U.S. SEIA Letter to Commerce: Anti-dumping tariffs on Southeast Asian module imports will affect 30% of solar projects

On September 22, the U.S. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) said in a letter to the Commerce Department that anti-dumping tariffs on module imports from three Asian countries would endanger 18GW of solar projects by 2023. In the letter to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, the SEIA said the obligations proposed would have a devastating impact on the growth of the renewable energy sector.

In August, a group of U.S. solar manufacturers filed a petition with the Dept. of Commerce, asking for an investigation into Chinese silicon solar panel manufacturing companies working in Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam as a way to avoid AD/CV duties.

Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of SEIA, said "Growing the U.S. solar supply chain is of critical importance. Long-term policy that drives solar demand and incentivizes a healthy manufacturing sector can drive a strong U.S. manufacturing renaissance. However, needless and harmful tariffs are not the solution."

It is reported that the Commerce may decide in early October whether to conduct a trade investigation into solar cells and modules imported from Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, which account for 80 percent of total U.S. solar module imports.