section 201

The Energy Trade Action Coalition (ETAC) released a statement Monday urging the US International Trade Commission (ITC) to put an end to the Section 201 trade case brought up by SolarWorld and Suniva.

The governments of Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, China and Thailand have joined the surge in lobbying as Tuesday’s initial hearing into the Section 201 trade case nears.

SolarWorld Americas the subsidiary of bankrupt integrated PV module manufacturer SolarWorld AG said it would receive a US$6 million cash infusion from its parent company’s financial lenders to continue reduced operations after recent workforce reductions and support its co-petition with bankrupt US rival Suniva in the ITC ‘Section 201’ case.

Following on from the successful year for solar that was 2016, the US market added 2,044MW of new capacity in Q1 2017 alone. As installations grow, prices continue to fall to new lows and utility-scale system prices dropped below US$1/Watt for the first time according to GTM Research.

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has elected to launch an investigation into Suniva’s trade complaint under Section 201 of the 1974 Trade Act. The body will decide whether to raise import prices on modules as per the bankrupt module manufacturer’s request.

Suniva’s petition to the US International Trade Commission (ITC) puts PV demand at risk by the uncertainty created among investors and the global supply chain, argues market research firm IHS Markit.

Updated: The US solar trade body, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) said it would spearhead the campaign against the trade petition by US-based bankrupt cell and module manufacturer, Suniva with the USITC (United States International Trade Commission) that threatens import duties on all crystalline solar cells and panels imported from anywhere across the world not produced in the US.

Bankrupt US manufacturer Suniva has filed an anticipated petition requesting a minimum import price (MIP) of 78 cents.

The complaint filed by Suniva is not a revival or renewal of the longstanding anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases, however, it’s something different all-together. For want of a better phrase, it’s the nuclear option, and ultimately, President Trump has his finger on this red button too.