Tariffs may hurt solar panel industry
The tariffs could hurt foreign solar panel makers and foreign and American distributors, and strain trade relations between the United States and China, the newspaper reported.
According to the article, U.S. customs decided early this year that because the panels contain a basic electronic device for safety and energy efficiency, they would be treated as electric generators, subject to a duty of 2.5 percent.
The decision is legally binding on most solar panels imported into the United States, the newspaper reported, noting that no one in the industry became aware of it until the last few weeks.
In the meantime, unpaid duties piled up, along with penalties that are likely to double the cost, according to the article.
The Solar Energy Industries Association, a coalition of domestic and foreign companies, argues that American tariffs on solar panels could lead other countries to impose tariffs on American exports, the article said.
Related News

IAEA - COVID-19 and Low Carbon Electricity Lessons for the Future
LONDON - The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the operation of power systems across the globe and offered a glimpse of a future electricity mix dominated by low carbon sources.
The performance of nuclear power, in particular, demonstrates how it can support the transition to a resilient, clean energy system well beyond the COVID-19 recovery phase.
Restrictions on economic and social activity during the COVID-19 outbreak have led to an unprecedented and sustained decline in demand for electricity in many countries, in the order of 10% or more relative to 2019 levels over a period of a few months, thereby creating challenging conditions…