It should be a golden moment for renewable energy. It's not.

Apr 22, 2022
Solar, wind and nuclear energy confront old and new obstacles to competing with fossil fuels.
The trade war between the U.S. and China is causing solar projects to get delayed or canceled. 
Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Debate over solar-equipment tariffs heats up

Nov 5, 2021
Some say keeping Trump-era levies on foreign-made panels and cells will help the U.S. meet Biden's domestic goals for renewable energy.
Solar-panel production in the U.S. has tripled since Trump-era tariffs were imposed, but imports still make up 85% of sales.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Renewable energy startup aims to help Texans lower electric bills

Aug 24, 2021
Households with less disposable income often pay higher rates. Energy Well Texas is addressing that as well as emergency preparedness.
Antonio Martinez shows how the solar-powered backup battery works. Energy Well Texas wants to help residents save money on electric power and stay safe during emergencies.
Lucio Vasquez/Houston Public Media

Infrastructure bill carries funding potential for clean energy

Aug 2, 2021
Federal money could be set aside for electric vehicles and charging stations. The solar industry, however, still has questions.
A new electric vehicle charging station is seen near San Francisco city hall.
Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Puerto Rico wagers on privatizing power grid

Jul 10, 2020
Three years after Hurricane Maria destroyed Puerto Rico's electric grid, the island is still dealing with unreliable service and intermittent power outages, especially in rural areas.
Solar panels at a hospital in Vieques in 2017. Puerto Rico's electric power system has been plagued by the damage inflicted by Hurricane Maria.
Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images

Solar energy heats up despite tariffs

Mar 14, 2019
In 2018, the Trump administration imposed tariffs of 30 percent on imported solar panels and set quotas to limit solar imports. This caused a slump in the solar energy industry. But two new reports show that last year wasn’t as bad as the industry feared, and predicts a boom in new solar installations this year. […]
A solar farm under construction in Punta Gorda, Florida, on April 22, 2016.
KERRY SHERIDAN/AFP/Getty Images

With California requiring solar panels on new homes, higher building costs and lower energy bills

Dec 10, 2018
California has become the first state in the nation to require solar panels on most new homes starting in 2020.
California has become the first state to require solar panels on most new homes.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

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What effect are tariffs having on the solar power industry?

Jun 7, 2018
With all the talk of steel and aluminum you might have forgotten that tariffs were already placed on foreign-made solar panels. Reuters is reporting that the tariffs have resulted in $2.5 billion in projects being frozen or cancelled, which far outweighs benefits to American solar manufacturers. But it’s still not clear what the lasting impact […]

Solar panel import tax could net $1 billion this year

Jan 23, 2018
A 30 percent tariff on solar panels imported from China will help U.S. manufacturers, but even with ramped-up production those companies won’t be able to meet domestic demand. Solar power companies will still use lots of imported panels, and pay up to a billion dollars in tariffs this year, by one estimate.

Solar power could be a model for Puerto Rico beyond Hurricane Maria

Oct 6, 2017
Two weeks after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, only a fraction of residents have electricity. The rest are facing a months-long wait for power. Now, a number of companies are looking to solar power, not just as a disaster response, but as way to power the island long term. The idea is to use several […]