EGEB: US solar manufacturers have moral obligation, US modules prices will consume tariff in a year, more

Electrek Green Energy Brief: A daily technical, financial, and political review/analysis of important green energy news. Featured Image Source

US modules prices will still be lower by end of 2018 than 2017, says ReneSola chief – This is the same thing I said in my analysis of the Trump Tariff. So folks, end of world – no. You know what will come of this though – as we see the exact date of the shift from one tax amount to the next (it drops from 30% to 15% over fours years before going away), we’re going to see imports start to stack up in the ports. And then the morning that the tariff shifts, we’ll see containers flow out. Unnatural. Messes with the flow of business.

Parks Associates: 12% of U.S. Broadband Households Plan to Buy Solar Panels in 2018 – New energy research announced today by Parks Associates reveals 12% of U.S. broadband households that do not currently have solar PV panels are likely to purchase them in the next year. The IoT research firm notes the most popular energy-efficiency equipment for 2018 is a backup generator, with 19% of current non-owners planning to make this purchase. How many of you that have broadband, and not solar power, are aiming to buy solar power in 2018? What about a backup generator? And – if you do buy the backup generator – what are the traits you want? For me, I’d want something to be able to cover my ’emergency panel’ – fridge, basic lighting, internet/computer/phone – and that’s about it. I’m a very low electricity user – no kids, so my needs are light.

Mission Solar Energy Ramping Up 2018 Production – US solar panel manufacturers have a moral obligation to take some risk and invest some money to supply us with local panels. If We The People are going to be forced to pay an extra 10-30¢/W because of Trump’s Tariff, then I want to see some volume. You’ve got four years and we’re going to watch, and talk, and exchange experiences. As an aside, if anyone from Mission Solar is reading – mind reaching out to Electrek? We’d love to cover your residential solar panel line, and learn what you’ve got for us. Thank you!

Fine Print in Trump Solar Tariff Holds Some Good News for Tesla– 500 MW worth of solar cells were imported into the United States in total last year, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, a fifth of what is being exempted from Trump’s tariff. Speaking of domestic manufacturers, you all have 2.5GW of space. The residential solar market was a little bigger than that in 2016, a little smaller in 2017. There are only two manufacturers that I know of who make their own cells. I wonder if our domestic manufacturers will expand enough to put pressure on this number.

Personally, I do not think the solar industry will lose 23,000 jobs. In fact, I think only a couple of at risk states will bear real consequence – but I’m wrong a lot. What is interesting about this image is scale. Why do we hear in the news so much about 50,000 coal miners when we’re considering hacking away half of that amount in one year from solar? Why don’t we hear about the retail workers being laid off? Why didn’t Google have to pay the newspapers? Or Microsoft pay office workers and accountants? Or Henry Ford pay all of the old horse traders? We’re hearing about 50,000 coal workers because this industry has been paying off politicians for decades – since nuclear power started eating fossil lunch – and politicians just respond. Goodbye coal.

I made a chart about the solar tariffs pic.twitter.com/sjLxx9mE70

— (((Alex Gilbert))) (@gilbeaq) January 23, 2018

Featured image is from the Twitter account of Dr. Thomas Hillig. #EcoResort 8 #ClubMed #Maldives #FinolhuVillas 100% #solar powered with 1MW #PV &1.5MWh #EnergyStorage #ActOnClimate

Considering residential solar? Understand Solar will connect you with local contractors, Tweet Me an I’ll give you some feedback or allow me to give you a professional residential consultation that will save you money.

For more electric vehicle, autonomous transport and clean technology news, make sure to follow us on Twitter, Newsletter, RSS or Facebook to get our latest articles.