I'm curious as to why the US can't be competitive without the government support--not that I'm complaining, that's the best use of federal money in decades (verses Iraq wars, tax cuts, too much stimulus, etc.) I say that because we produce food cheaply and efficiently, along with lumber, oil, and even some autos (well not in the last few years though). Cost of real estate and regulatory hurdles perhaps? Real estate could be solved by setting up manufacturing in places like Detroit or smaller cities with good values. Overregulation is something the US has to come to terms with simplifying, it's egregious at times for no good reason. Wages are another hurdle but solar plants would be mostly automated anyway, I would think.
From my research, I think there are three main factors which are energy, labor, and globalization. Energy costs are lower in China who can use coal without recourse. They also have cheaper labor which to your point is less of a factor for solar due to automation. Also very importantly China really took a pointed approach to developing its natural resource industries/manufacturing. In doing so, they undercut much of the market by lowering the prices of solar panels and making various facilities around the world and in the US in particular uneconomic. It was easier to just import even with tariffs than produce here which has been the case for many industries since ~2000. China is authoritarian and has huge influence over where the economy goes. They can choose to target certain things in a way the democratic US cannot. Every once and a while the US can target certain areas when they pass a law like the IRA for example when they get spending bills passed, however this goes against free market principles when you get down to it.
I think real estate is a factor just not the driving factor, and we are seeing a lot of new construction of manufacturing in these "cheaper" states. Of course regulation is ultimately why we have labor laws and environmental laws leading to my point above, but some regulation seemingly comes at the benefit of the the people. In general I agree that regulation tends to get in the way.
I'm curious as to why the US can't be competitive without the government support--not that I'm complaining, that's the best use of federal money in decades (verses Iraq wars, tax cuts, too much stimulus, etc.) I say that because we produce food cheaply and efficiently, along with lumber, oil, and even some autos (well not in the last few years though). Cost of real estate and regulatory hurdles perhaps? Real estate could be solved by setting up manufacturing in places like Detroit or smaller cities with good values. Overregulation is something the US has to come to terms with simplifying, it's egregious at times for no good reason. Wages are another hurdle but solar plants would be mostly automated anyway, I would think.
From my research, I think there are three main factors which are energy, labor, and globalization. Energy costs are lower in China who can use coal without recourse. They also have cheaper labor which to your point is less of a factor for solar due to automation. Also very importantly China really took a pointed approach to developing its natural resource industries/manufacturing. In doing so, they undercut much of the market by lowering the prices of solar panels and making various facilities around the world and in the US in particular uneconomic. It was easier to just import even with tariffs than produce here which has been the case for many industries since ~2000. China is authoritarian and has huge influence over where the economy goes. They can choose to target certain things in a way the democratic US cannot. Every once and a while the US can target certain areas when they pass a law like the IRA for example when they get spending bills passed, however this goes against free market principles when you get down to it.
I think real estate is a factor just not the driving factor, and we are seeing a lot of new construction of manufacturing in these "cheaper" states. Of course regulation is ultimately why we have labor laws and environmental laws leading to my point above, but some regulation seemingly comes at the benefit of the the people. In general I agree that regulation tends to get in the way.