DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF TRADE REMEDIES (DGTR) DGTR has initiated an anti-dumping investigation on Fluoro Backsheets used in the manufacturing of solar modules exported from China.
The application was filed by Renewsys India Private Limited.
The applicant has stated that the subject products are predominantly imported under Chapter Heading 39 “Plastics and articles thereof”. They have further stated that the subject goods are imported under different codes from company to company and country to country (majorly under the headings 3920 and 3921). The Authority notes that the custom classification is indicative only and in no way, it is binding upon the product scope and the product description prevails in circumstances of conflict.
The applicant further claimed that the subject goods, which are being dumped into India, are identical to the goods produced by the domestic industry. There are no differences either in the technical specifications, quality, functions or end-uses of the dumped imports and the domestically produced subject goods and the product under consideration manufactured by the applicant. The two are technically and commercially substitutable and hence should be treated as like article under the AD Rules. Therefore, for the purpose of the present investigation, the subject goods produced by the applicant in India are being treated as Like Article to the subject goods being imported from the subject country.
DGTR notified that it has initiated an investigation to determine the existence, degree and effect of any alleged dumping of Fluoro Backsheets used in the manufacturing of solar PV modules originating in or exported from China PR. Upon completion of the investigation, the DGTR will decide/ recommend the amount of anti-dumping duty, which is levied, would be adequate to remove the injury to the domestic injury.
The product under consideration in the present application is “Fluoro Backsheet” which is a polymer-based component used in the manufacturing of solar PV modules. It is manufactured using a lamination process where one or more sheets are laminated/ coated using solvent or extrusion lamination and/or liquid coating technology. Currently, there are mainly two types of backsheet in the market, Fluoro and non-Fluoro.
Backsheet is used to manufacture solar PV modules to protect cells and other module components from dirt, dust, moisture and UV radiations during the service life of the module. One sheet of the Backsheet equal to the size of the module is used in making one set of module. The cell connected with string is placed between two sheets of Encapsulant followed by a layer of the backsheet. Glass is placed on other side of the sandwich during the module making. The sandwich is then put into hot chamber under a vacuum where the Encapsulant is melted to form the module. This semi-finished module is further subjected to framing, function box fixing, testing and final packing for shipments.
