Heavily subsidized Chinese goods threaten U.S. solar manufacturing, Senators say
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is urging the Biden Administration to increase tariffs on Chinese solar imports threatening American solar manufacturing.
Today, Sens. Ossoff, Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) urged President Biden to increase tariffs on Chinese-made solar module, cell, and wafer imports under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
According to a recent study, in 2023, the price of a solar panel manufactured in China dropped to 15 cents per watt, more than 60% below the price of a U.S.-made panel. The Senators argued China’s heavily subsidized products are hurting U.S. efforts to reshore domestic solar manufacturing — a key energy security goal.
“China’s aggressive subsidies for its own solar manufacturing industry demonstrate its intent to control the industry globally,” the Senators wrote. “By 2026, China will have enough capacity to meet annual global demand for the next ten years. This capacity is an existential threat to the U.S. solar industry and American energy security.”
While American solar manufacturing has boomed since passage of Sen. Ossoff’s Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act — signed into law as part of the Inflation Reduction Act — the Senators say more is needed to strengthen the American manufacturing base.
“These heavily subsidized and artificially low prices put U.S. solar manufacturers at an extreme disadvantage during a critical turning point in the development of the domestic solar manufacturing industry,” they continued. “Section 301 tariffs are needed to avoid dire consequences not only for our economic and national security, but also for the thousands of workers employed by these manufacturers.”
Click here to read the Senators’ letter to President Biden.
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