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Democratic lawmakers wrote a letter to President Barack Obama urging an investigation into Chinese solar imports, which they say don’t fairly compete with domestic products.
Imports of Chinese solar products have increased 350 percent from 2008 to 2010, according to the letter today provided by Bonn-based SolarWorld AG, which filed a trade complaint Oct. 19.
Chinese imports control half the market, benefiting from government-provided loans, cheap land, tax breaks, and an undervalued currency, the lawmakers, including Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, and Representative Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, said.
“It is critical for American businesses and workers to be able to compete in this rapidly growing sector,” according to the letter signed by six senators and 53 House members.
A U.S. International Trade Commission panel is set to vote today on whether to continue with an investigation that may lead to imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties. The U.S. unit of SolarWorld, a maker of solar modules, is seeking duties to offset the practices.
Driving Costs Down
Representatives of Chinese companies told the commission Nov. 8 that tariffs sought by U.S. competitors would make it harder to expand the use of renewable energy. China and the U.S. are among countries encouraging use of alternative energy sources, driving costs down across the board, so it would be unfair to penalize China, they told the panel.
Suntech Power Holdings Co. and Trina Solar Ltd., two of the biggest China-based makers of crystalline silicon panels, said added tariffs would only increase the cost of solar panels, which would then be passed on to the consumer.
China responded to the initial probe by saying it would begin its own investigation into U.S. government support for renewable energy. China’s Ministry of Commerce will consider the state stimulus programs of Washington, Massachusetts, Ohio and California, and two in New Jersey, it said Nov. 25.
Source: Bloomberg
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