

So to summarise the challenges the industry is facing:
- Tariffs on Aluminium - Trump
- Tariffs on Solar imports - Trump
- Sudden loss of federal grants that covered 30% of the cost for installation (was due to run til 2030 now slashed) - Trump
- Slashing of the fees owners get for selling money to the grid by 75% - Oil industry lobbying / Trump
- Removal of investment credits which have specifically been stripped from solar but not other energy investments - Trump
To call this “macro economic” issues is bizarre. All of this is due to government policy and actions. It’s also notable that the rest of the world’s solar industry is not collapsing. Trump.and the republicans are selling out US consumers to prop up the oil industry and tax cuts for the rich.
Interesting article but it’s a little scant on the facts for the cities themselves. Like how much have their economies grown? What are there tax bases like?
The stuff it highlights about the asymmetric commute make sense, and the income tax going to Copenhagen. But what of the benefits to Malmö such as its own growth, and money coming in from workers spending in shops, paying local property tax? Or is it a net drain due to providing services with a smaller income tax base?
It feels like the article scratches the surface of a potentially very interesting topic that could be looked at in much more depth. Cross border cities is a big global topic and particularly in Europe where people have freedom of movement yet with their income tax benefiting employing countries while resident countries have to supply services.