Washington mandates and China supplies.
The U.S. market for solar panels continues to grow, and 29 states are already pursuing renewable portfolio standards that require the increased deployment of solar systems and other green technologies. However, Chinese manufacturers hold a dominant, near-monopoly position in key sectors of the upstream solar supply chain. China also continues to heavily subsidize its solar industry, expanding its market share even further as Beijing pursues global dominance. …
As we move towards dependence on renewable energy, it would be a tragedy if the United States ends up dependent on China, a rival global power and a Communist dictatorship, for this vital resource. Fortunately, we’ve made some recent progress, clawing back significant market share in solar module production. A new report released by my organization titled, “Reclaiming the US Solar Supply Chain from China,” documents how the U.S. solar manufacturing sector has regained market share. It also provides a roadmap for building an end-to-end U.S. solar supply chain
Industry Week
China’s ‘quasi-monopolistic’ stranglehold on solar noted by EU body
EU consultative body the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) noted “China has a quasi-monopolistic position in terms of components for photovoltaics,” while considering recommendations made by the European Commission to secure the bloc’s raw material supply chain.
PV Magazine