Earlier this week, the U.S. Commerce Department released a preliminary decision on countervailing on imports of solar cells from China, which will result in import duties ranging from 2.9% to 4.73% for Suntech Power (STP) and Trina Solar (TSL) respectively. All other Chinese exporters are subject to an import duty of 3.61%. While the initial tariff imposition is much lower than widely expected by industry observers, it sends a wrong message, which could lead to greater solar industry trade friction between China and the U.S. The overall effect could result in an incrementally negative impact for U.S. solar-related companies.

The U.S. Department of Commerce concluded yesterday that the Chinese government is improperly subsidizing solar manufacturers, so the United States will impose countervailing duties ranging from 2.9 percent to 4.73 percent on Chinese-made solar panels and cells.

In a letter sent today to President Barack Obama, CEOs of 45 US solar energy companies strongly urged the President in his meeting with China’s Vice President Xi Jinping “to discuss the mutual benefits of renewable energy development, especially solar photovoltaic technology.” The 45 CEOs represent a cross-section of the US solar industry employing thousands of US workers in 19 states.

Im Handelsblatt bezieht Ben Hill, Europa-Chef des chinesischen Solarkonzerns Trina Solar Stellung und zeigt sich enttäuscht von der Abwehrreaktion von SolarWorld und seinen Koalitionspartnern. In den USA ist bereits eine Klage gegen chinesische Hersteller anhängig, ihnen wirft die sogenannte CASM (Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing) vor, Solarmodule zu Dumpingpreisen auf den Markt zu bringen. Für Europa hat Frank Asbeck, Chef von SolarWorld eine ähnliche Klage angekündigt.

Billigkonkurrenz aus China setzt Solarfirmen in Deutschland und den USA zu. Jetzt zieht das US-Handelsministerium die Notbremse und verhängt hohe Strafzölle. Sie kommen gar einem Einfuhrverbot nahe. Im Kampf gegen billige Solarimporte aus China haben die deutsche Solarworld und Hersteller aus den USA einen Etappensieg errungen. Das US-Handelsministerium verhängte wegen Preisdumpings hohe Strafzölle zwischen 31 und 250 Prozent auf chinesische Solareinfuhren, wie das Ministerium auf Basis einer vorläufigen Entscheidung mitteilte. Die Unternehmen böten wegen staatlicher Subventionen ihre Produkte unter den Herstellungskosten an, hieß es zur Begründung. Die endgültige Entscheidung fällt Anfang Oktober.

Global investment in renewable energy jumped 32% in 2010, to a record $211 billion. In addition to this eye-catching record, the investment activity in developing countries increased strongly. It is the first time the developing world has overtaken the richer countries in terms of financial new investment. GLOBAL TRENDS IN RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT 2011 Investments in renewable
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A group of seven US-based manufacturers of solar panels is alarmed. These manufacturers, led by Solar World, a German firm with a plant in Oregon, filed a complaint with the United States International Trade Commission, which reached a preliminary conclusion in December that US companies were, in fact, being harmed by subsidized imports. If the Commerce Department goes on to find that Chinese firms have been dumping solar panels on the US market at prices below their costs, it could impose steep tariffs of 50 to 250% on Chinese panels, according to this report in The Times by Matt Wald. The Chinese government provides billions of dollars of low-cost financing and free or cheap land to Chinese solar firms.

In the statement which followed, CCCME posited that the SolarWorld-led petition is a “distortion of the current situation of China-based PV industries and their export of PV products to the U.S.” It added, “Any trade restrictive measures that may be imposed will unavoidably cause serious impairment to the sustainable development of the green energy industries
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Market Growth of Chinese PV Product Exports Results from Competitive Advantages, Not Dumping or Illicit Subsidies Growth of Chinese PV product exports worldwide results from competitive advantages on the market, not dumping or subsidies: This fact is underlined by several Chinese PV suppliers taking top rankings in the latest global PV industry sustainable growth index
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