US '$1.6bn clean-energy surplus' with China

Contrary to conventional wisdom, the US enjoys a significant renewables trade surplus with China, thanks in large part to PV toolmakers like Applied Materials and GT Advanced Technologies, according to a new report.

In 2011, the US and China traded $8.5bn worth of clean-energy goods and services, a category spanning solar, wind and “smart energy” technologies, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Within those sectors, the US held a $1.63bn sales advantage over China, running counter to the perception among many American politicians that China is steadily coming to dominate the global renewables industry.

By comparison, the overall trade balance between the countries during 2011 – the last full year for which data are available – favoured China by a four-to-one ratio.

The public’s misperception regarding the US-China trade balance in renewables is fuelled…

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