US Commerce Department finalizes steep duties on solar imports from India, Indonesia, Laos

Key facts

• The U.S. Commerce Department assigned anti-dumping margins of 123.04% for Indian producers, 94.36% for Indonesian producers, and 65.43% for producers from Laos.
• Countervailing duty rates were set at 126.09% for Indian producers, 73.2% to 173.7% for Indonesian producers, and 82.03% to 153.67% for Lao producers.
• The trade investigation was initiated by the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade.
• The U.S. International Trade Commission will make a final determination on October 14.

The U.S. Commerce Department on Friday finalized steep anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports of solar cells and panels from India, Indonesia, and Laos. The agency determined that producers in these countries dumped cheap products in the United States and benefited from unfair government subsidies.

For Indian producers, the agency assigned anti-dumping margins of 123.04% and countervailing duty rates of 126.09%. Indonesian producers face anti-dumping margins of 94.36% and countervailing duty rates between 73.2% and 173.7%. Producers from Laos were assigned anti-dumping margins of 65.43% and countervailing duty rates between 82.03% and 153.67%.

The trade investigation was initiated by the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, which includes U.S. solar manufacturers such as First Solar, Hanwha Qcells, and Mission Solar Energy. Tim Brightbill, lead attorney for the Alliance, stated that the final determinations are crucial for enforcing trade laws and restoring fair competition for U.S. solar manufacturers.

The U.S. International Trade Commission is expected to make a final determination on October 14 regarding whether these imports materially injure or threaten to injure domestic manufacturers. If the commission votes affirmatively, the Commerce Department is anticipated to issue final duty orders in November. This case is part of an ongoing trade dispute over solar imports, following the U.S. imposition of duties on Chinese solar products in 2012, which led manufacturers to shift production to other Asian countries.