US says China not undercutting domestic battery anode makers

In a vote held on March 12, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled against the implementation of tariffs on graphite anode imports from China. The decision effectively kills the anti-dumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) orders that would have seen combined duty rates surge as high as 169.5% for most Chinese exporters.

The vote was 2-1, with the official release stating that “Chair Amy A. Karpel and Commissioner David S. Johanson voted in the negative. Commissioner Jason E. Kearns voted in the affirmative.”

The ruling provides a positive economic outlook for the U.S. battery energy storage system (BESS) industry, which had been bracing for a potential period of price volatility. According to an analysis of AAMs in the US previously published by ESS News, the initial petition seeking duties as high as 920% represented a “crazy level” that would have destabilized the sector and many others.