06-27-2017, 01:30 PM
A trade complaint asking the Trump administration to impose tariffs on solar panels could devastate the U.S. industry, wiping out two-thirds of solar systems forecast to be installed over the next five years, according to a report Monday by GTM Research. The case, filed by bankrupt panel manufacturer Suniva Inc., would cause equipment prices to spike in the U.S. and prompt installations to fall to as low as 25 gigawatts from 2018 to 2022, down from GTM’s current forecast of 72.5 gigawatts, GTM said. The report is the first on how tariffs may affect the industry.
Tariffs on Solar Panels Could Slow Industry Growth by 66% - Bloomberg
JMP Securities analyst Joseph Osha upgraded First Solar (FSLR) to Market Perform, saying that a petition regarding foreign-manufactured crystalline silicon cells and modules filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission, or USITC, by Suniva could benefit the company. Additionally, the analyst believes First Solar will be able to move product into the U.S. without facing tariffs.