There is no such thing as a non-government sponsored company in China. China is not a free country. They can't do or say what they please. They can only do as the government pleases. It is sad that we try to play by the rules and are pushed around as much as we are by other countries who have no intention of playing by the rules. China doesn't have the laws and regulations that we do. They don't have to worry about pollution or labor laws. They have many "unfair" advantages. Solar needs lots of government support to be competitive. Certainly China has done much to try to get rid of the competition.

I suspect that there is something wrong with the story. Keep in mind that the government has given support to such in the past. Solyndra comes to mind, even though it failed.

That said, maybe there was a patent dispute. That would make far more sense. And, is probably indicative of what the world will be like in 20-30-40 years, when American education falls behind and manufacturing falls behind as well. The US has done well because it was the place to be successful. If/when that changes, this country will be in serious trouble, and China and India are rapidly catching up.

no offence but it wouldn't make a difference in the long term. In the lab solar power has the efficiency of 40% much greater then the average 18%. These technologies are expensive to produce and will be out in the market in 10-15 yrs.

I haven't heard of that particular case, but there are many international trade regulations that prohibit governments from unfairly propping up particular industries. The U.S. regularly complains about behavior like this from other countries, and they complain about us. Some of these disputes go on for many years.

By the way, when you characterize this as "Not a tax", you're forgetting that if the plant received government support, then there WAS a tax that was providing that money.

Solar panels are heaven-sent, if only they come out cheaper in the market.

I can believe it. One only has to remember the Tucker automobile and how that was shut down.

Anyone here of this? Nope, not THERE either!!

My cousin works as a chemical engineer for DOW. He was working on the start up of a factory that would make solar panel extremely inexpensively. Accoridng to him, China petitioned the US and stopped the start up of this factory, because China claimed it was gov't support and "unfair".

CUrrently the factory has been mothballed.

I have no independent source of informaiton on this, so has anyone seen or heard of what happened here?