• mriguy@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    I’m sure that’s a much more effective than trying to build up US companies to make solar panels.

    • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
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      6 days ago

      Both are happening at the same time. A new plant for domestic wafer production is coming online in parallel to this.

      • DeathsEmbrace@lemm.ee
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        6 days ago

        Where are they getting the material for wafers? Seems like 1 step forward and 3 steps backwards.

          • DeathsEmbrace@lemm.ee
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            6 days ago

            Where is the sources for the material coming from? I don’t think most people realize that “domestic manufacturing” includes imported materials majority of the time which is getting tariffed.

            • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
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              6 days ago

              Where is the sources for the material coming from? I don’t think most people realize that “domestic manufacturing” includes imported materials majority of the time which is getting tariffed.

              The USA does produce polysilicon domestically, which is the main raw material in wafers and ignots. Since the plant isn’t operational yet there is no report of where they are getting their polysilicon.

              • photonic_sorcerer@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                5 days ago

                I think they’re asking where the raw materials come from , i.e. the silicon to make the polysilicon. Usually sand is refined for this purpose; a lot of which comes from the Gobi desert in China.

                • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                  5 days ago

                  I placed this info elsewhere. Refinery building in Tennessee, query in Canada. At least that’s one company shooting to use the silicon for EV batteries. Makes sense because GM built their battery plant here in Tennessee as well. So they could likely ship within the state once refined. (Trump’s tarrifs on Canada obviously being an issue)

    • tal@lemmy.today
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      6 days ago

      build up US companies to make solar panels.

      One would expect it to have that effect. If X is more expensive to obtain abroad, then you’ll tend to have more domestic capacity being developed – as long as it’s believed that the tariffs aren’t going to go away in the near future, since otherwise, anyone investing in solar manufacturing capacity stands to lose their investment.

      • Breve@pawb.social
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        5 days ago

        Except this move is likely less about promoting domestic solar production and more about protecting oil, gas, and coal by making green energy alternatives more expensive.

        • Jack@slrpnk.net
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          4 days ago

          Exactly, if that was the only way to produce electricity maybe there is an argument that tariffs will stimulate domestic production, but in this case i think this will just hinder the transition to renewable energy sources.