New Hampshire, USA --
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has voted — unanimously
— to move ahead in its investigation of Taiwanese imports of solar PV
products, continuing the latest storyline in the broad U.S.-vs.-China
solar trade war.
This latest and not unexpected move, which was spurred by a new petition at the end of December,
seeks to close a loophole in the earlier trade ruling by which Chinese
solar PV companies can circumvent tariffs by having cells made elsewhere
before being reassembled for export.
The usual sides have redrawn familiar battle lines applauding and decrying
the decision and continued pressure. SolarWorld America president
Mukesh Dulani invoked the example of Oregon neighbor and semiconductor
leader Intel as proof that U.S. manufacturing can succeed, "so please do
not tell us that U.S. manufacturers who pioneered and built the solar
industry cannot compete globally under conditions of fair trade." Jigar
Shah, on behalf of the Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy, points out
that the dispute hits the U.S. solar industry heaviest in the
installation end, jobs that aren't easily replaced.
In an interesting twist, Chinese companies Yingli and Hanwha have
petitioned the U.S Department of Commerce to represent Taiwan solar PV
interests. The initial investigation of China, which is not technically a
market economy, presented challenges in obtaining and analyzing the
country's solar PV participants chosen as examples. Taiwan, though,
technically is a market economy, and the D.O.C. has more flexibility
in whom and how it can choose to look at for specific numbers about
production, costs, and sales. Taiwanese companies reportedly don't want
to be represented by mainland Chinese solar PV interests, and have
sought and reportedly obtained support from Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs.
The I.T.C. will present its views
to the DOC on Feb. 24; preliminary determination of countervailing
duties are due on March 26, and an antidumping duty ruling is expected
by the second week of June. A final ruling could take a full year to
come down.
IN THE NEWS
Solar in India, Domestic and Local Update:
The U.S. has filed a petition with the World Trade Organization
challenging domestic content provisions within India's "Phase II" of its
National Solar Mission (NSM). If no resolution happens within 60 days
the U.S. may press for a formal WTO panel to settle the issue — but that
could take several years, so expect a desire for a more bilateral
decision in the meantime, especially given the WTO's earlier ruling
against similar domestic content policies in Ontario. At a more local
level, the Tamil Nadu State Electricity Regulatory Commission
has adjusted its solar energy "roadmap" that puts more responsibility
on the state utility Tangedco to meet mandatory targets, rather than on
large energy users. The previous plan "had the potential to stop the
implementation of the state's solar policy in its tracks," writes Bridge
to India, and the new version will likely be a burden on distributors.
Yet that plan also "was an innovative tool that could have helped make
solar more market-driven," the firm says. "The effort of the Tamil Nadu
state government to continue to try and make solar work in the state
must be lauded."
Japan Culling Underperforming Solar Producers: Fulfilling a promise it made last year,
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is warning that
over the next six months it will cancel approvals for hundreds of solar
power plant operators who have lagged in getting facilities and land
approved. In a recent study, METI confirmed that barely a fifth of roughly 4,700 large-scale solar plants ( >400 kW) that applied for the feed-in tariff.
Yingli, Trina Dominate Solar Rankings:
Yingli Green Energy and Trina Solar shipped more than 5.8 GW of solar
PV modules in 2013, good enough for 15 percent of the market all by
themselves, according to SolarBuzz analysis. Yingli built on its first-place position in module shipments, and also became the top solar PV cell producer in 2013 for the first time.
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