Legal

The threat of India’s government imposing anti-dumping duties (ADD) against solar cells and modules from China, Taiwan and Malaysia is very real, and runs counter to its own ambitions of hitting 100 GW of solar by 2022. Or does it? Could duties help to boost India’s solar industry in other ways? And does the ongoing political uncertainty create opportunity or trepidation for industry?

The anti-dumping hearing was scheduled to be held on November 30. It has, however, been postponed to December 12, 2017. The India Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) still expects a result in its favor.

Indian renewable analyst firm notes that anti-dumping comes at inopportune time with the industry already reeling from a slowdown in new project procurement, extra costs due to GST, import duties and increased module prices. It is expected to come by October 2018 and may affect all stakeholders and projects in the pipeline as well as those awaiting auction.

Troubled PV module supplier Moser Baer Solar (MBSL) has asked the Central Bank of India to postpone its loan repayment schedule on claims that its business prospects have been damaged by a deluge of cheap Chinese PV modules that have flooded into the Indian market.

The standing committee on energy, comprising members of the lower and upper assembly of the parliament, and the secretariat, has released a report recommending vital changes to boost India’s National Solar Mission of 100 GW by 2022.

The Indian power ministry has released notice preventing any renegotiation of signed PPAs in the solar PV sector, calculated at a potential $7.5bn worth of solar projects.

The Indian Ministry of Finance has imposed an antidumping duty on tempered glass imported from China in the range from $64.04 to $136.21 per metric ton.