Trump’s Coal Threat to Renewable Energy

The Trump administration is plotting a series of moves in 2018 that could end up harming the wind and solar industries. That includes asking regulators to rewrite power market rules, revamping the tax code, and imposing tariffs on foreign-made solar panels. One of the most closely watched moves will likely involve Suniva Inc., a bankrupt solar panel manufacturer based in Georgia that filed a trade complaint in April. The company, which says it was hurt by cheap Asian imports, has asked Trump for tariffs on foreign panels. The administration has until mid-January to decide.

Import duties protecting domestic solar panel manufacturers would appear to be good for clean energy. But cheap foreign panels are the lifeblood of the U.S. solar industry, helping drive a sixfold rise in photovoltaic generation since 2012. Most of the solar industry opposes Suniva’s push, saying growth will slow if panel prices rise. The threat of tariffs has prompted developers to hoard panels and put projects on ice.