U.S. opens solar-panel dumping inquiry

The U.S. government opened an investigation into whether American solar-panel manufacturers are being hobbled by cheap imports.

The U.S. International Trade Commission opened an investigation at the request of Suniva Inc., a bankrupt Georgia-based manufacturer that said it was unable to compete with low-cost solar cells made predominately in China. Officials will conclude by Sept. 22 whether the company had suffered damages, the commission said in a notice Tuesday.

“We are pleased that the Commission has taken this next step and initiated the investigation of this case,” Matt Card, a Suniva executive, said in a statement.

Suniva requested import duties of 40 cents per watt for solar cells produced outside the U.S. and a floor price of 78 cents per watt for panels. The International Trade Commission will do the initial analysis of the complaint; the final decision on whether to back Suniva rests with President Donald Trump.

The case, filed by Suniva in April, has rattled the solar industry.

The duties Suniva is requesting are forecast to double the price of panels and may imperil 260,000 jobs, according the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Suniva’s majority owner, Shunfeng International Clean Energy Ltd. of China, has also objected, saying the move is “not in the best interests” of clean energy markets.