SolarWorld, the largest U.S. solar technology manufacturer for more than
35 years, today praised the U.S. Department of Commerce for its decision
to counter improper Chinese trade practices by imposing significant
anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on Chinese imports of crystalline
silicon solar technology.
For the duties to become final, the company will await a Nov. 7 decision
by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on whether the Chinese
practices are injuring the U.S. industry. If the ITC votes
affirmatively, as it did unanimously in a preliminary ruling in late
2011, Commerce’s final duties will go into effect. The ITC ruling will
conclude one of the largest U.S. trade cases brought against China.
Supported by the 226-employer Coalition for American Solar
Manufacturing, the case aims to stop the Chinese government from
investing massive improper subsidies to underwrite its solar industry’s
export campaign and dump products, or sell them at artificially low
prices, to seize U.S. market share.
"SolarWorld and CASM have fought only to give the solar-pioneering
domestic industry a fair chance to continue to compete by removing
China’s trade distortions from the U.S. market,” said Gordon Brinser,
president of SolarWorld Industries America Inc., based in Oregon. "Only
fair competition can provide sustainable gains in technological
efficiency, cost reduction and end-user pricing. Commerce’s decision
raises the industry’s chances of reclaiming equal footing for domestic,
sustainable and environmentally sound solar-technology producers and
their jobs.”
Commerce today called for anti-dumping duties of 31.73 percent on
imports of solar photovoltaic cells and panels from Suntech, 18.32
percent from Trina Solar, 25.96 percent from other companies that had
requested but not received individual duty determinations and 249.96
percent from all other Chinese producers, including those controlled by
the Chinese government. Those changed from preliminary duties, imposed
since late May, of 31.14 percent, 31.22 percent, 31.18 percent and
249.96 percent, respectively.
In addition, the department recommended anti-subsidy duties of 14.78
percent for imports made by Suntech, 15.97 percent Trina Solar and 15.24
percent for all other Chinese manufacturers. Those changed from
preliminary anti-subsidy duties of 2.9 percent for Suntech, 4.73 percent
for Trina and 3.59 percent for all other Chinese producers. With the
final determination, Commerce has found more than a dozen categories of
subsidy programs to be illegal, because they support China’s massive
overcapacity and export-oriented solar industry, which has injured the
U.S. domestic industry.
Commerce did not alter its preliminary determination on the scope of its
ruling, which covered photovoltaic cells produced or assembled into
panels in China but not panels made from cells produced in third
countries. SolarWorld’s initial, broader scope had covered all cells and
panels produced in China. If the ITC rules in favor of the domestic
industry on Nov. 7, SolarWorld is resolved immediately to seek separate,
enforcement actions from Commerce to impose duties on panels assembled
in China from cells in third countries.
SolarWorld submitted its trade cases almost a year ago – on Oct. 19,
2011 – on behalf of a coalition of seven domestic manufacturers,
including Helios Solar Works of Wisconsin and MX Solar USA of New
Jersey. Thereafter, the coalition in favor of sustainable production,
domestic manufacturing and trade free of illegal foreign government
intervention swelled to a total of more than 225 solar-industry
companies employing about 18,000 American workers. More than 85 percent
of CASM members are downstream operators, such as installers and
financiers.
SolarWorld said China’s massive production overcapacity and
government-funded export drive have left the world industry in ruins. In
the U.S. market alone, SolarWorld said, at least 14 crystalline silicon
solar producers have closed plants or laid off significant numbers of
workers; including producers of newer, thin-film solar technologies, the
number exceeds 22. Many Chinese producers also have experienced losses
as high as billions of dollars, SolarWorld contended, but those
companies survive as a result of Chinese government bailouts.
Despite the losses, SolarWorld said, the Chinese manufacturers have
seized astonishing market-share gains at the expense of U.S. domestic
producers and jobs as well as of supply-chain manufacturers and workers
that support finished-product manufacturers. SolarWorld said just as the
solar industry reached a tipping point into mainstream adoption, China,
with virtually no industry know-how, launched its export drive into the
U.S. solar market, as part of its central five-year planning process
targeting emerging "strategic industries.”
The Chinese producers enjoy no technological, production or cost
advantage, according to SolarWorld. The National Renewable Energy
Laboratory estimates that without government sponsorship, Chinese
producers confront a 5 percent cost disadvantage in producing and
delivering solar into the U.S. market, compared with domestic producers.
For its part, SolarWorld has pulled further ahead as the world
solar-technology leader, offering a 270-watt, 60-cell panel – the
world’s first – as it invests yet another $27 million in technological
and manufacturing advances in its Oregon plant and $62 million in its
plants worldwide. The addition brings its total investment in Oregon to
more than $610 million without any federal subsidies to support
development of its operations there.
About SolarWorld (www.SolarWorld.com)
SolarWorld manufactures solar power systems and in doing so contributes
to a cleaner energy supply worldwide. The company, located in Bonn,
employs about 3,000 people and carries out production in Freiberg,
Germany, and Hillsboro, Oregon, USA. From raw material silicon to the
solar module, SolarWorld manages all stages of production ? including
its own research and development. Through an international distribution
network, SolarWorld supplies customers all over the world with solar
modules and complete systems. The company maintains high social
standards at all locations across the globe and has committed itself to
resource- and energy-efficient production. SolarWorld has been
publically traded on the stock market since 1999 and is quoted in the
technology index TecDax. SolarWorld achieved sales of about 1 billion
Euros for the fiscal year 2011. More information at www.solarworld-usa.com.
