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Falling panel prices lead to global solar boom, except for the US

(arstechnica.com)
249 points Jtsummers | 3 comments | 30 Oct 25 16:32 UTC | HN request time: 0.451s | source
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jameslk ◴[30 Oct 25 17:08 UTC] No.45762342[source]▶
80% of the supply chain for solar is based in China[0]. As long as this is the case, it is unlikely there will be as much demand in the US for it due to new Cold War and bipartisan efforts to tariff solar panels from China

The article seems to leave this important detail out, despite talking a lot about China

0. https://www.iea.org/reports/solar-pv-global-supply-chains/ex...

EDIT: it looks like the article does mention it, I just missed it:

> The huge surfeit of production capacity in China, which produced about eight out of 10 of the world’s solar modules in 2024

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1. jyounker ◴[30 Oct 25 18:07 UTC] No.45763089[source]▶
When one government bet on solar power failed (Solyndra) the message from the right in the US was, "look what a waste it is for the government to invest in solar technology," instead of taking the appropriate lesson. That lesson was that we weren't spending enough backing solar companies.

China shoveled billions into developing solar manufacturing technologies, and as a result they figure out how to cheaply mass-produce solar cells. Solyndra failed because they couldn't compete against the resulting cheap solar cells.

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2. standardUser ◴[30 Oct 25 18:28 UTC] No.45763426[source]▶
We'd be similarly behind with self-driving tech if it wasn't for the endless investment by megacorps.
3. corimaith ◴[30 Oct 25 19:34 UTC] No.45764316[source]▶
But solar panels are undergoing involution in China while there is mass youth unemployment. Alot of these are zombie companies selling at a loss and propped by provincial debt.

You're measuring success only in with regards to how it might benefit you as a foreigner, but dosen't necessarily mean it was wholly successful for the China.