July 17 Reuters Construction of U.S. solarmanufacturing plants by Chinese companies is surging, putting China in position to dominate the nascent industry, as other American factories struggle to compete despite federal subsidies.

Chinese companies will have at least 20 gigawatts39; worth of annual solar panel production capacity on U.S. soil within the next year, enough to serve about half the U.S. market, according to a Reuters analysis of corporate statements, government documents, and interviews with eight companies and researchers.

The group includes seven purely Chineseowned companies Jinko Solar, Trina Solar, JA Solar, Longi, Hounen, Runergy, and Boviet, according to the analysis.

The projected rapid increase in U.S. solar panel production by Chineseowned companies has not previously been reported, and represents a worrying result for President Joe Biden39;s climate agenda. While his administration is keen for new investment that creates U.S. jobs in clean energy, his government is also desperate to prevent overreliance on geopolitical rival China as the economy transitions from oil and gas to renewables.

Chinesebacked companies have distinct advantages over competitors in the U.S., such as heavily subsidized supply chains for raw polysilicon and unfinished solar modules, as well as lowcost government financing. Like nonChinese companies, they also collect U.S. subsidies for clean energy manufacturing embedded in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, Biden39;s…