Here’s a depressing statistic: Twenty years ago, the United States made 22% of the world’s solar panels. Now, American factories make just 1%.
The failure for a robust solar industry to take root in the United States – despite plenty of interest and billions of dollars in investments – offers an important lesson as policymakers aim to build and grow new clean industries. The transition to electric vehicles does offer an opportunity to create millions of new jobs, for example, but there also is major room for error if we get the policy wrong.
