By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
It’s easy to say the solar-focused publications are making a mountain out of the molehill when it comes to the negative effects of the solar tariffs. But it’s a whole different ballgame when the mainstream press starts taking notice – and they’ve started taking notice.
For example, Public Radio International (PRI) assigned reporter Jason Margolis to examine the issue for a five-minute segment that aired yesterday on public radio stations around the country. You can listen to the report, titled “The early impact of solar tariffs: Fewer American projects, fewer American jobs,” below.
For most of us inside the solar industry, the story sounds familiar and is replete with numerous names with which we are all extremely familiar. Cypress Creek. Abigail Ross Hopper and SEIA. Tom Werner and SunPower. MJ Shiao (who I will forever attach to GTM Research, even though he is now officially with Hanley Wood).
And, of course, the bete noires for most of the tariff stories in the past year: SolarWorld and Suniva.
Honestly, listening to the PRI story gave me a little interim hit of what I won’t get again until SolarWakeup Live! in Chicago next month, and then not again until Intersolar North America – some good solar experts talking about issues that matter to all of us.
So what? I hear you saying. This is old news. Why are we rehashing this story? Give us something new and shiny.
But here’s what it’s always important to remember: Not EVERYONE knows the story. That’s why I’d like to find out who pitched the story to PRI (if anyone – maybe Margolis did his own research and came to the story on his own). Because it’s this kind of outreach that is critical to getting solar’s story into the public consciousness even more firmly.
The story is only five minutes long and is worth the listen. Take the time, and then share it.
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