Trump Slaps Tariffs on Solar Panels

[babylonsister]

https://politicalwire.com/2019/07/02/trump-slaps-tariffs-on-solar-panels/

Trump Slaps Tariffs on Solar Panels
July 2, 2019 at 10:28 am EDT By Taegan Goddard

“In the biggest blow he’s dealt to the renewable energy industry yet, President Trump decided on Monday to slap tariffs on imported solar panels,” Time reports.

“The U.S. will impose duties of as much as 30 percent on solar equipment made abroad, a move that threatens to handicap a $28 billion industry that relies on parts made abroad for 80 percent of its supply.

”

[Iliyah]

1. This is shitty.

The Republican party want the USA to go down in flames. Vote them OUT.

[DemocracyMouse]

8. I agree it's shitty. And deadly. Solar is the antidote to the greatest threat humankind has ever...

... faced: it's own filth pumped into the sky (leading to global warming)

[demigoddess]

11. I'm asking why are they doing every single thing they can to destroy our economy,

our system of government, our society. Why? other than ruling what do they get out of it, long term?

[pangaia]

12. Do you seriously not know??

Well, it starts with putin and a cohort of international gangsters who want to destroy the usa and by that NATO and the EU.

It just goes on and on from there.. an unholy cabal of greed, psychopathy, cowardice, you name it..

[demigoddess]

15. knew that, thought there might be another facet to it.

[Botany]

2. Trump & the Republicans are working to destroy America

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212235022

[MoonRiver]

3. Scum of the Earth, literally.

[Traildogbob]

14. The floating Baffoon.

I have read permission has been granted to fly the balloon of the Baffoon over DC during 4th of July. How much ya wanna bet he will demand his fighter jet flyover to fire at it and destroy it. That will be met with thunderous uproar from MAGA hat's that will pull out their freedom guns, firing into the air like an ISIS rally in the Middle East? Bullets fall where they may, in their minds, hopefully into liberal crowds with kids enjoying the normal celebration across the way.

[MoonRiver]

17. Idiot will do anything to stifle its critics.

But on the "bright" side lots of rain and lightning are forecast for his bogus 4th celebration location.

[Traildogbob]

18. Hoping

I hope for a freak hail storm that piled up 4 feet deep yesterday that buried cars. That is some ICE I would cheer for. That ICE would pair well with Melaria's cold, give a damn heart. That would damn sure Be Best.

[MoonRiver]

19. Maybe she'll wear this...

?pubId=1749985693001

[Traildogbob]

20. Maybe

After the whole family is in cages and all ill gotten cash is confiscated, she is broke and doing geriatric porn, we can ALL wear that coat. A guy can dream, right. All we got right now is a dream.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. That happened in Jan 2018 (date of the Time article); don't know why PoliticalWire has

brought it back up.

More recent news on it:

Solar Has New Way to Duck Trump's Tariffs: Two-Sided Panels

The U.S. Trade Representative said in a notice made public Wednesday that it’s granting an exemption to solar duties for bifacial panels, ones that can generate power on both sides. The carve-out is a win for both Asian manufacturers including JinkoSolar Holding Co., LG Electronics Inc. and Hanwha Q Cells Co. and big U.S. solar-farm developers that can easily switch over to using them.

“This could insulate almost the entire utility-scale market from tariffs,” BloombergNEF solar analyst Hugh Bromley said. “I would expect the utility-scale industry to pivot almost 100% to bifacial products.”


The exemption may represent the clearest solution yet for an industry that’s been roiled by the import tariffs, imposed by the Trump administration in January 2018 as a way of leveling the playing field for U.S. panel makers. Some companies have already shifted their entire supply chains to skirt the duties. Others are building factories in the U.S. In September, California-based solar maker SunPower Corp. won an exemption, arguing that its panels -- made mostly in factories abroad -- are a premium product.

“We’ve been advocating for additional exclusions, and bifacial modules in particular, for over a year now,” said John Smirnow, vice president of market strategy for the trade group Solar Energy Industries Association. “This exemption will accelerate the adoption of bifacial technology in the U.S., which is still in a relatively early stage.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-12/trump-hands-solar-panel-makers-another-reprieve-from-tariffs

Bifacial modules produce solar power from both sides of the panel. Whereas traditional opaque-backsheeted panels are monofacial, bifacial modules expose both the front and backside of the solar cells. When bifacial modules are installed on a highly reflective surface (like a white TPO roof or on the ground with light-colored stones), some bifacial module manufacturers claim up to a 30% increase in production just from the extra power generated from the rear.

https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2018/04/what-are-bifacial-solar-modules/

[BadgerMom]

9. Thanks. I thought I'd read this before.

Oh, and felt such anger and frustration.

[procon]

5. It's a gift to the fossil fuel industry.

Does he think this will give a boost to coal producers? The only benefactors here is Trump and his fellow Republicans who depend on large donations from the fossil fuel extractors to stay in office.

[berni_mccoy]

6. The planet is dying and there are those will seek to squeeze whatever they can

out of it before it does. Ultimately, humanity will come to an end, and it is sad that at the end we still have those who would be Nero playing their fiddles while setting Rome to burn. It could have been so very very different.

[yaesu]

7. its all negative for the US as no manufacturer will invest in production on a tariff that will only

last as long as tRump.

[homegirl]

10. Opportunity for

growth in the USA production. American capitalists have to develop a commitment to this country, or go out of business. Same goes for American consumers. And, absolutely no development and research grants without commitment for production in the USA.

[Perseus]

13. Here is the problem

The buffoon is given credit for everything evil that is done in his administration, the public never knows whose evil mind came up with the idea. It was not the buffoon, we all know his little mind spends all the available time contemplating himself in the mirror, sending child tweets and talking nonsense whenever he has a microphone in front of his face, and of course lusting for Ivanka.

So who in this administration is responsible for these evil ideas? We know the Nazi-type ideas are coming from Stephen Miller and I have to think that with some help from the VP, but dismantling the science department, tariffs on now Solar, the Chinese, etc. I cannot believe the buffoon has the mind to come up with any of it, he just knows its evil so he loves it.

We need to know who are responsible for all the destruction and if we continue to blame just the buffoon, to assume that he has the mind to do it, we will never know and those responsible will get away with murder.

[spanone]

16. Hey MF45

[struggle4progress]

21. GOP still stands for Gas Oil Petroleum

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

22. Freaking jerk

[smirkymonkey]

23. His oil and coal industry buddies want this, and they paid him for it so of

course he'll fuck up the environment and the country to pad their bottom line.

Hey, President Dipshit....

Burn in Hell!

[NastyRiffraff]

24. There is absolutely no good reason for this

Not economically; certainly not environmentally. That leaves politically. Trump has always been hostile to renewables (cancer causing windmills!), but this is odd. Unless, of course, we factor in, as we always must, foreign influence, which is intent on the weakening of the U.S.