Green Dreams or Fool's Gold? Questioning the True Cost of North Carolina's Solar Subsidies

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein just rolled out the red carpet for Opsun Corporation, a Canadian solar panel mount manufacturer dropping $9.3 million into a new High Point facility. Twenty new jobs, a $1.2 million payroll boost, and a nod to the state’s clean energy ambitions sound like a win. But let’s not pop the champagne yet. This deal, like so many others, comes with a taxpayer-funded sweetener: a $40,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund. It’s the kind of move that makes you wonder if we’re building an economy or just buying headlines.

The fanfare around Opsun’s arrival paints a rosy picture of economic growth and sustainability. State officials, from Stein to Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley, are quick to tout North Carolina’s skilled workforce and prime East Coast location. They’re not wrong about the state’s appeal. With a manufacturing workforce of nearly 470,000 and a day’s drive to 170 million people, North Carolina is a logistical goldmine. But the real question is whether these splashy announcements deliver lasting value or just fleeting photo-ops.

Clean energy is the darling of today’s economic development crowd, and North Carolina’s no exception. The state’s fourth in the nation for solar capacity, and investments like Opsun’s are part of a $32 billion clean energy wave since 2018. That’s fueled nearly 30,000 jobs and added billions to the state’s coffers. Impressive, sure, but the devil’s in the details. Are these jobs stable? Are we leaning too hard on foreign supply chains? And why are taxpayers footing the bill for corporate relocations?

The narrative here is clear: green is good, and more solar means more prosperity. But that story glosses over some inconvenient truths. Handing out grants to lure companies risks distorting the market, favoring big players over local businesses. Opsun’s 20 jobs are a drop in the bucket compared to the state’s 110,000-strong clean energy workforce. So why the hype? It’s time to dig deeper into what these deals really mean for North Carolinians.

Let’s talk about that $40,000 OneNC grant. It’s performance-based, meaning Opsun only gets the cash if they hit job creation and investment targets. Sounds fair, but history shows these deals don’t always pan out. Between 2018 and 2023, 465 companies moved their headquarters across the U.S., with many citing incentives as a key driver. Yet studies reveal a harsh reality: small businesses often get sidelined, unable to meet the high thresholds for tax credits or grants. Meanwhile, big corporations like Opsun walk away with taxpayer dollars.

North Carolina’s no stranger to this game. The state’s clean energy boom, spurred by federal carrots like the Inflation Reduction Act and state policies like House Bill 951, has brought in billions. But at what cost? Research shows that incentives can create competition among local firms, driving up costs without delivering proportional benefits. Tennessee’s new incentive dashboard is a step toward transparency, but North Carolina’s still playing catch-up. Taxpayers deserve to know if their money’s being spent wisely or just padding corporate bottom lines.

Then there’s the global angle. Opsun’s commitment to North American sourcing is commendable, but the solar industry’s supply chain is a house of cards. China controls over 80% of solar manufacturing, and recent price spikes—up 20% due to commodity shortages—have delayed projects nationwide. If Opsun’s High Point plant relies on volatile global markets for raw materials like polysilicon or silver, those 20 jobs could be at risk when the next supply chain hiccup hits. Betting on solar without a robust domestic supply chain is like building a house on sand.

The promise of jobs is the heart of Opsun’s pitch. An average salary of $63,015 beats Guilford County’s $60,195, and that’s nothing to sneeze at. But let’s not get starry-eyed. Clean energy jobs, while growing—4.2% in North Carolina in 2023 alone—face challenges. The sector’s reliance on middle-skill roles like technicians and installers is a strength, but the rapid pace of technological change means workers need constant retraining. Programs like the U.S. Climate Alliance’s workforce initiatives aim to train a million apprentices by 2035, but aligning education with industry needs is easier said than done.

North Carolina’s community colleges and groups like GuilfordWorks are stepping up, and that’s a bright spot. But the clean energy sector’s growth outpaces the state’s overall economy by 50%, and the skills gap is real. If Opsun’s jobs require specialized training, will local workers be ready, or will the company look elsewhere? And what happens when automation or cheaper overseas labor undercuts these roles? The state’s banking on solar to drive long-term prosperity, but without a clear plan to sustain these jobs, we’re rolling the dice.

Opponents of this skepticism might argue that clean energy’s benefits—lower emissions, energy independence—are worth the risks. They’ll point to the $103 billion in projected spending and 32,100 jobs annually through 2035. But those numbers assume everything goes according to plan. Supply chain disruptions, permitting delays, and raw material shortages have already thrown wrenches into solar projects nationwide. North Carolina’s workforce is second to none, as Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger noted, but even the best workers can’t thrive in an unstable industry.

North Carolina’s clean energy push isn’t all bad. The sector’s added real value, from tax revenues to rural job growth. But we need to stop chasing shiny objects and focus on what works. Instead of doling out grants to foreign companies, invest in local businesses that are already here. Streamline permitting to cut project delays. And double down on workforce training that’s flexible enough to keep up with a fast-changing industry. That’s how you build an economy that lasts.

The alternative—blindly cheering every green announcement—sets us up for disappointment. Solar’s a piece of the puzzle, but it’s not a silver bullet. North Carolina’s strength lies in its people, its location, and its entrepreneurial spirit. Let’s leverage those to create jobs and opportunities without betting the farm on a single industry or a handful of corporate handouts. Opsun’s welcome here, but let’s make sure the deal works for North Carolinians, not just the headlines.