America Heads Toward Solar Energy Tariffs, Will This Derail Environmentalists?

The first half of 2017 represented a huge increase in solar energy usage worldwide. The U.S. also headed in an Eco-friendly direction by boosting solar power to 10 percent of the nation’s total energy production. This is much lower than the global average, which places a huge emphasis on producing approximately 65 percent of all new power from renewables, but it is twice as much solar power as the U.S. harnessed in 2015.

On the surface, the U.S. appears well-poised to join several major countries in eventually relying primarily on solar and other forms of alternative energy. However, the Trump Administration may soon enact changes that could bring domestic solar power usage to a halt.

Solar Power Tariffs: The Worst-Case Scenario

News has been circulating for months about President Donald J. Trump’s zeal for import tariffs, especially in relation to China. White House staffers reported in August that Trump told them, “I want tariffs,” and this is something that the administration has been scrambling to make happen. This line of thinking goes back to Trump’s earliest campaign promises about creating a “level playing field.”

The Trump Administration is closely eyeing imported solar panels for potential tariffs. Meanwhile, numerous representatives from the U.S. solar industry have spoken out against this plan. It’s been estimated that enforcing tariffs would almost double the cost of solar panels, which would lead to the loss of 88,000 U.S. jobs, along with a huge reduction in new solar energy projects.

In other words, the worst-case scenario is that solar panel tariffs are imposed, the price of these panels goes up while the demand goes down, tens of thousands of Americans are laid off and the nation begins to backslide on solar production, thereby creating a bigger reliance on non-renewable energy sources that are damaging to the environment. All of these potential issues are linked to an impending tariff decision that Trump must make by January 12, 2018.

The Environmental Impact of Solar Energy

Many nations have embraced solar and other alternative energy forms as a viable solution for energy production and environmental concerns. For example, Germany has achieved the milestone of using alternative energy to produce 85 percent of the nation’s electricity. This helps offset some of the environmental damage that’s done by gas-guzzling cars and factories.

In Beijing, a city that’s famous for air pollution, two weeks without factory production and car usage completely cleared the air. As soon as things returned to normal, though, the sky was filled with smog again. This presents a big argument for moving forward with alternative energy such as electric vehicles that are charged at a solar-powered charging station.

In addition to reducing air pollution, solar panels have the potential to reduce U.S. water pollution by 72 percent and hazardous waste by 42 percent. Numerous health issues can result from these forms of pollution, including liver illness, neurological conditions and respiratory problems. This helps demonstrate that ‘going green’ isn’t merely a trendy buzz phrase. Instead, it’s a continuously observable way of making the environment healthier for humans.

Will the U.S. Backslide?

It’s unknown at this time if Trump will actually sign the applicable tariffs and, if he does, how aggressive they will be. All signs seem to indicate that he’s strongly leaning toward imposing tariffs on solar panels, though. If industry expert predictions come true and the cost of each solar panel nearly doubles as a result, it is highly likely that new solar energy installations would plummet, at least temporarily.

[Featured Image by Rich Pedroncelli]