Free-Trade Deals May Soften Tariffs on Solar Panels
- Free-trade partners supply 33 percent of imported panels
- President has final authority on the size, scope of tariffs
Workers secure solar panels to a rooftop during a SolarCity Corp. residential installation in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Photographer: Sergio Flores/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
U.S. free-trade deals with Canada and other countries may soften the impact of tariffs on imported solar panels now that Suniva Inc. has convinced the government it was hobbled by foreign competition.
The U.S. International Trade Commission voted 4-0 Friday in favor of a complaint filed by the bankrupt solar manufacturer, which is seeking duties that would double the price of panels. The commission is recommending that President Donald Trump exclude from the tariffs Canada, Singapore and several other U.S. free-trade partners, which combined supply about 5 percent of solar panel imports.