The Solar Panel Manufacturing Industry's Boom, Bust, and Future

摘要

Solar panel manufacturing, while comprising a small role in the energy sector, illustrates the government's ability to foster growth in nascent industries as well as its limits in protecting these industries from international competition. Environmental concerns over climate change have forced governments worldwide to establish targets and provide incentives for generating electricity from renewable energy sources. While leading to the rapid development of a global market for solar panels, these policies induced volatility by promoting a surge in production and international competition. Consequently, the domestic solar panel manufacturing industry has experienced a tremendous boom and bust over the past decade.