We were talking about our solar setup the other day, and realized that almost all of its components were made in the USA. That's kind of interesting, given how often high-tech stuff comes from overseas, and especially given that Europe's adoption of solar technology is so far ahead of the US's.
- Evergreen Solar Panels -- Made in Massachusetts, only 3 hours from us. These were shipped straight from the warehouse, and we actually received them before we even had a shipping confirmation.
- Outback MX60 Charge Controller -- Outback is creme-de-la-creme in the solar world, and they're headquartered in Arlington, WA. A call to customer service confirmed that they manufacture their products in WA, as well.
- Trojan T-105 Batteries -- These are good "starter" batteries that can handle the sometimes-crazy learning curve of new solar users. The company is headquartered near LA, but I think our batteries were made in the Atlanta, GA plant.
- SquareD and Bussmann -- These companies make some of the nitty-gritty parts of the system: fuses, fuse boxes, etc. They both have manufacturing plants in and out of the US, but the parts we have happen to be made in the US. (According to the SquareD website, you can special-request "domestically-made" for any of their products.) (Special bonus facts! Bussmann fuses are used in Disneyworld's monorail! And the Mars lander!)
- Xantrex Inverter-- Who knows where this was made! Xantrex is headquartered in Vancouver, and has facilities in WA, CA, IN, and Barcelona. I'm guessing that our little inverter was made somewhere in the US, but I have no proof.
I think it's pretty cool that you can build an entire solar system without leaving the country. One of the buzz-phrases about alternative (read: non-oil-based) energy is that it can reduce the US's dependence on foreign oil sources. Well, voila! Solar Power: Made in the USA (and in space. By the sun).
