Duties on photovoltaics by the Trump administration. United States Representative Robert Lighthizer announced that the American president has approved a series of recommendations aimed at imposing taxes on the import of photovoltaic cells and modules and washing machines
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himDuties on photovoltaics by the Trump administration. United States Representative Robert Lighthizer announced that the American president has approved a series of recommendations aimed at imposing taxes on the import of photovoltaic cells and modules and washing machines.
Trump has dealt another blow to the renewable energy industry. The International Foreign Trade Commission (ITC) found that US producers had been seriously affected by imports and had made several recommendations addressing them to the President.
“Based on this information, the trade policy committee developed recommendations, which the president accepted. The President's action makes it clear again that the Trump administration will always defend American workers, farmers, livestock owners and businesses in this regard. " are the words of Lighthizer.
The move threatens a $ 28 billion industry that relies on overseas parts for 80 percent of its supply.
The tariffs are Trump's latest move to undermine the renewables economy. The administration has already decided to withdraw the United States from the Paris agreement on climate change, sought to reduce Obama-era regulations on power plant emissions and signed a sweeping tax reform that limited financing for solar and wind. However, import duties are the most targeted attack and could have the greatest consequences for the energy sector.
For imports of photovoltaic cells and modules, the President approved the application of the following safeguard tariffs for the next four years:
The duties will be 30% in the first year, 25% in the second year, 20% in the third year and 15% in the fourth year. Additionally, the first 2,5 gigawatts of imported solar cells will be duty-free in each of these four years.
With regard to washing machines, the duties will be 20% on the first 1,2 million units for residential use imported in the first year, a percentage that will rise to 50% after 1,2 million units. From the third year, duties will drop to 16% for the first group and 40% for the second.
For its part, China has already moved production elsewhere and evaded US relief, while keeping its production capacity intact. Today, the Asian giant dominates the global supply chain and, by its own admission, is looking to increase its capacity. L'greater impact of duties will affect the American panel installers, which receive most of their supplies from Chinese companies.
Some large American companies will benefit above all, such as First Solar, Tesla's Gigafabbrica, SolarWorld and Suniva. Suniva thanked Trump for "taking into account China and its delegates" adding that she is ready to negotiate global agreements.
SolarWorld said it "appreciated Trump's hard work" and was "confident" that the tariffs will be sufficient to rebuild solar production in the United States.
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) - the national trade association for industry of the United States - and its members have expressed disappointment at President Trump's decision to impose tariffs of 30% on imported solar cells and panels. The decision will result in the loss of approximately 23.000 US jobs this year and will result in the delay or cancellation of billions of dollars in solar investments.
“While the tariffs in this case will not create adequate production of cells or modules to meet US demand, or keep foreign-owned Suniva and SolarWorld afloat, they will create a crisis in a part of our economy that has been thriving, which will ultimately burden tens of thousands of hard-working Americans ", he said Abigail Ross Hopper, President and CEO of SEIA.
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Yet another major blow to the renewables sector.
Francesca Mancuso
cover photo
