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American solar firms request federal action against Asian competitors
American solar manufacturers are calling for the U.S. government to impose measures against Asian countries allegedly dumping subsidized panels into the market, arguing this threatens the domestic industry.
In short:
- U.S. manufacturers argue that solar panels subsidized by China, but manufactured in other Asian countries, are damaging the U.S. market.
- The petition targets imports from Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, which represent 84% of U.S. solar panel imports in the last quarter of 2023.
- The controversy stirs debate within the solar sector, with some warning that tariffs could disrupt growth and escalate costs for consumers.
- China responded that their leading place in the global solar panel market is attributable to "strong performance and full-on market competition, nut subsidies."
Key quote:
"We are seeking to enforce the rules, remedy the injury to our domestic solar industry and signal that the U.S. will not be a dumping ground for foreign solar products."
— Tim Brightbill, attorney for the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee, the group that filed the petition.
Why this matters:
American firms often argue that Chinese and other Asian manufacturers benefit from significant government subsidies, lower labor costs and less stringent regulations. This can result in lower production costs and cheaper products, making it difficult for American manufacturers to compete on price.
Be sure to listen to Agents of Change senior fellow Azmal Hossan as he talks about an ambitious effort he’s part of to get the U.S. and China working together on climate change.
Visit EHN's energy section for more top news about energy, climate and health.
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Global heat map: Tracking extreme heat across Europe and Asia
Intense heat has stifled the globe this year, contributing to a record-breaking hot summer in the Northern Hemisphere and an unusually warm winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
How to survive in the heat: Coping advice from around the world
As climate change sends temperatures soaring around the world, people who are not used to coping with heat could stand to adopt a few strategies from regions that have faced hot weather for generations.
Big Stock Photo
A once-shuttered California mine is trying to transform the rare-earth industry
Grist reporter Maddie Stone writes about a U.S.-based rare earth supply chain that could boost clean energy and electric vehicles — and military weapons.
In a nutshell:
MP Materials, the owner of the Mountain Pass mine in southeastern California, aims to build a greener rare-earth supply chain in the US, offering an alternative to the environmentally damaging practices in Asia. The increasing demand for rare-earth magnets, particularly in the EV and wind energy sectors, is driving MP Materials' efforts to diversify the global supply chain, but experts caution that sustainability should be prioritized, including the recycling of rare earths and minimizing new mining.
Key quote:
From an environmental perspective, MP Materials’ water recycling process process is “a really big deal,” said geographer Julie Klinger. “It significantly reduces their waste footprint.”
Big picture:
By processing rare earths domestically, MP Materials aims to reduce reliance on Asian countries known for their environmentally damaging mining and processing practices. This shift will help minimize pollution problems associated with rare-earth production and create a robust regulatory environment. The company's focus on greener practices, such as water recycling and chemical reusing, will further contribute to reducing the environmental footprint and enhancing human health in the rare-earth industry.
Read the full article at Grist.
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Photo by Bart van Dijk on Unsplash
India cracks down on critics of coal
Documents reveal government anger over opposition of Indian nonprofits and their Western allies to the project of a powerful ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Photo by Rohit Tandon on Unsplash
Britain’s record holding climber says Everest is 'dry, more rocky'
Mount Everest is losing snow and turning "dry and rocky", British climber Kenton Cool, who made his 17th ascent of the world’s highest peak this week, the most by a foreigner, said on Saturday.
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Photo by Ngoc Nguyen on Unsplash
Vietnamese anti-coal campaigner freed early from prison
Vietnamese anti-coal campaigner Nguy Thi Khanh has been freed early from prison on tax evasion charges, in a boost to Vietnam's energy transition hopes.
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