Commerce cites dumping of Chinese solar panels

   The U.S. Commerce Department has determined that imports of certain electric-generating solar panels imported from China and Taiwan are being dumped on the U.S. market.
   Dumping occurs when a foreign company sells a product in the United States at less than its fair value.
   Commerce preliminarily determined that certain solar panels from China and Taiwan have been sold in the United States at dumping margins ranging from 26.33 to 165.04 percent, and 27.59 to 44.18 percent, respectively, according to announcement the department released Friday.
   In the China investigation, Commerce found Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co./Trina Solar (Changzhou) Science & Technology Co. to be affiliated parties and treated them as a single entity. Commerce also found Renesola Jiangsu Ltd./Renesola Zhejiang Ltd./Jinko Solar Co./Jinko Solar Import and Export Co. to be affiliated parties and treated them as a single entity. Trina Solar and Renesola/Jinko received preliminary dumping margins of 26.33 percent and 58.87 percent, respectively. Forty two other Chinese exporters qualified for a separate rate of 42.33 percent.
   In the Taiwan investigation, Gintech Energy Corp. and Motech Industries  received preliminary dumping margins of 27.59 percent and 44.18 percent, respectively. All other producers/exporters in Taiwan received a preliminary dumping margin of 35.89 percent, Commerce said.
   Commerce said it will instruct Customs and Border Protection to require cash deposits based on these preliminary rates as adjusted for export and domestic subsidies found in the companion countervailing duty investigation.
   The petitioner for the antidumping investigations is SolarWorld Industries America in Oregon.
   “This action is a strong signal not only for SolarWorld, but for the entire U.S. solar market,” said Timothy Brightbill, an attorney with Wiley Rein’s International Trade Practice, which represented SolarWorld in the petition. “The new duties will strengthen U.S. manufacturing and increase global competition by forcing China and Taiwan to compete on a level playing field.”
   In 2013, imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic products from China and Taiwan were valued at $1.5 billion and $656.8 million, respectively.
   Commerce is scheduled to announce its final determinations in its antidumping investigations by Dec. 16. If Commerce makes affirmative final determinations, and the U.S. International Trade Commission makes affirmative final determinations that imports of these products from China and/or Taiwan harm the domestic solar panel industry, Commerce will issue antidumping orders. The ITC will make its final injury determinations in January 2015. If either Commerce’s or the ITC’s final determinations are negative, antidumping orders will not be issued.