment is that it is too expensive; try making it cheaper (without just taking advantage of third-world’s cheap labor and/or Chinese state subsidies) before inventing the solar cycling path (which by the way has been invented, tested, and doesn’t work).
I had an Airbnb guest that stayed a week some months ago that worked for a company nearby, (Menlo Park), that made solar windows. The windows collected solar energy. Also, I've heard that Tesla is working on solar roof tiles. I am sure there are many more companies working on it.
It would be wonderful to have these new technologies encouraged by our government with grants and/or tax breaks. They are still beholden to oil and coal congressional fossils and Citizens United gasbags though. The rest of the world is leapfrogging ahead of US meantime. We used to lead in technology but not now with the GOP in power.
Texas has more sun and wind than oil now — go figure.
1
I think you hit the nail on the head: our president loves fossil fuels, especially coal.
This is Donald Trump's gift to the fossil fuel industry, and another assault on the planet.
12
I guess "he said, she said" objectivity goes out the window when something happens to undermine the concept of corporate "free trade." Now how about an article explaining how Trump's action may benefit American manufacturing?
2
This isn't about manufacturing in the US. This is about crippling the solar industry for the benefit of the oil companies.
6
The remaining three years of what generations of school kids will study in American history as the "Trump Mistake" with pass.
Then this dark period of extremism, authoritarianism, lies, corruption and across the board anti-American behavior will serve as warning to future generations of patriotic Americans on how to guard against ever falling into such a trap again.
A hard but enduring lesson.
4
So Trump wants to take thousands of jobs away from Americans in order for a couple of American manufacturers to make more money and hire a few more employees. As usual, Trump is the dumbest idiot I have ever seen. He is only doing this for the gas companies so their multi-billion dollar profits don’t shrink any. When I first started reading the article, it appears that the tariffs would be a good thing for American companies, but when you continue reading, you see the cost to American workers who manufacture the mounts and steel, do the wiring, install the panels, and the thousands of construction jobs across the country.
I’ll never understand just how a Trumpster is so blind to all this. It defies reason.
6
Time to remove a President who doesnt do his homework. If it doesn’t work, file for bankruptcy, a great business motto.. shame...
5
I do not understand why the Trump administration is pursuing these tariffs. Is it because of the magical belief that manufacturing in the US is the only goal for our trade policy, or is it actually that this is a good way to slow the growth of solar, something fossil fuels companies strongly support? Eliminating thousands of jobs in installation and maintenance to possibly create a few manufacturing jobs is foolish to say he least. I guess these things become possible only if you take a strong partisan stance against solar.
4
I don't fault Trump's motives on this one: There's nothing wrong with wanting to protect American manufacturing against dumped imports. But anything that suppresses the shift to renewables, which this surely will do, does more harm than good in the long run. What good are jobs if the planet is uninhabitable?
85
It would seem that the tariff program is a round about way to reduce the efficiency of switching to solar thus satisfying the polluters who support Trump with their big buck donations. This administration does very little to support renewable energy and still does not admit that global warming and climate change are real and damaging to our planet. So what can we expect from them other than nefarious ways to continue down a dangerous and destructive path.
2
I fault him. The only valid tariffs counteract dumping. Such tariffs were applied in the late 1980s, against Japanese and Korean companies selling IC memory below-cost, in order to win market share and drive out US competition. For solar PV cells and modules, China's mfg costs are validly less than US costs. Certain US mfrs have counter-acted this trend through effective innovation. SunPower sells solar PV cells and modules with the very highest energy efficiency, resulting in lower cost per area per kWh, and lower cost per installation per kWh. Also, Tesla adds value by coupling solar PV cells to roofing products: Tesla roofs are cheaper to buy and install, and last longer, than all roofing products, except composite shingles -- and on top of the cost advantage, Tesla roofs generate power.
The California Energy Commission calculates these tariffs will kill between 10,000 and 25,000 jobs in CA alone. Trump's move here is simultaneously protectionism, and vindictive retribution: protectionism kills jobs by eliminating market forces which drive efficiency and innovation; it's retribution, because California resists his politics.
Want to protect American jobs? Buy local. Stop buying at Wal-Mart. Read the labels of what you buy, especially the "Made in..." part. Don't look to government, look to yourselves/ourselves.
4
Jordan, after tens of $billions in investment, wind energy contributes a marginal 7% of U.S. electricity and solar less than 2%.
"Renewable" solar and wind are, for all practical purposes, useless for addressing climate change due their intermittency, and always will be.
1
Goes to show the simple “America First” policy will not always “Make America Great Again”.
Simple phrases may be great for campaign slogans, but when they drive simplistic approaches to complex problems it is most likely that the American public will lose.
9
And the worst of it is: the installation industry informed Trump that they would lose 23,000 jobs. Trump's propaganda promotes manufacturing, not services (an odd thing for somebody so closely tied to the service industry). And therefore, he doesn't understand that the service economy is larger than the manufacturing economy and that the US is a net exporter of services. But then, Trump doesn't understand much about economics. He's more a real-estate promoter than a businessman, let alone an economist.
7
This is all about lobbying from the oil and gas Republican, corporate donors. And it has nothing to do with the jobs in the oil and gas sector but everything to do with corporate profits and share holder dividends.
6
One way to combat the effects of the tariff is to get rid of as much American installation labor as possible through the use of imported migrant labor. All those who are displaced can just go to college.
Given the propensity of the Trump administration to focus on fossil fuels, i'm sure this is a backdoor policy to kill solar and have utilities and consumer move away from green energy to dirtier sources. Given the net negative effect on jobs, there can be no other reason. Unfortunately, the 'Base' buys into the lies, hook, line and sinker.
5
The solar industry is dirty. Waste streams full of heavy metals and acids flow from the factories producing the panels. In countries like China and Malaysia, which lack any hint of environmental or health regulation, children working in and around the plants are exposed to cadmium, nickel, pickling and plating acids, and dangerous equipment. Adults don't count in the safety analysis in those cultures. Western environmentalists are so busy gushing over solar, they ignore the "inconvenient truths" of the ugly side of chemistry and physics. American products are more expensive because they're produced under stricter, although inadequate, safety and health standards. Of course, any standards are higher than anything the Chinese have.
4
10 to 1 the tariffs are an act of sabotage, especially at 30%. Why in the world would trump attempt to bolster an industry he obviously sees no use for?
4
The title is correct. President Trump is manipulating our economy to the benefit of his campaign donors from the coal and fossil fuel industry. I do not know how much the CEO of Whirlpool gave to Trump.
It's called Pay-To-Play.
President Trump should be investigated just as he asked Congress and the DOJ to investigate HRC for the exact same thing.
10
The US should be the leader in renewable energy technology. Trump is ceding this position to the Chinese. Inexplicable.
9
As there is no comprehensive plan on trade w/China and other Pacific nations, this may just be another back-handed gift to the petroleum industry from the current GOP... As if the tax overhaul and gifting away priceless lands in Alaska was not enough. This is what happens when politicians are elected by misinformed citizens. Not to mention secretive psychopathic presidents who won't even reveal tax or health records - but alas, it is the GOP politicians that are to blame - dense, short-sighted fools.
12
Sad.
27