[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]In my 14 plus years in the solar industry, back in 2005 thru 2008, I remember purchasing a lot of US-made modules and started hearing about all the Chinese manufacturing companies entering the PV market. At the time, the industry was not aware that the Chinese would produce 80 plus percent of the panels manufactured.
By the year 2012, the Department of Commerce began the reign of tariffs:
- The US Department of commerce starts first round of antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) on imported solar panels from China.
- In 2014, another round of tariffs are imposed, adding Taiwan cells to close a loophole created in 2012, preventing Chinese manufacturers to circumvent the 2012 tariffs.
- In January 2018, President Trump imposed a 30% tariff with a four-year stepdown on solar panel imports from China under Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974.
- In September 2018, under Section 301 of the trade act, Trump imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, including solar module components such as inverters, junction boxes, and backsheets.
Today, the U.S. solar market pricing is about 20 percent higher than major European markets, 40 percent higher than prices in Japan, and about 50 percent higher than China.
These moves by the administration has caused module manufacturers to cancel orders on projects in development, forcing EPCs and developers to contact their third and fourth sources for modules. The scarcity of modules open an opportunity for a company like “USD” (Unicorn Solar Development) to be your next panel supplier of Tier1 and Tier 2 modules. If you are looking for panels, let my many years of experience help you find the modules that best suit your needs.
You can contact me directly at 916-284-8841 or email robert.benedict@unicorn-sd.com