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by energy123 472 days ago
The only reason the Chinese solar industry exists is because of so called "brain drain" from China to Australia and Germany.

The reality is far less zero sum. These Chinese scientists learned about and contributed to solar research overseas, and some of them went back to China and made China wealthier.
2 comments
gizmo 472 days ago
Do you actually believe Chinese researchers are incapable of figuring out photovoltaics by themselves? China has first-rate universities and thousands of PhDs in every field imaginable. They can make solar cells without our help. Having access to western research only sped up the inevitable. China has a solar industry today simply because the Chinese government decided that energy production was a top priority. They made it happen.
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elliotto 472 days ago
The OP was talking about Shi Zhengrong https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shi_Zhengrong who came to Australia (my country) in the 90s, learned a bunch about photovoltaics, was unable to make a business here due to our failed government policies, then returned to China and made a pv megabusiness.

The truth of the matter is that most cutting edge research is spearheaded by the west. The problem is that the west can't build or prioritise anything useful with it.

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gizmo 472 days ago
China produces more scientific papers than the US or EU. China produces 30% of papers published in the world's top journals. China also produces more top tier scientific papers (1% most cited) than the US.

A decade ago the west was clearly ahead of China in fundamental research. Not anymore.

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energy123 472 days ago
Why construct a false binary between being incapable of figuring it out by themselves and being capable? Its about velocity and magnitude and matters of degree, not this notion of true or false.
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gizmo 471 days ago
Notice that it's the parent who made the binary and totally false claim that "The only reason the Chinese solar industry exists is because of brain drain".
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jgilias 472 days ago
Exactly.

And that would be a good thing in a world where super-powers aren’t imperialist, and don’t try to one up each other.

Alas.

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