Domestic solar manufacturers tout import tariffs on Chinese solar cells as a job creator, but some analysts say the opposite may be true.
Domestic solar manufacturers tout import tariffs on Chinese solar cells as a job creator, but some analysts say the opposite may be true.
A close look at the U.S. solar industry suggests that the tariffs may actually be a job killer because the vast majority of positions in the sector aren’t on the assembly line. Instead, upward of 70 percent of U.S. solar employment is in installation, sales and distribution — and companies that hire those workers argue solar cells must get cheaper to remain competitive with other energy sources.
“What China is doing to boost its manufacturers is unfair, but tariffs could actually reduce jobs,” said Gordon Johnson, a green tech analyst at Axiom Capital Management. “The price of solar panels goes up and looks unaffordable compared to alternatives.”
Read more at The Register-Guard.
{biztweet}solar tariff{/biztweet}
