BUSINESS I TRADE
benefit to the world, are best served by government and business leaders collaborating to develop free, fair and constructive trade policies which enable and foster growth and cooperation.”
CASE also applauds a recent statement by the US Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA), an American solar industry association representing thousands of American solar companies, which expressed concern about the trade fight and called for a constructive dialogue and engagement between the US and China.
Rhone Resch, president and CEO of SEIA, issued a statement saying, “The escalating trade conflict in the global solar industry will ultimately hurt the entire market at a time when solar energy is on the cusp of widespread adoption. Companies from all nations will be the ultimate losers. Exporters will find fewer and fewer destinations for their products. Large project developers and local installers will find it more and more difficult to source products and consumers will see solar energy as a less competitive source of electricity. This is an absolutely unacceptable outcome.”
In addition, the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI), a global industry association representing thousands of semiconductor companies, has made a similar plea to reduce tensions and trade barriers.
“The current trade dispute is just one instance of growing trade barriers that are proliferating and encumbering the deployment of renewable energy. Other trade and market barriers have arisen in areas related to investment, government procurement, local content requirements and conflicting standards and certification requirements.
PV solar and other renewable energy industries must begin the long and difficult process of developing a comprehensive and holistic world trade agreement that promotes free and open trade and accelerates adoption of renewable energy,” SEMI said in a statement.
Determined beliefs SolarWorld has so far steadfastly refused to come to the table to help diffuse the destructive solar trade war. In a recent statement, Gordon Brinser, president of SolarWorld Industries
America Inc., rejected calls to seek constructive bilateral solutions, saying that, “We do not need talks and we do not need deals.”
CASE has taken SolarWorld to task after recent public comments by Brinser at an International Trade Commission hearing suggested SolarWorld was selling product below production cost in an effort to maintain market share. This appears to be the exact behaviour SolarWorld is accusing China based companies of. Many of the subsidies provided to SolarWorld typify the supply-side subsidies that could be targeted by future trade investigations, such as government- backed loans for SolarWorld exports to India, SolarWorld’s partnership with the Qatar government on a new polysilicon
facility and SolarWorld’s receipt of more than US$100 million in direct industrial subsidies in Germany.
“Governments around the world ---have provided the solar industry with support as a bridge to help the industry mature and stand on its own feet. In particular, Germany has played a leading role in helping SolarWorld and the global solar industry become what it is today,” said Jigar Shah.
“SolarWorld’s participation would be welcomed in seeking a constructive end to this destructive episode,” said Jigar Shah. “Instead of raising taxes to offset subsidies, let’s create a global
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