Hello solar enthusiasts! As a solar expert and advocate, I’ve got some intriguing industry news to share with you. It appears that, following a two-year hiatus, antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) tariffs on solar components shipped from Southeast Asia might make a comeback in June 2024. Keep reading to find out how this could impact your plans for solar panels for your home or building your solar array home.
This news might seem a bit daunting, especially for you who are sizing up the benefits of installing a solar array for home use. Most of the solar modules used in the United States, nearly 80%, are imported from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia. These pending tariffs could potentially disrupt the supply and the prices of these vital solar components.
On one hand, the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee coalition, which are various solar companies, claim the protection is needed due to the competition from subsidized Chinese cells and modules. According to them, the Chinese solar market inundates the U.S. with dumped solar panels that undercut the American solar industry’s competitive ability.
Adding to the mix is a prediction from the petitioners that scaling back on offshore manufacturing and sourcing up to 55% of solar goods domestically could support 900,000 U.S. jobs by 2035. They also suggest this shift could even reduce solar manufacturing emissions by 30%.
However, as hopeful as these benefits sound, the tariffs could put a dent in the U.S. solar market. Already in 2022, the threat of AD/CVD tariffs contributed to the delays or cancellation of about 20% of utility-scale solar generation capacity.
What does this mean if you’re considering installing solar panels for your home? According to a Roth Capital webinar, the AD/CVD measures could spike U.S. module prices for utility-scale projects from a record low of $0.13/W to between $0.40/W and $0.50/W of panel generation capacity. This obviously would affect your investment in solar.
Whatever transpires, the situation underscores the need for the U.S. to establish an independent solar supply chain. It will take significant incentives to boost the production of polysilicon, solar ingots, wafers, and solar cells, but it would solidify America’s solar future and make reliance on imports less of a factor.
We can only wait and see what happens in the months to come. Rest assured, as your go-to solar expert, I’ll keep you updated with timely and relevant insights on these and other developments in the solar industry. Together, let’s stay informed and continue to push for affordable, clean, and sustainable energy solutions for our homes. Stay solar-charged!
Original Articlehttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/06/18/solar-antidumping-tariffs-back-in-the-spotlight/
