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Between 2008 and 2013, China's fledgling solar-electric panel industry dropped world prices by 80 percent, a stunning achievement in a fiercely competitive high-tech market. China had leapfrogged from nursing a tiny, rural-oriented solar program in the 1990s to become the globe's leader in what may soon be the world's largest renewable energy source.
[...] China's new dominance of nearly all aspects of solar use and manufacturing—markets that are predicted to expand by 13 percent a year, according to the report—came through a "unique, complex and interdependent set of circumstances" that is not likely to be repeated.
[...] According to some veterans in the U.S. solar industry, China bought solar companies and invited others to move to China, where they found cheap, skilled labor. Instead of paying taxes, they received tax credits.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-china-is-dominating-the-solar-industry/
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 06 2017, @11:29PM
Yes, it must be done. And must be done somewhere. But those jobs are no longer the economic engines of growth like they were in the 1950's
Sure by '3rd world' right? Let them have the crap jobs. No one *really* wants them. They *love* being on government aid. Am I right? /s
Today the economic engines are the companies signing a petition against the ban
In 10 years those companies will be mostly gone. Oh you don't think so huh? Tech changes faster than I change my car. Think back say to 2000. Who did you use for search? What OS did most everyone use? Go back 10 from that same question. Go back 10 from that same question. Companies come and go. Most tech is chasing a fad. Even the programmers have to chase the fad. Better learn ADA or ASM, oh wait I mean Pascal, oh wait I mean C, oh wait I mean C++, oh wait I mean PHP, oh wait I mean C++ again, oh wait I mean Java, oh wait I mean C#, oh wait I mean Java again... Better learn the mac, oh wait I mean amiga, oh wait I mean DOS, oh wait I mean windows, oh wait I mean IOS, oh wait I mean Linux.... We chase the fad. One of the favorite arguments for programmers is software patents. Why did that come around? Because one of the heavyweights in computers from the 1970s had one last shot at the golden apple then faded into obscurity.
But they are inevitable. The old way WILL come to an end, even if we do nothing but pursue that path.
Well you sorta get it.
How much do you think the US is going to invest in real clean energy? Even as it becomes more affordable.
I suggest you buy some power company stocks. You will find out differently. They *are* investing heavily in it. Free energy is coming. Just not to you or me (who do you think are buying those cheap Chinese panels?). They are going to lock it in. They will use the 'someone needs to pay for the lines' line on you. Here is one example https://www.duke-energy.com/our-company/about-us/businesses/renewable-energy [duke-energy.com] That is just 1 company. They are all doing it or going out of business as they will not compete against the others.