Feds To Probe Solar-panel €�dumping’ Complaint Against China

By Denver Business Journal

The U.S. Commerce Department on Wednesday agreed to investigate whether China is unfairly “dumping” government-subsidized solar-power panels into the United States, hurting domestic manufacturers.

The action — in response to a complaint by SolarWorld, a German firm that is the largest U.S. solar manufacturer — and the issues behind it are dividing the U.S. solar industry and threaten to spark a U.S.-China solar trade war, say some industry observers.

Colorado is home to several solar-panel makers, including Loveland-based Abound Solar Inc., Thornton-based Ascent Solar Technologies Inc. and Arvada-based PrimeStar Solar as well as several solar-panel installers, such as Boulder’s Namaste Solar Electric Inc. and Louisville’s Bella Energy Inc.

And last month, General Electric Co. announced it plans to open the nation's largest thin-cell solar-panel factory in Aurora.

SolarWorld’s complaint last month sought imposition of tariffs on cheap Chinese solar panels.

SolarWorld filed its complaint with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission, claiming the Chinese government has subsidized home-grown solar companies, giving them an unfair advantage in the marketplace in violation of global trade treaties.

The firm, whose U.S. operations are headquartered in Oregon, said it was acting on behalf of the Coalition of American Solar Manufacturing, a consortium of seven U.S. solar manufacturers, but the other six companies were not identified.

The Solar Energy Industries Association, the main trade group representing solar manufacturers, did not join in the complaint.

Meanwhile, a new group representing 25 U.S. solar companies, including SolarCity and SunEdison, came forward this week to oppose SolarWorld’s complaint. Many of the companies are solar-panel buyers and installers.

Forbes reports that the newly formed Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy says the trade complaint is “short-sighted” and would lead to higher-priced solar panels that could disrupt the growth of the U.S. market.