Lost 20,000 Solar Energy Jobs

[struggle4progress]

Feb 24, 2019, 06:20am
James Ellsmoor

2016 was the best year on record for solar energy in the United States. A report from the U.S. Department of Energy at the time showed that solar energy was responsible for a much larger share of employment in the electric power sector (43%) than the whole of the fossil fuel industry combined (22%). With such robust numbers, it seemed as though solar energy, and renewables more broadly, were about to revolutionize the energy sector in the United States and lead the push towards cleaner energy and lower carbon emissions.

However, solar energy jobs have stagnated and dipped for two consecutive years since the Department of Energy’s initial report, with a loss of 10,000 jobs in 2017 followed by a further 8,000 in 2018. Although some job losses were foreseen as a result of project finalizations in several states, the biggest contributing factor was President Trump’s tariffs on solar panels . The first shot fired in what would become a wide-ranging trade war with China in 2018, the U.S.’ decision to add a 30% tariff on foreign-produced solar panels had a negative effect on its domestic solar industry, which heavily relies on cheap imports ...

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesellsmoor/2019/02/24/under-trumps-tariffs-the-us-lost-20000-solar-energy-jobs/#15414c3776ba

[elleng]

1. 'decision to add a 30% tariff on foreign-produced solar panels

had a negative effect on its domestic solar industry, which heavily relies on cheap imports ... '

F* his tariffs!

[scarytomcat]

6. domestic solar companies need to start making panels

that is what tariffs are suppose to do, stimulate and protect US companies
Time to get to work creating jobs not losing them. That is the GREEN NEW DEAL.

[elleng]

7. He put tariffs on solar panels' components, I've read,

causing huge losses in that field.

[Achilleaze]

2. republicans have pissed all over the job & energy security of solar

in order to keep America chained to the filthy, expensive, and destabilizing Big Oil borg, inc. which feeds them dirty money to fulfill degenerate death wishes.

[EricMaundry]

3. I worked for Solar City (IE Tesla Energy) during that period

The company was screaming chaos. A lot of those numbers come from the collapse of
Solar City. A company that even when it was the industry leader was one royal fucking
mess. I'd like to blame Trump, and he certainly is not an innocent party. But the internal
workings of the solar industry also played a role.

I now drive a truck. I make more money and as long as I get to where I'm supposed to
go I am left in peace and happiness.

[allgood33]

4. Had we won in 2016 this would be a booming sector. nt

[keithbvadu2]

5. Trump gets full credit for these job losses.

Trump gets full credit for these job losses.