The push for a greener future in the United States may face significant challenges as the Biden administration considers imposing additional tariffs on Chinese clean energy technologies. Rebecca Kujawa, CEO of NextEra Energy Resources, expressed concerns that these tariffs could stall the nation's green transition.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Kujawa stated, \"Any uncertainties in the development process can definitely create higher costs for customers and make it more difficult to get some of the clean energy goals that the Biden administration has over the finish line.\" This sentiment is echoed by industry experts who warn that new tariffs on solar panels and batteries could impede the U.S.'s ability to meet its 2035 decarbonization targets.
Jim Murphy, CEO of Invenergy, highlighted the risks, saying, \"We don't have domestic manufacturing here, so why should we be tariffing imports?\" He emphasized that higher costs due to tariffs would make solar technology less attractive to consumers.
The proposed tariffs have sparked division within the renewable energy sector. While some large domestic manufacturers support the tariffs to compete with cheaper Asian imports, many operators fear that limited domestic supply will drive up renewable energy costs. Herbert Crowther, an analyst at Eurasia Group, noted that tariffs could lead to \"slower, short-term deployment\" of clean energy solutions until a robust domestic industry is established.
Adding to the complexity, David Fickling, a columnist for Bloomberg, pointed out that the U.S. currently lacks sufficient solar capacity to achieve its decarbonization goals by 2035. He cautioned that increasing tariffs on Chinese imports could exacerbate this shortfall, making it harder to build the necessary solar and wind farms and their components.
As the Biden administration navigates these policy decisions, the tension between economic and environmental goals becomes increasingly apparent. The outcome of these tariffs could have far-reaching implications for the U.S.'s commitment to a sustainable future.
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NextEra CEO says Biden's China tariffs will hinder green transition
cgtn.com
