China’s solar industry, under fire due to Washington’s suspicion of both Chinese tech and renewable energy, is reducing its footprint in the United States. One of China’s biggest solar manufacturers, JinkoSolar, sold its Florida-based subsidiary earlier this month, retaining only a minority stake.
JinkoSolar’s U.S. venture was fraught from the beginning: its factory in Jacksonville, Florida commenced production in 2018, the same year the Trump administration enacted tariffs on Chinese solar module and cell imports. In 2023, U.S. government agents searched JinkoSolar’s factory and offices, though no charges were ever laid. In response to scrutiny over forced labor in its solar supply chains, JinkoSolar’s parent company, JinkoSolar Holding, meanwhile has completely divested from its Xinjiang operations.
JinkoSolar is not alone. China’s Trina Solar also sold its Texas plant to the U.S.-headquartered T1 Energy last year. In fact, more than half of planned Chinese clean-tech investments in the U.S. since 2022 have been canceled, paused, or delayed, according to data from Rhodium Group’s China Cross-Border Monitor.
In The Wire’s latest Company in the News feature, we profile JinkoSolar’s leadership team and global network.
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Savannah Billman is a Staff Writer for The Wire China based in NYC. She previously worked at the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.
