By Joel D. Joseph
The United States must lead the world in developing alternatives to oil,
and solar energy should be a primary industry. Currently, Germany has
more solar panels installed than the United States. Germany has about 25
gigawatts-worth of photovoltaic cells installed while the United States
has only 2 gigawatts installed, with California providing half of that.
California and the American Southwest are much more compatible with
solar power production than Germany. While Germany is cloudy and cold
for six months of the year, California, Arizona and Nevada have warmth
and sunshine most of the time. Fully 10% of Germany’s electricity is
generated by solar cells. We can do much better.
Solar has come a long way in recent years and has great potential to
grow in upcoming years. American innovation has solar approaching power
at $1 per watt and parity with coal. Hawaii and large portions of
Southern California are at wholesale grid parity. Residential and
commercial solar markets are at retail grid parity in much of Northern
California. This means that solar production is cost effective and
competitive with coal.
That is the good news. Unfortunately, American solar manufacturing is
at a crossroads. Simply put, events of the last two years have shaken
the confidence our leaders and the public have in solar. Solyndra and
China have been two daggers in the side of the American solar energy
industry.
Chinese manufacturers, recipients of billions of dollars of illegal
government subsidies, remain the culprit as they dump their products in
the US market seeking to grab market share and push American
manufacturers out of business. China’s unfair trade practices have
crushed America’s solar industry, resulting in the closure or downsizing
of twelve American manufacturing companies and the loss of thousands of
American jobs. One company, SolarWorld, shut down its Camarillo,
Calif., facility after 35 years last September and eliminated the jobs
of nearly 200 employees. As a vocal advocate for products manufactured
in the USA, this is startling news. The Made in the USA Foundation is
one of 190 associate members of the Coalition for American Solar
Manufacturing (CASM) – which represents more than 16,000 workers
nationwide – and also explains why we are extremely interested in the
industry’s continued development.
The United States must maintain and support a strong domestic solar
manufacturing base to not only protect much needed jobs but also to
protect the solar industry and to combat the stranglehold that oil and
coal have on the United States.
Manufacturing jobs offer workers better benefits and better pay, and
generate higher-levels of additional jobs than other sectors throughout
our economy, which are exactly what California and America need right
now. In fact, a recent report by the Photo Voltaic Group of SEMI, the
industry trade group, noted that manufacturing had the highest job
multiplier of any segment of the American economy, higher than
construction, agriculture, or information services.
With the worldwide solar energy marketplace growing rapidly and
expected to become even larger in the future, America must maintain its
position as a leader in solar energy manufacturing and innovation. We
cannot allow China to assume that role and take American jobs by
breaking international trade laws.
Fair trade can benefit American workers and companies. Our goods and
services are among the best in the world and competition ensures that
the market operates fairly. US companies can compete and win against
foreign competitors in the global marketplace, but only if it is done on
a level playing field.
Those nations that break the rules to give their industries an unfair
advantage must be held accountable to US and international trade law.
Contrary to the claims of installers who rely on cheap, subsidized
Chinese solar panels, we believe that the US government cannot ignore US
trade laws. The United States must enforce its trade laws and keep
solar panel production in the United States so that we can lead the
greening of energy production worldwide.
Joel Joseph is chairman of the Made in the USA Foundation, a non-profit
organization dedicated to promoting American-made products. Email
joeldjoseph@gmail.com. Phone 310 MADE-USA.
From The Progressive Populist, June 15, 2012
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