SEIA Statement On White House Solar Tariff Proclamation

The White House announced results for the midterm review of the Section 201 tariffs on imported solar cells and modules.

Following is a statement on the proclamation by Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association:

“The Trump administration decision this weekend to expand solar tariffs and evaluate an extension of those tariffs counters critical needs of our country right now, jeopardizing jobs, economic recovery in the face of a pandemic and a clean environment. Aspects of this policy may also run counter to law.

“Since the administration imposed solar tariffs, we have fought to delay the termination of the bifacial solar panel exemption. And we have suggested many, more constructive, ways to expand American manufacturing, including targeted tax policy and suggestions for growing the whole solar supply chain in a way that would meaningfully create jobs and fuel the economy. In addition, we published a white paper with ideas for boosting the U.S. solar manufacturing economy. It should not be lost on policy makers that last year the solar industry had 35,000 manufacturing jobs as part of nearly 250,000 total jobs. These jobs are being jeopardized by COVID-19 and tariffs across the supply chain.

“We are going to consider every option to reverse this harmful approach. We also will be talking with leaders in the next administration, regardless of who is president, about the harm of solar tariffs in the context of the COVID pandemic, a threatened economy and a critical need to address climate change.”