On Wednesday, Senate lawmakers voted to overturn President Joe Biden’s two-year suspension of tariffs on solar imports from countries in Southeast Asia, according to The Hill. The measure has already been approved by the House. The White House has said President Biden will veto the resolution.
If you would like more context on this matter, please consider John Helveston, assistant professor of engineering management and systems engineering at the George Washington University. Helveston is interested in understanding the factors that shape technological change, with a particular focus on transitioning to more sustainable and energy-saving technologies. Within this broader category, he studies consumer preferences and market demand for new technologies as well as relationships between innovation, industry structure, and technology policy.
Helveston published research on this very topic, exploring the role tariffs and other regulatory measures play in scaling up renewable energy. In a recent study published by Nature, Helveston and his research team calculated that the globalized supply chain saved countries $67 billion in solar panel production costs. The study also found that if strong nationalistic policies that limit the free flow of goods, talent and capital are implemented going forward, solar panel costs will be much higher by 2030.
Helveston has said that “if we’re serious about fighting climate change, policymakers need to implement policies that promote collaboration across global value chains with regard to scaling up low-carbon energy technologies.”
If you would like to speak with Prof. Helveston, please contact GW Media Relations Specialist Cate Douglass at cdouglass@gwu.edu.
