Comment by edaemon
21 hours ago
Those aren't really equivalent. Iran is affecting the supply of oil, an input. China can affect the supply of solar panels, but they would have to do something pretty drastic to affect the supply of the input. Sunlight is going to keep reaching the solar panels that were set up prior to any kind of embargo.
Most inverters come from China too, and these need to be replaced much more often that panels.
Anyways, panels are the solution now because we're at peak petrol, that's why they're so cheap, it won't last forever, evem if China keeps the door open
Those panels have a limited lifetime
Well in the next 30 years we will have to find a replacement.
After which they can be recycled.
Nuclear fuel can also be recycled. The point is, a solar panel produces a finite amount of energy over its lifetime, so it's not exactly comparable to a power plant in terms of energy independence.
It's not appropriate to think of the solar panel as a constant source of power, but the solar panel manufacturing plant. All of our nuclear reactors and fuel are produced in-country, whereas china has dominated solar panel manufacturing and can cut us off. We need to be proactive about manufacturing.