import tax on solar panels

[sunbelt57]

I've been holding off on buying solar panels only because I don't have a place to install them yet. So just this morning I hear on the news at the gym that Trump is going to impose an import tax on solar panels. I hurry home and start searching the online forums and I don't see any mention of it. Should I be concerned?

[Ron Swanson]

Passing legislation is not something that happens overnight. 

[sunbelt57]

Just the same, I'm going to start making room in my garage. I've already got the midnite controller and outback inverter. I just don't have room for the panels and don't want to let the batteries sit too long without being used.

[ClassicCrazy]

Here is some detailed info on the import tax and consequences
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-23/why-trump-is-taxing-solar-panels-imported-by-u-s-quicktake-q-a

If there is a bunch of stock in the US that is already at  low prices now why not get them now and use them later - they don't go bad. I bought some recently at end of the year  82 cents a watt for Kyocera 270 watt panels. Some people tell me that I could have gotten them for less but these were ones I didn't need to have trucked in or buy a whole pallet full  - I could just go pick them up .  By the way those same panels last summer were about 8 or 10 cents a watt less . And someone told me they bought some of the similar  kind this summer from Northern Arizona Wind Sun for think it was 58 cents a watt  - or maybe in the 60's per watt. At the time he got them they told him they had lots and were going to have them for a long time but later in the fall someone had bought them all.

I just looked up and see they have Kyocera 265 watt panels at 70 cents a watt.
https://www.solar-electric.com/kyocera-ku265-6mca-265-watt-multicrystal-solar-panel.html

Just like everything else it seems hard to speculate about what will happen to solar panel prices. I bought my first PV panels in the 1990's for $5 or 6 a watt. They have done nothing but go down in price and when I think they won't go any lower they go down even more. I still have the first PV panels making power though relocated them to a small mobile cart to power stuff like electric fencer in the garden .

I see this in the article linked above
"Trump approved four years of tariffs that start at 30 percent in the first year and gradually drop to 15 percent. The first 2.5 gigawatts of imported solar cells are exempt for each year."

and then there is talk that these tariffs will wind up at the WTO which will rule against them 

Larry







Larry

[Robin]

Yes, you should get your panels now.

[sunbelt57]

10-4

[krementz]

Passing legislation is not something that happens overnight.

This is not legislation. The International Trade Court found unfair trade practices, and the existing law permits the President to issue retaliatory edicts, including tariffs. It has been reported regularly for months if you follow trade. In short, this is in effect now. That said, there are US inventories which may be sold at earlier prices, however there is little incentive for wholesalers to keep prices low when they know their new inventory will be 30% pricier.

One confounding item is that the new tariffs only apply after 2.5 GW imported per year, so the prices will not necessarily go up immediately. I think the US imported about 8 GW last year. I just bought another 5500 W to avoid the tariff. The 30% tax credit is still in effect.

[sunbelt57]

I got this email from Renvu which I subscribe to:

The news everyone in the solar industry has been holding their breath for is out. President Trump has imposed tariffs on solar imports on Monday, January 22nd.
Here is what you need to know:

    30% tariff this year, starting 7Feb
    5% decrease in the tariff every year for 3 years.
    The tariff ends altogether on the start of the 5th year
    NAFTA agreement will not be honored (Mex and Can will be taxed)
    Only WTO "developing countries" are exempt - there are currently no large scale PV manufacturing in any of them
    Tariff is on Crystalline cells and any item where they are a component within (modules, inverters, ect.)

Here are the modules we currently have in stock and keeping the pre-tariff pricing on them while supplies last. Please let me know if you want me to reserve any of those for your upcoming projects, we expect them to move faster than usual:
Minimum 10 panels:
Solaria 350W All Black 60 cell module. Get back Visa Gift Card loaded with $15 per panel purchased Datasheet
Solaria 330W All Black 60 cell module. Get back Visa Gift Card loaded with $10 per panel purchased
Solaria 325W All Black 60 cell module. Get back Visa Gift Card loaded with $10 per panel purchased
Solaria 315W All Black 60 cell module. Get back Visa Gift Card loaded with $10 per panel purchased
Seraphim 340W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1)
Risen 340W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1)
Peimar 300W Mono Black Frame 60 Cell (made in Italy)
Aleo Solar 305W Mono Black Frame 60 Cell (made in Germany). Get back Visa Gift Card loaded with $20 per panel purchased
Hanwha 335W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1)

Full pallet orders only:
Fremont (CA) Warehouse:
Seraphim 280W Mono 60 cell (Tier 1) 701 available @ $0.495/w
Seraphim 340W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1) 2,678 available @ $0.55/w
Seraphim 340W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1) 798 available @ $0.55/w
Seraphim 355W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1) 1,508 available @ $0.59/w
Seraphim 360W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1) 3,978 available @ $0.59/w
NJ Warehouse:
Seraphim 325W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1) 104 available @ $0.53/w
Seraphim 335W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1) 526 available @ $0.55/w
Seraphim 340W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1) 338 available @ $0.55/w
Seraphim 340W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1) 2,678 available @ $0.55/w
NSP 360W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1) 10,560 available @ $0.58/w

10 pallets minimum:
Hanwha Q-CELLS QPLUS L G4.2 340W 2,000 available @ $0.53/w for containers, $0.54/w for 10 pallets+
Hanwha Q-CELLS QPLUS L G4.2 345W 14,000 available @ $0.535/w for containers, $0.545/w for 10 pallets+
GCL 325W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1) 31,000 available @ $0.485/w
GCL 330W Mono 72 cell (Tier 1) 30,000 available @ $0.49/w

See other offers on our Weekly Specials page
Cheers!
Dean Armintrout


info@renvu.com
855.755.5855
You can chat with us on www.renvu.com

[harryn]

One of the big errors that was made long ago is that we should have only tax subsidized domestically produced solar related items, not every supplier that comes along.  This would have provided a path for robust domestic production and jobs, while still helping the general industry.

Essentially what this has done is the same thing in a different way.  It isn't an accident that the tariff is the same as the tax subsidy.  As usual for governments, it is more complex and doesn't help the smaller consumer as much as larger consumers.

[ClassicCrazy]

Interesting point about the tax credit  - that makes a lot of sense if it had been done that way .

Larry