Suniva asked U.S.’s International Trade Commission (ITC) to invoke Section 201 for protecting the nation’s PV industry after the company officially filed chapter 11. Chinese PV makers show strong opposition against Suniva’s move and Section 201, of which 10 have already announced their position on this situation.
Suniva asked ITC to impose duties of US$ 40 cents per watt on imported cells and US$78 cents per watt on modules for the first year of Section 201’s implement, if being approved by the U.S. president. Both duties are significantly higher than current spot prices.
Section 201 is arbitrary to every PV cell/module imports to the United States. It would intervene global PV products outside of USA.
Chinese PV companies, which have been imposed anti-dumping and countervailing duties by the U.S. and the EU, strongly oppose implement of Section 201. Last week, JA Solar, Canadian Solar, and LONGi / Lerri Solar have announced their opposition against Section 201. Seven more companies, including Jollywood, Yingli Solar, JinkoSolar, GCL Group, Trina Solar, Risen Energy and SUMEC Group Corporation, successively stood out to show their negative position toward Section 201 and Suniva.
Four major claims were included in the 10 companies’ announcements:
Opposing to U.S.’s abuse of trade remedies.
Advocating of fair and free international trade.
Section 201 will decelerate or even suspend progress of reduction of GHG emissions because U.S.’s domestic PV production capacity is insufficient for achieving the Paris Agreement.
Section 201 will damage U.S.’s local PV industry
In addition, according to Trina Solar’s announcement, Suniva filed chapter 11 due to operational failures instead of international trade. Trina Solar therefore accuse Suniva’s abuse of Section 201.
Suniva’s major shareholder SF-PV is actually a Chinese company, making the requisition of Section 201 out of all PV insiders’ head. It needs time to observe whether China, and all other countries, can successfully negotiate with ITC.
(Photo Source: US Department of Agriculture via Flickr shared by CC 2.0)