Trump says solar tariff decision coming soon, stakes
huge for industry
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[January 18, 2018]
By Nichola Groom and Steve Holland
LOS ANGELES/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would announce a decision
soon on whether to slap tariffs on imported solar panels, and quipped
that when countries dump subsidized panels in the United States,
“Everybody goes out of business.”
The solar industry is anxiously awaiting the decision, which will have
wide-reaching implications for the sector. Domestic panel producers
opposed to cheap imports would benefit from a tariff. But installers
that have relied on the lower-cost hardware for their recent breakneck
growth would suffer.
In an interview with Reuters, Trump declined to say how he would land on
the case - which was triggered last year by a domestic manufacturer's
trade grievance - but complained about the effect of imports on U.S.
panel makers.
"You know, they dump ‘em - government-subsidized, lots of things
happening - they dump the panels, then everybody goes out of business,"
he said.
Asked when the decision would be announced, he said: "Pretty soon.
Honestly, pretty soon."
According to a process governed by the International Trade Commission,
Trump has until Jan. 26 to make his decision.
Bankrupt domestic panel producer Suniva triggered Trump's consideration
of tariffs last year when it filed a trade case arguing it could not
compete with cheap imports. About 95 percent of the solar cells and
panels sold in the United States are made abroad, with most coming from
China, Malaysia and the Philippines, according to SPV Market Research.
Suniva was later joined in the case by the U.S. arm of German
manufacturer SolarWorld AG <SWVKk.F>.
In October, Trump received a range of options from members of the U.S.
International Trade Commission to protect domestic producers, but he has
broad leeway to come up with his own alternative or do nothing at all.
Suniva is seeking strong measures.
"A robust tariff will allow Suniva to restart its factories and rehire
employees," Suniva spokesman Mark Paustenbach said.
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Solar panel cells are seen in the production process at the
SolarWorld solar panel factory in Hillsboro, Oregon, U.S., January
15, 2018. REUTERS/Natalie Behring
JOBS AT STAKE
Only about 14 percent of the solar industry's 260,000 jobs are in manufacturing.
The trade case has fueled anxiety among installers that make up most of the rest
of the industry and rely on low-priced imports.
The installation sector's trade group, the Solar Energy Industries Association,
has campaigned against tariffs, saying they would drive up the price of solar
and cripple demand, eliminating tens of thousands of jobs and ultimately hurting
the manufacturers that sought them in the first place.
"I'm staying optimistic that the business aspect of this will come through in
the end," said George Hershman, president of Swinerton Renewable Energy, a
privately held firm that constructs large-scale solar projects.
Hershman said Swinerton employed 2,000 full-time employees and up to 8,000
temporary workers, but added several of its projects had been placed on hold
pending Trump's decision.
"If you add 50 percent to the cost of the job, it may not be economic," Hershman
said.
Solaria Corp, a U.S. company that produces panels in both California and South
Korea, also opposes tariffs, according to Chief Executive Suvi Sharma. The
company said a recent $23 million financing round took months longer than it
should have partly because of investor jitters about the case.
"The best thing would be to have this whole thing go away," Sharma said.
(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Peter Cooney)
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