Will the solar movement be impeded by the solar tariff imposed by President Trump in January?
Amazon is shooting for the sun and is about to rev up one of California’s biggest solar rooftop systems that spreads 23 rooftop-acres. It’s a microcosm of the trend sweeping across corporate America. But is this wave more powerful than current federal policies and especially the just-imposed solar tariffs?
Eco-minded businesses, in fact, have led the effort to join global climate talks and to curb heat-trapping emissions. And they are the same ones entering into power purchase agreements, buying directly from utilities and installing solar panels on their roofs — efforts that have not escaped even the most cynical politicians.
While the movement started with Silicon Valley’s tech giants like Amazon and Apple, it has now gained a lot of traction among major retailers like CostCo., Wal-Mart and Target. And companies long a part of the American fabric are also active: General Motors and General Mills, to name two.
Why? Building up the brand to appeal to environmentally-aware consumers is one reason. But so too is economics and free markets: Indeed, wind costs have fallen by 67% since 2009 while utility-scale solar has dropped by 86% since that time, according to the financial advisor Lazard.
