International Trade
As a trade association that represents 1,000 member companies across the entire solar supply chain, SEIA seeks to promote and protect the interests of the 10,000 U.S. companies engaged in the solar industry and the more than 242,000 American workers they employ. SEIA supports fair and free trade of solar equipment to grow the American solar industry, which is strengthening our national security and driving local and national economic growth.
SEIA fights for free and fair trade to support the U.S. solar industry
Quick Facts
- The effective date of the tariffs was February 7, 2018, and was set at 30%, with a 5% declining rate per year over the four year term of the tariff.
- The U.S. International Trade Commission is currently undergoing a midterm review of the case, which SEIA and our members are actively engaged in.
- As a result of the Section 201 tariffs, 62,000 workers were laid off or never hired, and 10.5 gigawatts of solar projects were lost.
American solar manufacturing is a diverse economic powerhouse that employs 38,000 workers.
About U.S. Solar Manufacturing
In addition to domestic solar cell and module manufacturing, the products manufactured for the solar industry in the United States include steel and polysilicon, inverters and trackers, cabling, wire management devices, combiner boxes, and disconnects. U.S. manufacturers fabricate racking and mounting and many of them are innovating every step of the way. These companies rely on high demand for solar products in the United States. Trade policies that raise prices do not help these U.S. manufacturers, they put them at risk.
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100 Gigawatts of Domestic Manufacturing Capacity by 2030
Photo Courtesy of PV Evolution Labs You probably heard the arguments why U.S. solar manufacturing can’t compete. Our labor costs are too high. It’s all automated so there aren’t that many jobs anyways. And it’s too late, we can’t catch-up with other countries.
SEIA Statement on USTR Calling to Remove Tariff Exclusions for Bifacial Solar Modules
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today the U.S. Trade Representative called for removing Section 201 tariff exclusions for bifacial solar modules. Following is a statement from John Smirnow, vice president of market strategy & general counsel for the Solar Energy Industries Association:
Solar Job Growth Remains Modest Under Tariff Policy
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. solar workforce grew by 2.3% in 2019, adding 5,643 jobs in the industry’s second year under Section 201 tariffs, according to the National Solar Jobs Census 2019 released today by The Solar Foundation. The U.S. solar industry now employs 249,983 Americans, up from 244,340 in 2018.