If medical burdens in the US can be relieved, any industry will be competitive. Medical cost is affecting all lives and all industries. Too bad that medical sector has dragged the US econmy down and there is no solution in the near future.

Sung C | April 6, 2010 06:33 | Report Abuse

It's about Government policies and incentives for companies. The US Government seems to have had an on again off again policy. And it has cost us jobs. I can only hope they straighten it out in time to allow companies to build this technology manufacturing capability here.

Jon H | April 6, 2010 06:38 | Report Abuse

I would like to see the government incentives on energy innovations shall be more focused on high-end technologies and helping renewable energy manufactures to adjust their business model and structure for the challengens of technologies and their future business positions, for example, improving the energy efficiency and promoting smart energy grid that allows people to utilize the energy wisely. I would less concern the low-end of manufacturing job losses. 320 jobs (with revenue losses) in US vs. 11,000 jobs (potential profit gains) in China, the cost benefit in manufacturing solar panels is obvious. It wouldn't seem an issue for a business seeking low costs and maximize their profits. Let those guys do the jobs they are good at, like Suntech Power who takes the advantage of the low cost of labors and materials in China and efficiently making solar assemblies. We should stand on the leadership position and a higher ground of technology innovations. What we need to do is let other countries "follow me" rather than "after you".

Wilson W | April 6, 2010 06:38 | Report Abuse

A sure fire way to plug this hole in the economy and to promote local renewable energy component manufacturing is to initiate Feed In Tariff (FIT) programs, much like the highly successful FIT program implemented in Germany almost a decade ago. Gov't FIT programs, oppose to gov't grants, guarantee the purchase of energy generated by renewable sources for a contracted period of time. This type of program insures higher quality components with longer life expectancies. The FIT here in Ontario guarantees the purchase of power generated from solar, on rooftops, for rates as high as 80.2 cents per kilowatt hour for 20 years. Not bad when considering the same gov't is selling the same power to the end user for as low as .08 per kWh. But the catch is that 50% of all the material associated with each project must have been manufactured in Ontario. And wouldn't you know it, all the industry leaders are all of a sudden moving to Ontario, creating jobs for the rest of us. Perhaps most notable about this type of program is that it encourages the development of new local technologies, and keeps the jobs right here in our own backyard.

Brent O | April 6, 2010 06:38 | Report Abuse

Rhetorical question: what is BP charted to do?...make oil and gas? or, electricity by way of solar?

Scott L | April 6, 2010 06:38 | Report Abuse

In my opinion its a transition - back to what BP is good at. We are seeing this transition since the change in CEO from Lord Brown to Tony Hayward. From how I see Tony's focus is on Operation Optimization and Oil & Gas. BP has come to the realization that typical oil and gas shareholders reward stability and consistency in earnings. They are good with exploration and production so focus on it - make best use of the money and generate energy at the lowest possible cost. Isn't what's been happening since he has taken over and market has responded well. Look at the share price and you'll be amazed BP has outperformed Exxon in last 18-24 months.
To clear my stance I am not in favor of traditional energy companies moving away from CleanTech but am of the view that they should just focus on related technologies such as CCS, Biofuels etc. Solar, Wind and similar technolies should be left for the companies that are traditionally good in them. Likewise I wouldn't propose a Nuclear power generation company to venture into Solar. Smoking is not a cure to diabetes!
For Integrated Oil and Gas companies their true competition is not among themselves but with the NOC. Be guarded start investing the money from Solar/Power into right use and optimize operations by putting cost to your carbon starting at exploration to distribution. Invest in technology that helps you produce oil at SAFE and at MINIMUM possible cost. There are enough reserves to last for at least the next 50 years. Build and invest in technologies that complement Oil and Gas industry not compete with Solar or Wind they are in an all together different arena.

My humble paisa...

Amit | April 6, 2010 06:39 | Report Abuse

America has lost it technical, manufacturing, financial and political prowess. Sure for the time being the U.S. can out-military everyone in the world except terrorists. This too may only last until such time as the bill comes due and Uncle Sam has empty pockets. Just look at Russia's decaying submarine and military wherewithal. Even though it will be Russian rockets that continue to haul people into low earth orbit.

Interestingly, if China, which is on the verge of a real estate bubble that has the potential to exceed what the U.S. has and is going through, cannot support property values the global economy will be in deep yogurt and all becomes a moot point. Somewhat of a Catch-22.

http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/global-economys-next-threat-chinas-real-estate-bubble/19302329/

The solution lies in one word - UNIFICATION. Abraham Lincoln said it best some 150-years ago: " "A house divided against itself cannot stand." Then the other key word then come into play - COMPETITIVE. I am not an economist, but what does it take for the U.S. to be globally competitive, productive and get its books in shape. Maybe stop the export of dollars for foreign oil, keep more dollars in the U.S., create meaningful jobs, make the local community a place to be recognized with pride. Not the shatter bones of dying industries, foreclosed homes, shuttered business with a decaying infrastructure that is seen every night on TV. At dinner time, during the Vietnam War, we all watch the horror and body counts of a senseless "action" as it should be called. Today we watch the same thing but now in our own homelands - horror from the death of our cities and body counts of the jobless.

Barry S | April 6, 2010 06:39 | Report Abuse

What happened during the Bush administration? were we to afraid to speak up. Anyway, part of BP's change might have something to do with recent off-shore US op's released to the media yesterday.

We have opportunities in fuel-cells. Honda has home and car opportunities. Fill up at home. Not only do you save from the efficiencies of petrol vs electricity, we will save because we own the electrical plant as well. The only payment will be to natural gas company providing hydrogen in the form of hydrocarbons. Even that can be eliminated if we decide to make our own hydrogen by separating H2 from O by making our own solar panels or wind generators during electrolysis.

Further if we used grey-water sources we would be left with a handful of "grey" per day - much easier to be responsible for than thousands of gallons of grey-water.

Our neighborhoods with underground utilities could use a fuel-cell to generate electricity for the neighborhoods. Our chance to have a neighborhood business; then since most folks are not home during the day during peak hours, let's say we sell the excess to the grid and make a lot more. We sleep mostly during the night so sell them the extra then too.

It is that simple except nobody will sell me a fuel cell. Shouldn't blocking commerce be illegal? Frankly it is.

Jimmy | April 6, 2010 06:40 | Report Abuse

What did Senator Mooney say..."It's a concern." I should think so. We're looking at international corporations making manufacturing decisions based on cheap labor, non-existent environmental regulations and favorable business operations costs (guess what the expenditure for business financed health care is in Malaysia) in countries outside the US. Those are business decisions and should be left up to the individual company's management.

However, our US tax dollars should not be funding their foreign investments or supporting their sales efforts to the US market, of course. What are we doing to make manufacturing, in the US, more attractive and profitable. Although BP obviously made bad choices with respect to siting and product specifications with the MD plant, the decision to move is based on their belief that the lower manufacturing costs in the short term were more attractive than any benefits they could receive from manufacturing in the US. We, not BP, are the problem. Is an aggressive VAT part of the solution?

Doug | April 6, 2010 06:40 | Report Abuse

check out this thread on another forum that addresses a similar issue.
http://www.chieftalk.com/showthread.php?t=48183

this problem is not limited to the PV market. as the state senator said, "that's a concern." but what is government doing to address this problem? what can be done?

James | April 6, 2010 06:40 | Report Abuse

also check out this thread:  http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers=&discussionID=16373541&gid=46231&trk=EML_anet_qa_ttle-0Ut79xs2RVr6JBpnsJt7dBpSBA

and this link from the above post concerned with a "greentech race with china"
http://greeneconomypost.com/us-greentech-race-with-china-8167.htm

James | April 6, 2010 06:40 | Report Abuse

This is an outrageous story. Why doe the Federal and State Governments penalize these companies? BP, Suntech and First Solar should give back the incentive funds back to the government so that governments can keep these plants going. We need these jobs to stay in the US.

Susan D | April 6, 2010 06:41 | Report Abuse

BP Solar is not backing away from the solar market, I suspect the Maryland plant is just not competitive. The real issue no one wants to address is that we accepted an unsustainable model called "Free Trade". The reality is that they(China) export products and loans, we export jobs and $. TRADE can not be one way. Eventually we all fail. We have no economy, they have no customers. Like the subprimes that banks carried to their own near demise, bad economic models that benefit someone will be proffered by those making a profit from them even while the house burns down.

It is time we look at the model and decide when we are going to get off the run away train before it hits the wall.

Barry | April 6, 2010 06:42 | Report Abuse

Globalization happened. While the price difference between workers is less than the cost of transit to a given place, this will happen (assuming most things being equal, there isn't going to be manufacturing plants being set up in war zones or something). Increasing mechanization of manufacturing is also possible, but then that would mean no more cheaper works anywhere in the world and electricity being cheap as well.

Josef | April 6, 2010 06:42 | Report Abuse

Barry

you hit on it. Herman Daly advocates for steady state economics. here's a post where he talks about his ideas. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/31/daly-on/

I saw a video cast of him present his ideas at a conference last year. some of his ideas on the ways to transition out of our current crisis to an economy that is not focused on "growth". some of his ideas would be met by fierce opposition from just about everyone I can imagine. but he seemed to be spot-on in the analysis of the situation.

I'm still not sure whether humanity is going to rise to the challenge or be crushed by our own ambitions...

James | April 6, 2010 06:43 | Report Abuse

And this has been going on for YEARS. The federal government has (since about the '60's) given companies up to US$35-million to move their manufacturing base offshore. Result? Almost all manufacturing is now done offshore, and there are almost no good-paying jobs (per 100,000) in the USA (compared to say, the '50's). It almost looks to me like the intention was to destroy our economy over time-- but then that would be "conspiracy theory", so maybe it's just a coincidence.

But now, "the chickens are coming home to roost"-- you can't sell anything to people that don't have any money-- so the largest consumer in the world (the USA) is now slowly becoming a second-world state, complete with the fascist dictatorship (or oligarchy) and is falling into using police-state tactics to keep the complaining populous in-line. This, in turn, will affect the second and third world countries that were given our manufacturing jobs-- their biggest customer is going broke. They will have to be satisfied with selling to the rest of the world-- but the other first-world countries have had the same thing done to them-- so that leaves the second and third world countries to buy their goods-- people that also do not have very much money.

Who's to blame for this? Well, some "other" people implemented it, but the bottom line is that the American people have been (and many still are) "asleep at the switch"-- they just let it happen. If you try to tell them about this-- they will tell you that they don't want to know-- they are "willfully ignorant". All they want is to be left alone so that they can watch a ball-game on their big-screen TV, drink beer, and forget about everything real. It's sad really.

What to do about it? Honestly, I think it's too late. At some point there will be rioting and civil unrest-- maybe even a civil war. Since our government has relentlessly concocted legislation and policy to drive most of the small farmers out of business, we no longer are able to produce enough nutritious food to feed the populace. So, in light of that, I suspect that there will also be fighting over food-- probably after the collapse of the dollar-- (when the dollar becomes worthless, no one outside our country will want to sell us anything).

But if you still think there's a chance to fix all of this, then get all of your friends together, and vote each other into office-- and then repeal all of this insane legislation. Good Luck with that!

On a happier note, one can still move one's wealth out of the country and move to a more stable central American country- for example Panama. But, if your going to do that, then do it quick before the exchange controls are put in place...

Ken P | April 6, 2010 06:43 | Report Abuse

Hi Mac - Thank you for the post. These occurrences are very interesting. I work for a local solar installer and we think it is important to purchase USA manufactured products on our installed systems. We use SolarWorld panels which are not only manufactured in the US (including raw materials), but they also are one of the best available. We recently started offering a SunTech panel just to have a lower cost option for those who do not care so we can stay competitive. Interestingly enough, the SunTech panels typically cost out about $2-$3K less for a system. Not a significant amount relatively and when the government is picking up about 50% of the tab, it means less than about $2K in the end.

It would be helpful to me if I knew your sources for the statistics you referenced. I often point out that panels "assembled" in the US doesn't exactly compare to manufactured, but it would be nice if I could site specific examples. And specifically to your point about BP, Home Depot is now partnered with BP on a corporate level. Their in store services for solar are for BP dealers. I have been told by HD employees they believe the panels to be US manufactured in Frederick.

I would appreciate any help you can offer.

Anne K | April 6, 2010 06:43 | Report Abuse

This wad sooooo forseeable it's not even funny. To get solar LCOE down to a competetive price the manufacturing had to go someplace cheap. We handed the bulk of our ARRA money and three fantastic industries (solar panels, EV batteries, and EV drive trains) right to the emerging and growing markets of china and india. And even with them getting all the ARRA clean jobs promised to us there will some benefit to USA .... Benefits we would have gotten anyway without a single ARRA dollar because we will be the consumers and peddlers of THEIR products derrived from our cash and tech ... You are welcome China.

Andrew B | April 6, 2010 06:45 | Report Abuse

BTW. There was a time when a US Corp could build and industry prior to selling out (IBM -- LENOVA) but this time around we just left out the middleman and gave the industries directly to another country. TESLA and FISKER with their combine billion dollars of ARRA money could have dominated but their body panels and batteries already come from china. We the gov't could have stipulated 100% home grown; our cash our terms .. It would have allowed us to own a sector before selling out for cost efficiency. If you start at the bottom there's no other direction than up or out. Eventually China will charge market rate and then what?

Andrew B | April 6, 2010 06:45 | Report Abuse

The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession.

New York payday loans | December 7, 2010 05:03 | Report Abuse