Section 201

The company has registered as a lobbyist with K Street’s most experienced World Trade Organisation (WTO) law firm – Sidley Austin LLP.

Solar PV makers seeking exemptions to Section 201 duties must make them by March 16, but there is no guarantee that any will be granted.

1,200%. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, that’s how high imports of Chinese modules rose in the fourth quarter last year, in a desperate attempt to stockpile sufficient numbers before tariffs choked off international supplies.

The latest analysis by current and former GTM Research executives argues that there is insufficient economic reason to manufacture solar in the United States.

The expansion to 400 MW will make Mission the fourth-largest PV module maker in the U.S.

The newly minted merger of Neo Solar Power, Gintech and Solartech is planning a module factory, the second such factory to be announced by a large Asian PV maker since solar tariffs were finalized.

The U.S. President’s proclamation provides a path for specific products to apply for exemption from tariffs, which had been sought by both SunPower and the government of South Korea. Additionally, imports from a number of developing nations are exempt as long as import levels remain small.

President Trump’s tariff decision was not the worst-case scenario for the U.S. market, but GTM Research says it will still have effects, particularly in marginal and emerging regional markets.

SolarPower Europe and SAFE see a resulting contraction in the market, while EU ProSun is calling for the preferential treatment of EU solar manufacturers in the U.S. BNEF says a general window for negotiation of individual country agreements may be possible in the next few weeks.

The decision, released on U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer’s website, could keep current U.S. module manufacturers in business by keeping their cell lifelines open.