Why Is Solar Power Dim in the US?

A recent article in BUSINESS WEEK provides some clues: it is usually cheaper to build solar panels elsewhere, partly because many European and Asian nations offer so-called feed-in tariffs that require utilities to buy solar-generated electricity at rates far higher than they pay for power from fossil fuels. This guarantees reliable profits for solar plant developers and operators. Even though US labs produced many breakthroughs in solar cells, China now dominates the $30 billion global solar industry, making 35% of the world's cells and 49% of polysilicon wafers. The US makes only 5%, and solar equipment bought with U.S. tax credits is often imported from China. Also, policies that impact the solar industry in the US are usually created at the state level, in contrast to the other major solar markets. Read Full Article in Business Week 10 Sept 09: Can the Future Be Built in America? Author Pete Engardio.