Falling panel prices lead to global solar boom, except for the US

Storage and grid integration

• Multiple commenters argue storage is “not solved” but already economical at scale: grid solar plus batteries can beat peaker plants and, with wind, outcompete coal, gas, and nuclear on price in many places (excluding extreme cases like remote Alaska without transmission).
• Several see the right sequence as: fill daytime demand with cheap solar, accept curtailment, then add storage once midday power is abundant and nearly free.
• Alternatives to lithium batteries are debated: pumped hydro is cheapest where geography allows; small-scale hydro can be attractive but labor‑intensive. Seasonal storage ideas include hydrogen (criticized for low round‑trip efficiency and large storage volume) and ultra‑cheap thermal storage.
• Others note you can reduce storage needs by:
  • Combining solar with wind (often complementary in winter).
  • Timeshifting loads (e.g., precooling buildings, running industrial processes during surplus).
  • Using long‑distance transmission to move power from better-resourced regions.

Rooftop solar economics and net metering

• Many US utilities are described as hostile to rooftop solar, cutting export credits and raising fixed or volumetric rates; Idaho and California are cited as examples where rooftop solar can now increase bills unless paired with batteries.
• California’s PG&E is heavily criticized for:
  • Very high per‑kWh prices and proposed high fixed charges for solar homes.
  • Rate structures that credit exports at low wholesale-like rates while charging high retail including delivery.
• Counterpoint: current net metering is called unfair because grid fixed costs are rolled into per‑kWh prices, so heavy self‑generators “free‑ride” on infrastructure they still need. Some advocate separating fixed grid charges from energy charges and paying only wholesale for exports.

China, tariffs, and global solar boom

• Commenters stress that ~80% of the solar supply chain is in China; China’s massive state‑backed investment and overcapacity are seen as both enabling cheap global solar and creating “zombie” firms.
• US tariffs now target not only China but also Southeast Asia, South Korea, India, Mexico, and Canada, keeping import prices high. Some see this as evidence that US policy elites (across administrations) are effectively anti‑solar or prioritizing legacy energy and domestic incumbents over rapid deployment.

US political economy and utilities

• Several portray the US as captured by private equity and fossil interests: maximizing short‑term profit, issuing debt, blocking renewables, and using trade policy to protect incumbents.
• Others point to structural political issues—gerrymandering, campaign finance, media bubbles—to explain why voters keep electing leaders who slow green energy while other regions treat it as both climate and national‑security policy.

EVs, hybrids, and industrial strategy

• There’s concern US automakers face a dilemma: invest heavily in EVs to stay globally relevant despite weak US demand, or double down on a shrinking, protectionist domestic ICE/hybrid market.
• Plug‑in hybrids are contentious:
  • Critics cite data that real‑world emissions reductions are modest because many owners don’t plug in or EV components are undersized; they see PHEVs as a dead end.
  • Defenders argue PHEVs share key EV components, ease range anxiety where charging is poor, and can be a transitional technology, with future trims simply dropping the engine.
• Chinese EV makers (e.g., BYD) are seen as a looming competitive threat worldwide, with some expecting US and European incumbents to rely increasingly on protectionism instead of innovation.