Chinese solar module exports to US top 2.3 GW in H1

Jul 24, 2014 - The total export of solar modules from China to the US has surpassed 2.3 GW in the first half of 2014 due to a rush ahead of the expected introduction of new anti-dumping duties.

According to Taiwan-based EnergyTrend, a unit of market researcher Trendforce, Trina Solar Ltd (NYSE:TSL) was the most aggressive Chinese exporter, with deliveries to the US amounting to over 60% of its total shipments in the second quarter.

“Chinese modules shipped to the US increased month by month from January to May, 2014 and it did not begin to decrease until June,” EnergyTrend analyst Corrine Lin said. She noted that the US will have enough solar panels to meet its full-year installation target of 6 GW if the total module capacity of US firms is also included in the calculation.

Following the imposition of anti-dumping levies of up to 250% on China-made crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells from 2012, the US in February this year launched new investigations into imports of solar products from China and Taiwan. Last month, the US Department of Commerce unveiled preliminary anti-subsidy duties of between 18.56% and 35.21% on imports of China-made solar equipment, including PV panels assembled with cells from Taiwan.

By the end of the month, the US will also reveal a preliminary result from the anti-dumping probe. Lin stressed that no matter where that preliminary verdict goes, it will not impact Chinese and Taiwanese exporters until 2015.

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