US duties prompt Chinese PV shipment surge - Solarbuzz

October 14, 2014
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

The US has seen a surge of Chinese and Taiwanese PV imports as companies seek to secure low-cost product ahead of the imposition of trade duties.

According to analysis from market research firm NPD Solarbuzz, the share of Chinese companies within the top-20 suppliers in the US almost doubled in the 12-month period ending Q2 2014 compared to that ending Q2 2013.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Writing in a blog post yesterday, Solarbuzz analyst Michael Barker said this was down to the scramble by US developers and Chinese manufacturers to get product into the country ahead of the preliminary anti-subsidy and anti-dumping rulings by the US government over the summer.

The consequence of those pending decisions meant that by the end of the second quarter of 2014 the share of Chinese companies within the top 20 suppliers in the US had increased by 18% to 58%. This was largely at the expense of US, Japanese and other suppliers not located in Asia, who saw their representation in the top 20 drop from 21 to 9%, according to Solarbuzz.

Barker said this highlighted that “trade disputes can impact the market though often in different ways than originally intended”.

Over the next few quarters Barker said the Chinese/Taiwanese shipment share was likely to decline, as downstream players work through current inventory levels and manufacturers await the US government’s final trade decision, which is expected in December 2014.

But Barker concluded that companies were unlikely to completely abandon the US market owing to its strong growth as a solar end market.

Read Next

October 29, 2025
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has provided US$142 million in financing for the construction of a 1GW solar and 1.3GWh BESS portfolio in Uzbekistan.
Premium
October 29, 2025
Damage to solar from so-called Natural Catastrophe events is increasing as the technology expands its reach and weather conditions worsen.
October 29, 2025
Greenvolt and European Energy have finalised financial deals for solar-plus-storage projects in Denmark and Latvia.
October 29, 2025
NextEra Energy Resources added 3GW of new renewable energy generation and storage capacity to its portfolio in the third quarter of 2025.
October 29, 2025
French firms TotalEnergies and EDF, with local partners, secured contracts for 400MW and 600MW solar projects in Saudi Arabia, supporting Vision 2030 renewable goals.
October 29, 2025
US solar manufacturer Corning has brought online its wafer production at its Michigan plant, during the third quarter of 2025.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
November 12, 2025
10am PST / 1pm EST
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 10, 2026
Frankfurt, Germany