Two small U.S. solar manufacturers on Monday asked federal trade officials to extend tariffs on solar panel imports imposed by the Trump administration that have divided the fast-growing renewable energy sector.
In a formal request to the U.S. International Trade Commission, Auxin Solar Inc and Suniva Inc said that an extension of the four-year tariffs was necessary for President Joe Biden to achieve his goal of transitioning the U.S. power sector to clean sources by 2035.
“The need for extending the safeguard and allowing these new green energy policies and initiatives to take hold is necessary to secure America’s solar energy independence,” the companies’ petition said.
Auxin and Suniva said their products were still unable to compete with the overseas-made products that dominate the U.S. market because of import stockpiling by installation companies before the tariffs took effect, the coronavirus pandemic and raw material cost increases.
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