There’s no confusion about solar’s success
If you follow solar news, you’ve probably seen a mix of good and bad press. Manufacturing plants are filing for bankruptcy while the number of residential and commercial projects are booming. What’s the deal?
Solar is getting cheaper.
The market price of photovoltaics continues to fall because China’s government pumps tens of billions of dollars in loans into the manufacturing of solar panels. The U.S. simply cannot compete with these investments, resulting in failing manufacturing companies.
But that doesn’t mean that solar is failing us. As a result of falling prices, solar is getting cheaper, and we are seizing the opportunity.
First Solar and SunPower are the world’s leading commercial solar suppliers, with a Chinese company coming in third. While much of First Solar and SunPower’s production has moved to Asia, domestic installations from companies like these provide great value to local economies. We may be losing some jobs to China, but we are definitely gaining from the drop in prices.
The domestic solar industry grew by 102 percent just last year, and it is expected that this year’s growth will match it, giving the U.S. a 12 percent share of the global solar market by 2015.
So to clarify any of the confusion about solar’s success, domestic solar is without a doubt an expanding and successful industry. If there’s one thing it’s not — it is not a money drain.
China may have more to invest in solar manufacturing and therefor more jobs and money to reap from the industry, but the U.S. is staying competitive without much help from the government, and we can be very proud of that.
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