US Hits Southeast Asian Solar Imports With Duties up to 271%

[Crossy]

 

(Bloomberg) -- Solar imports from Southeast Asia are being unfairly sold in the US below their production costs, according to initial findings of a Commerce Department review that laid out duties of as much as 271% to counteract the practice.

 

The preliminary determination released Friday marks another victory for US solar panel makers that argued those cheap imports are harming their business and undermining government investments meant to nurture a domestic supply chain.

 

At issue are imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells — and modules made with them — from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, countries which provide the bulk of US supply of that equipment today. Those nations provide the bulk of US solar cell and module imports. The announcement comes nearly two months after the US agency issued preliminary findings from a separate but related probe that the solar imports from Southeast Asia are unfairly benefiting from government aid.

 

The investigations represent the latest bid by US manufacturers to confront overseas rivals. After similar duties were imposed on solar imports from China roughly 12 years ago, Chinese manufacturers responded by setting up operations in other Asian nations that weren’t affected by the tariffs. The US probes were triggered by an April petition from the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee, which represents companies including First Solar Inc., Hanwha Qcells USA Inc. and Mission Solar Energy LLC.

 

Read more here - https://www.energyconnects.com/news/renewables/2024/november/us-hits-southeast-asian-solar-imports-with-duties-up-to-271/