New Energy

Solar-Panel Makers Scorn ‘Pittance’ of Aid in Biden Relief Plan

Administration to seek funding from Congress as it develops plan to help expand clean-energy manufacturing.

A solar panel is inspected at a module manufacturing plant.

Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
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President Joe Biden’s plan to kick-start domestic solar-panel manufacturing depends for now on a federal fund with less than a half billion dollars that’s already being tapped to pay for products including military drones and baby formula.

That funding—even if fully dedicated to solar production—would only be enough to open a few factories capable of cranking out a fraction of the panels the US currently imports each year, according to manufacturers.