China Increases Taxes on Solar Panels

Monitoring a solar panel in the production line at a factory in Zhejiang province in China

         China's Minister of Commerce had announced on Thursday that China plans to impose tax tariffs that could exceed 50% on materials imported from the United States and South Korea to make solar panels due to the tension lingering with the West over a trade dispute. This decision, which is to go in effect next week, would be a catastrophe to the American industry for China is supposedly their largest customer for solar-grade poly-silicon, the main ingredient needed for making solar panels. 

         China dominates the world market in terms of solar panel production, exporting approximately $30 billion a year in panel shipments to the West while it imports a large number of poly-silicon from the United States, Europe and Korea. Its decision to heavily tax the United States but levy lower rates on some Korean producers and leave Europe out is widely seen as a retaliation act for the previous trade incidents occurring between the United States and China. 

         Last Fall, the United States had put tax tariffs (of about 24-36%) on Chinese imports after finding out that Chinese companies were benefitting from unfair government subsidies and selling their products below the cost of production. A spokeswoman for Michael Froman, the United States trade representative, had responded that they were in discussions with China related to global issues in solar technology and that this step did not move the ball forward, but "we will continue to engage." 

         Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, and Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources notes that "China is slapping tariffs on poly-silicon because it is unhappy that the United States exercised its legal rights and stood up for our remaining solar manufacturers. I am confident that these retaliatory tariffs will be shown to be without merit."

Solar Impulse: Last Trip from Washington, D.C., to New York

            The ultimate goal for Solar Impulse was to fly across the globe powered solely upon the sun's rays. So far, it has accomplished many goals in the last three years: in 2010, it flew for 26 hours straight; in 2011, it flew from Belgium to Paris, France and in 2012, a prototype had completed the first intercontinental flight connecting from Europe to Africa. This year, it proposed a challenge to fly across United States from the East coast to the West. 

The itinerary featured: from San Francisco (California) to Phoenix (Arizona) to Dallas (Texas) to St. Louis (Missouri) ending in the last haul to Washington, D.C., and New York

The fourth leg from St. Louis to Washington, D.C., has been completed successfully while the trip from Washington D.C., to New York is steadily approaching. You can view updates and the schedule for the rest of the historic flight here.

There are also many videos of their stops featured here.

France Works on a Solar-Powered Stadium

      France has recently been claimed to embark upon a landmark renewable energy project concerning the construction officially commencing on a solar-powered stadium in the southwestern city of Bordeaux. The Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, situated on the banks of the Garonne River in the Bordeaux Lac region, is a large-scale sports facility with a designated audience capacity of up to 42,000 spectators.
      While large-scale football stadiums do not have any spectacular image to them, the Bordeaux project is predicted to break new ground in Europe by deriving much of its power from solar photovoltaic installations. The stadium's car park is said to feature an extensive solar photovoltaic panel structure, which fulfills the dual function of shielding vehicles from the elements (such as sunlight, precipitation, wind, etc.) and to supply electricity to the entire stadium. In addition to such innovative renewable energy capabilities, the stadium is also set to be a landmark architectural work, which will help make a pivotal contribution to the aesthetic character of the city.
      The Swiss firm enlisted to work on this project, Herzog & de Meuron, is also responsible for a variety of architectural projects, including Beijing's "bird's nest" National Stadium, which was one of the defining emblems of the 2008 Olympics. However, the Bordeaux, France stadium is expected to be completed in 2015 and will serve as a host for one of the 2016 European Football Championship matches held by the Union of European Football Association.

Solar-Powered Sports Stadium in Bordeaux, France