The U.S. solar industry was roiled on Friday by a unanimous ruling in a much watched international trade case — one that some industry leaders fear could lead to steep new tariffs on imported crystalline silicon solar cells. Trump, an ally of the coal industry and a frequent critic of China (a dominant force in the manufacture of cheap solar panels), might indeed be inclined to support some kind of trade remedy. The U.S. solar industry has boomed in the last decade, spurred on by Obama administration policies and ever lower panel prices. A similar take was offered by Mark Widmar, the CEO of the large U.S. solar firm First Solar, on the company’s July earnings call. In the meantime, other parts of the solar industry are expected to rally their opposition.

Source: Washington Post September 22, 2017 17:43 UTC