Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by CoolHand on Monday February 06 2017, @07:41PM   Printer-friendly
from the its-always-sunny-in-Tianjin dept.

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/

Wikipedia has more stats/charts


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by bzipitidoo on Tuesday February 07 2017, @09:11AM

    by bzipitidoo (4388) on Tuesday February 07 2017, @09:11AM (#463955) Journal

    The US is in relative decline. Still advancing, but not so willingly these days. But don't let the stupidity of certain noisy elements blind you to the facts. The government can exert a lot of influence, or not, but they aren't the nation. In a lot of ways, POTUS is just not that important. He's not a king, emperor, or sultan, presiding over a system that won't sneeze without his permission. The US will move with or without POTUS. After the War of Choice in Iraq, Americans are going to be a lot more wary about another war. Will be a lot harder for Trump to lead us into another war. As for energy, the people will dump fossil fuels in a New York minute when renewables at last pass them up on cost and convenience, they aren't that stupid. There are many US companies working on the problems. Everyone who wants to stay in business is thinking about the coming changes.

    I expect a combustion engine car apocalypse in the near future, and been wondering when to make the jump myself. Been hanging on to my 15 year old gasoline burning beater, doing minimal maintenance in anticipation of that day. Got a crack in the windshield last year and decided it wasn't worth fixing. Perhaps the Tesla model 3 is the car I've been waiting for? Or, maybe I could give up cars, move to a real city that has real public transportation. Another matter is when to install a solar array on the roof. Would love, love, love to tell the electricity companies that I don't need their services any more.

    Big changes are coming and the US will be driving a lot of it.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +1  
       Interesting=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Interesting' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   3