ADD

Citing the risk to solar projects, lobby group the National Solar Energy Federation Of India has asked the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to exclude flat steel products coated with alloy of aluminum and zinc from anti-dumping duty.

RenewSys India has filed an application before the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping & Allied Duties for the imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports of ‘Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) Sheet for Solar Module’ from China PR, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Thailand.

On the request of the Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA), the Directorate-General of Anti-Dumping & Allied Duties have terminated the ongoing petition into imported solar cells. Dharmendra Kumar, an analyst at IHS Markit, told pv magazine that ISMA will re-file this petition in April.

Indian Solar Manufacturing Association (ISMA) General Secretary, HR Gupta speaks to pv magazine about the petition filed by ISMA for safeguarding the domestic manufacturing sector. Gupta seeks to alleviate doubts regarding the safeguard duty and justifies the upcoming tariff by stressing that no derailment of projects will happen.

Gyanesh Chaudhary, General Secretary of All India Solar Industries Association, speaks to pv magazine ahead of an ongoing tax hearing regarding imported solar cells and modules. On behalf of AISIA, he recommended solutions that should be considered for the benefit of local manufacturers.

The All India Solar Industries Association (AISIA) says the proposed safeguard duty will be counterproductive for the solar industry, and has called for differential anti-dumping duties for specific countries to be imposed, including China.

MNRE minister Raj Kumar Singh has announced plans to ramp up India’s domestic renewable energy manufacturing industry via an auction for facilities totaling 20 GW. Bridge to India and IHS Markit have shared their insights on the auctions, which are expected to solely comprise solar. They envisage capital subsidies, and increased interest by foreign manufacturers in setting up solar facilities.

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.