The US International Trade Commission (ITC) voted on Friday to proceed with investigations into the potential harm caused to US manufacturing by imports of solar products from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The commission has found “a reasonable indication” that local solar manufacturing is materially injured by imports of lower-priced crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules from the four Asian countries. Allegations suggest that the production of this hardware is subsidized by the respective governments, resulting in sales in the US at prices below fair value, according to the ITC.
Following the affirmative determination by the ITC regarding the negative impact of Asian imports on the US solar manufacturing industry, the Department of Commerce will establish the level of duties to be imposed. Preliminary countervailing duty determinations are expected to be announced on or around July 18, 2024, while preliminary antidumping duty determinations will follow on or about October 1, 2024.
These investigations were initiated in April after major US solar manufacturers lodged antidumping and countervailing duty petitions against Chinese-owned solar manufacturers in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The aim is to safeguard domestic production from the influx of imported equipment.
