The recent implementation of a 30% tariff on imported photovoltaic cells and components by the Trump administration is not welcome in the international solar industry. As of the deadline for applying for an exemption as of Friday night, more than 20 manufacturers have been required to exempt their product tariffs.
SunPower deeply opposes the case of Section 201 and has the loudest voice for requesting exemption. In addition, the list of companies joining high-efficiency manufacturers seeking specific product exemptions includes solar industry celebrities, including Canadian Solar, Hanwha QCells, LG, and Panasonic. And RECSolar and other large companies.
JinkoSolar has called for an exemption for its P-type PERC photovoltaic cell, which it allegedly intends to use in the factory currently in use in Jacksonville, Florida. The company said that allowing these battery exemptions can expand the facility.
SolarWorld?
SolarWorld Industries GmbH is a high-level company that uses its European manufacturing technology to create the company after the bankruptcy of SolarWorld. The biggest irony here is that SolarWorld Americas is a US subsidiary of SolarWorld AG, and they apply for these two companies. One of the import tax companies. To further supplement the explanation, EU Pro Sun President Milan Nitschke has requested an exemption for the entire European PV industry, consisting of 30 companies, but with an annual capacity of only 2 GW. As former SolarWorld's vice president, Nitschke said Although he supports trade with China, Europe is the wrong target.
'Our main concern is that for high-quality and sustainable European solar products for fair trade, general import duties will not be ruled out. Chinese companies absorb tariffs will only increase revenue and eliminate competition in the US market,' Nitschke said. 'This will not only hurt customers, but it will also adversely affect the U.S. manufacturing industry.'
Special technology exemptions
The two companies that requested exemption are power electronics manufacturers. Enphase has asked for the elimination of AC components that use micro-inverters. SolarEdge has asked for exemptions from the 'smart' components of its embedded power optimizer.
SolarEdge pointed out that if the U.S. trade representative would not grant an exemption to the full cost of the module that uses its technology, the exemption for the value portion represented by the power optimizer will be satisfied.
In addition, there are many new technology exemption applications, including specific manufacturers requesting exemptions from their flexible solar panels, photovoltaic modules based on microbatteries, solar panels used in military applications, etc. Many of these are not photovoltaics produced by themselves. The batteries and components submitted by the company include DSM requirements not including metal packaging technology, and 1366 technology company's cell exemption application based on its direct wafer technology.
