WORLD NEW ENERGY LEAVING U.S. BEHIND

Wyden Report: U.S. Losing Out to China on Goods that Protect the Environment
February 28, 2012 (Office of Senator Ron Wyden, D-Oregon)

"…Losing the Environmental Goods Economy to China is the latest in a series of reports [Senator RonWyden, D-Ore] has issued examining the opportunities and challenges facing U.S. exports of products and services that contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable environment, known as ‘environmental goods.’ In recent years, global demand for environmental goods has skyrocketed, creating opportunities for U.S. manufacturers to reach new customers…[But] the Wyden report illustrates…exports of environmental goods from the U.S. and other similarly-positioned count…appear crowded-out by China’s exports.

"…Driven by rising imports from China, the overall U.S. deficit in environmental goods grew by 87 percent…Exports of solar cells and modules from China to the U.S. grew by over 300 percent by volume. (Taking the U.S. from a nearly $2 billion trade surplus in solar energy products in 2010 to over $1.5 billion deficit in 2011.)…U.S. imports of utility scale wind towers from China grew by over 100 percent…U.S. exporters of environmental goods are rapidly losing market share to China."

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"…Between the years 2005 and 2010, China’s market share of environmental goods in the EU, the biggest regional market for such products, increased sevenfold (to 21 percent), while U.S. market share shrank during the same period…In other regional export markets of environmental goods, Chinese market share generally doubled (Africa, Asia, and Middle East) or tripled (NAFTA, Latin America)…EU and Japanese exporters of environmental goods are also losing market share to China in most major markets…

"…[The report’s] findings track recent complaints that U.S. solar manufacturers and producers of utility scale wind towers have filed with the International Trade Commission (ITC) and the U.S. Department of Commerce…While some have argued that applying tariffs to Chinese imports would escalate a trade war with China, Wyden argues that if the Chinese government is found to be violating trade rules to artificially lower the price of solar and wind products, then the U.S. must enforce the rules…"