Should the US loosen restrictions on cheap Chinese solar panels?

Even with the support of subsidies and tariffs, U.S. solar manufacturers struggled to compete with the flood of cheap solar panels pouring out of China into the global market. While some argue that the U.S. should loosen restrictions on cheap Chinese solar panels to accelerate renewable energy deployment, this approach is unsustainable.

Are Chinese solar panels cheaper than US solar panels?

Yet, while Chinese solar panels are 20% cheaper than their American equivalents, this number is not the difference between the success and failure of the U.S. solar energy industry. High interest rates and the permitting quagmire must also be addressed. Ending China’s dominant position in the global solar market is not possible.

Where are solar panels made?

Between one-third and one-half of the world’s solar-grade polysilicon is produced in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The U.S. has limited direct solar imports from China through policies such as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and tariffs established to protect American industry from dumping and non-competitive practices.

Are solar modules still in a state of negotiation?

In recent times, the price of solar cells on the cost side has been adjusted, enhancing the cost support for modules. However, the demand-side installations continue to decline, and overseas stockpiling has also largely come to an end. It is expected that module prices will remain in a state of negotiation in the near term.

Are Chinese solar panels environmentally friendly?

Today, a majority of solar modules produced globally can be traced to the Uyghur Region. While Chinese solar panels may produce carbon-emissions-free energy, producing these panels is not so environmentally friendly. Coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, accounts for a majority of China's electricity generation.

Does eschewing cheap Chinese solar panels slow the energy transition?

Though the trade dynamics of solar modules and fossil fuels differ, overwhelming reliance on any one country, particularly a hostile country, poses a real security threat. Critics of the Biden Administration’s green protectionism argue that eschewing cheap Chinese solar panels slows the energy transition. This may partly be true.