The U.S.solar industry breathed a sigh of relief yesterday when Chinese-made solar cells and modules were not included on a list of products that could be subject to new Trump administration tariffs. Inverters were also absent.
Other clean energy technologies did make the list, but the U.S. market impacts appear to be modest.
The U.S. Trade Representative published the catalog Tuesday, naming some 1,300 Chinese imports the administration plans to hit with a 25 percent tariff under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Industrial robots, communication satellites and aircraft parts were among the products covered by the proposed tariffs, which are framed as retaliation for Chinese theft of U.S. intellectual property and other unfair trade practices.
Certain Chinese wind power and battery products could also be subject to trade sanctions, as well as a motor cited as “primary source of mechanical power for electric vehicles.” However, USTR trade data shows these products make up a relatively small share of the U.S. market.
In the first case, the administration is specifically targeting “wind-powered electric generating sets.” According to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Trade Policy Information System database, Chinese-made wind products included on the tariff list made up 25 percent of U.S. imports in 2017, representing just $53.3 million.
The USTR document does not specify if the tariffs apply specifically to wind turbines or wind generators. However, the $53 million figure generally aligns with the value of wind turbines imported to the U.S. from China in 2017, said Aaron Barr, principal consultant at MAKE Consulting. That amounts to between 30 and 75 turbines, depending on scope and size.
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