Posted on 05/17/2012 1:47:11 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
The U.S. Commerce Department announced stiff tariffs on Chinese-made solar panels Thursday, a move critics said could raise costs for consumers and further inflame trade tensions with Beijing.
The preliminary ruling came as a result of a finding that Chinese solar cell manufacturers are "dumping" their products on the American market below production costs.
U.S. manufacturer Solyndra became the highest-profile victim of plunging panel prices last year, forced to file for bankruptcy despite receiving $535 million in federal loan guarantees.
The tariffs are two-tiered. The first includes a group of 61 exporters, with Yingli Green Energy and Trina Solar among those facing rates of roughly 31%.
The second level comprises all other Chinese producers that are not currently exporting, who would be hit with a 250% rate. This higher level was set in order to deter current Chinese exporters named in the decision from attempting to duck the tariffs by shifting production to other companies.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
Oh great. Now that some are switching over to solar, their costs will skyrocket due to no manufacturers in USA (Solyndra went Bankrupt etc)
If the Chinese want to sell for less than their cost, why not let them ?
Let’s see if I understand this. It’s a good thing for our government to heavily subsidize our solar industry. But it is unfair if the Chinese subsidize theirs.
Nice. Push solar power and then get a 30% piece of the action which is about what the tax credit is. Hmmmmmmm.
A day late and a dollar short....err, many days late and many dollars short.
Not that I really care about the demise of solar as a primary energy source, but it does work as a supplemental source on an individual level.
This way tax payers will pay a whole lot more to subsidize green low income housing. And we all know investments like this cause economic growth!
To be fair, the Solar Companies are worried about US JOBS. Well, US jobs at their companies. Apparently there is no concern about the US jobs at the US companies that supply China. Government picking winners and losers....
Because the idea behind dumping is you only do it until you have destroyed your competition.
Globalism in business is “free market” only where it makes the political/regulator class more wealthy. No free market lumber or solar panels for us redneck “males” with real families. Bow to the service “industry” and debt regime.
I wouldn’t install solar panels if they were FREE.
So, tariffs don’t bother me.
What goes on in D.C. can only be described as insanity.
This is the Administration covering their rear ends so they can say Solyndra would have worked if the Chinese weren’t unfair traders.
Dumping benefits the consumer.
Dumping benefits the consumer, for a short time.
While replacement products are developed.
Remember Porter’s 5 Forces of Industry.
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