The US House of Representatives went on to vote to approve a resolution on April 28 that would revoke a 2-year moratorium when it comes to tariffs as far as solar panels and cells from Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam are concerned.
The moratorium was announced by US President Joe Biden in 2022 so as to ensure a sufficient supply of solar equipment in terms of domestic manufacturing sales. This move followed the launch of an investigation put forth by the US Department of Commerce in order to determine if solar imports from these southeast Asian nations are bypassing tariffs levied on Chinese cells as well as modules. It is well to note that the clean energy organisations on April 28 hit at the house’s passage of the resolution and also asked the senate not to vote in its favour.
As per Abigail Ross Hopper, who happens to be the president and chief executive of the Solar Energy Industries Association, the legislation will go on to impose $1 billion in retroactive tariffs and thereby cause 30,000 Americans to lose their jobs in 2023.
Notably, numerous new solar projects have already seen delays because of the shortage of photovoltaic panels, and this only elevates the challenge even more, putting the good-paying jobs of tens of thousands of people in jeopardy and also critically undermining the triumph of the IRA even as scientists’ warnings on global climate change are alarmingly necessary to be paid heed to, as per the American Council on Renewable Energy’s president and chief executive, Gregory Wetstone.
Jason Grumet, the chief executive of the American Clean Power Association, adds that many of America’s largest trade unions have gone on to join clean energy companies in opposing the legislation, which would in a way result in the country’s projects getting either delayed or cancelled, thereby leading to bankruptcies, employment challenges, and an increased cost of energy.
The White House, apparently, had recently confirmed that President Biden would dismiss the resolution if the Congress were to give it the go-ahead.