They certainly are not. Here in the Netherlands we are mostly coal and gas based for electricity yet we want to (unrealistically) ban sales of fossil fuel powered cars. We also raised import taxes on Chinese solar panels, raising the price of solar installations significantly here. It's all for show.
Well, solar installs have still decreased in price overall. I'm writing this as they are in the middle of installing solar panels on my roof in the sunny Netherlands. ROI in <6 years, solar is doing well here. The refund of VAT (BTW) on the full cost of the install does imply the government is serious about solar, too.
Although I do agree government policy as a whole can be sorely lacking in some areas. The gentle, incremental approach has led us to fall behind almost all EU members in meeting renewable goals.
Why would we raise prices on ANY solar panels? That seems self-defeating to me. It doesn't really matter where they come from. Any solar panels are good solar panels.
To stimulate local production. But local producers just raised their prices. And, when the new import tax was announced it immediately resulted in shortages because companies kept solar panels in stock to sell them after they raised their prices. Sounds like some good lobbying to me.
I've been tracking prices for solar for the last couple of years, and I've only seen them go down. Pulled the trigger and purchased our own install because they went down yet again this year.
Google on "importheffing zonnepanelen" for the reports. I don't have solar panels, I just read the reports from time to time, your input is more valuable.
The excuse was that the Chinese were dumping and local solar industry in the US/EU needed protection. The likely actual reason was that fossil fuel companies demanded it and Obama/EU thought he/they could sell it to the public.
