It appears the so-called ‘solar trade war‘ between the USA and China has ended – not with a bang, but with a whimper in the form of small tariffs on the import of cheap Chinese solar panels into the country.
The U.S. Department of Commerce, in response to antidumping petitions filed last year by the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) has made a preliminary ruling that Chinese solar panel manufacturers have received an unfair market advantage from government subsidies.
As a result, the Dept. of Commerce intends to impose an import tariff of 4.73 percent on U.S. imports from Trina Solar, 2.9 percent from Suntech Corp., and 3.6 percent from all other remaining Chinese manufacturers.
The other major protagonist in the trade war is the Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy (CASE) – of which several foreign solar companies, including Suntech, are members. The group argues that any further cost impost on solar energy simply prolongs America’s reliance on fossil fuels and threatens the domestic solar industry.
In a response to the ruling on the group’s website, CASE president Jigar Shar was relatively ambivalent.
"Today’s preliminary determination by the Department of Commerce imposing low tariffs on imported solar cells and modules is a relatively positive outcome for the U.S. solar industry and its 100,000 employees," he said.
"Fortunately, this decision will not significantly raise solar prices in the United States as SolarWorld has sought. This decision clearly demonstrates that the Commerce Department did not find the Chinese government engaged in massive subsidization, as SolarWorld and CASM claim."
Suntech Corp, the world’s biggest supplier of solar panels was subject to substantial criticism in the lead-up to the ruling. The company issued a statement decrying unilateral trade barriers on renewable energy which, "will further delay our transition away from fossil fuels at a time when the majority of Americans demand cleaner and more secure energy such as solar."
The company says that it is well placed to continue servicing the U.S. solar market, with supply chains within the USA that would avoid the 2.9 percent trade tax.
"As a local manufacturer with production in Arizona, we will continue to remain an active member of the American solar industry and maintain focus on making solar energy affordable for everyone, everywhere," stated Suntech’s Chief Commercial Officer, Andrew Beebe.
