Climate Changed
Trump Solar Duties Strike At $161 Billion China-Led Industry
- Bell labs invented photovoltaics and China drove down costs
- U.S. remains a prime destination for panels made in China
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President Donald Trump’s tariffs on solar-panel imports to the U.S. are a swipe at an industry that drew in $161 billion of investment globally last year and is dominated by companies in China.
The move may add 10 percent to the cost of a utility-scale solar farm in the U.S. and about 4 percent to rooftop units bought for homes, according to a report Tuesday by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. GTM Research estimated it may cut U.S. installations by 11 percent over the next five years. But the decision is unlikely to reshape the economics of the photovoltaic business or threaten China’s leadership of the industry.