While the US Department of Commerce has set preliminary anti-subsidy and anti-dumping tariffs on PV products imported from China, China-based PV module makers can choose lighter tariffs imposed on 2012 instead of the new rates to keep their products price-competitive in the US market, according to industry sources.
First-tier China-based PV module makers were subject to an average anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariff of 30% in 2012, considerably lower than the new rates, the sources said. If they use China-produced solar-grade crystalline silicon wafers to produce solar cells and PV modules, their cash-flow production cost (not including loan interest, depreciation and amortization) for PV modules is estimated at US$0.55-0.58/W, the sources noted. Including the 2012 tariffs of about 30%, their total cost to export to the US market would be US$0.715-0.754/W, still competitive with an estimated cost of US$0.75/W for SolarWorld, the PV maker lodging the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy complaint, and Europe-, Japan- and South Korea-based makers, the sources indicated.