The prices of solar panels are falling quickly, which is good for making the presently very highly expensive solar power less expensive. However, even with the price drops, it is still very expensive compared to the electricity costs of coal-fired power plants. U.S. manufacturers of solar panels such as SunPower and First Solar are losing market share to Chinese solar panel makers. The Chinese panels are not as efficient, but they cost much less. The main Chinese companies are Suntech Power, Trina Solar, and Yingli Solar.
SunPower's market share has fallen from 22% last year to 17% this year. Suntech was the biggest winner, increasing its market share from 5% to 12%. It appears that the only green jobs in solar power Obama is going to produce are manufacturing jobs in China, unless the solar power facilities in the U.S. need lots of maintenance work. But if they do, that will only make the cost of the generated electricity very expensive and solar power will remain unable to compete with fossil fuel generated electric power.
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