Third-Largest Maker of Solar Panels in the U.S. Moves Factory to China
January 16th, 2011
Via: New York Times:
Aided by at least $43 million in assistance from the government of Massachusetts and an innovative solar energy technology, Evergreen Solar emerged in the last three years as the third-largest maker of solar panels in the United States.
But now the company is closing its main American factory, laying off the 800 workers by the end of March and shifting production to a joint venture with a Chinese company in central China. Evergreen cited the much higher government support available in China.
…
Although solar energy still accounts for only a tiny fraction of American power production, declining prices and concerns about global warming give solar power a prominent place in United States plans for a clean energy future — even if critics say the federal government is still not doing enough to foster its adoption.
Beyond the issues of trade and jobs, solar power experts see broader implications. They say that after many years of relying on unstable governments in the Middle East for oil, the United States now looks likely to rely on China to tap energy from the sun.
Since business has no concept of loyalty at the very least the state of Massachusetts should claw back its $43 million in assistance from Evergreen Solar before it transfers assets out of the country; ***holes.
You know people complain about China pegging the Renminbi below the dollar, but it seems like the most harmful thing China is doing to US manufacturing is subsidizing all their companies so heavily.
I haven’t looked too deeply into it, but this seems to have some interesting info on Chinese manufacturing subsidies:
http://www.chinasubsidies.com/research.htm