With an ever-increasing awareness of environmental issues and a desire to break free from traditional energy providers, the demand for solar panels has been increasing. This demand has also been heightened since manufacturing moved to China, who subsidizes their solar manufacturing industry which has drastically decreased their cost over the last decade. This, coupled with the nationalist ideals of the current United States government, has marked the beginnings of what could become an all-out trade war between the U.S. and China. As of April 2018, both countries have imposed tariffs on several imports that are vital to their exporting nation’s economy. This has had many unforeseen consequences and has raised concerns in areas that might not be the first place one would expect. For instance, how will tariffs on Chinese solar panels affect access to renewable energy to low-income neighborhoods? What impact does a growing solar infrastructure have on the cost of traditional energy? How might these tariffs benefit the environment? And what does a trade war mean for American farmers? All industrial nations operate in a global economy; disagreements with a nation on one side of the planet will inevitably have consequences at home. Nationalist ideals may sound great to some, but pretending the U.S. does not depend on the global economy does not make it a reality.
Image Citation
Berry, Ian. Image of Shipping Containers. CNN Money, 23 Mar. 2018, http://money.cnn.com/2018/03/22/news/economy/china-plans-to-hit-us-with-tariffs/index.html.