Who says America doesn't make things? Last year, we exported $5.63 billion worth of solar products: photovoltaic cells, modules, investors, capital equipment, polysilicon, and more, according to a new report from GTM Research and Solar Energy Industries Association. That's an 83 percent increase over the previous year.

We also exported more solar products than we imported — our trade surplus on solar was $1.88 billion. And we're a net exporter of solar products to China. Does this mean we're winning the future? Maybe?