Stop Retroactive Solar Tariffs
April 20, 2023
Here we go again. After the Biden administration stepped up last summer to provide a two-year pause on new solar tariffs, a group of lawmakers are attempting to undo this action and subject solar companies to over $1 billion in retroactive duties.
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is activating members and allies to educate lawmakers about the damage this legislation would cause to American workers and our clean energy progress. Use this newsletter to help us in this fight.
Here’s what’s inside:
- Lay of the land: we’ll give you the latest updates on the legislation, inside information on the state of play and on the industry’s advocacy efforts
- The latest talking points and market data
- The biggest news stories driving the conversation
- A rolling update of fresh social media posts to help you weigh in online
- Actions we need the solar community to take
The goal of this newsletter is to give you resources and information to engage with us on this campaign.
Lay of the Land
A group of lawmakers are trying to use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to undo President Biden’s two-year moratorium on tariffs for imported solar panels and cells from southeast Asian countries. SEIA has been closely tracking and advocating against this harmful policy change since January. If this CRA were to pass, and the two-year moratorium were removed, solar companies could be subject to a total of over $1 billion in retroactive duties, severely damaging the U.S. solar industry. This reversal could also result in the cancellation of 4 gigawatts (GW) of planned solar projects, representing roughly 14% of the industry’s anticipated deployment in 2023. Since the two-year moratorium was put in place, solar companies have been following the guidelines released by the Department of Commerce. Penalizing companies for following these instructions undermines the stable and predictable business environment needed for our industry to grow.
Take Action
The Devastating Impact
SEIA analysis show that the CRA resolution would undermine efforts to ramp up domestic solar manufacturing and have a severe impact on America's clean energy economy.
4,000
U.S. manufacturing jobs eliminated
30,000
American solar jobs eliminated
$1 BILLION
in retroactive tariffs
paid by American companies
4GW
of solar projects cancelled
$4.2 BILLION
of private investment cancelled
Talking Points
- A group of federal lawmakers are trying to use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to undo President Biden’s two-year moratorium on new solar tariffs.
- The CRA legislation is a deeply flawed policy approach that will threaten the revival of U.S. solar manufacturing and lead to a double-digit reduction in solar deployment in 2023.
- Terminating the president’s two-year reprieve from the meritless Auxin Solar tariff case would spark upheaval in the solar industry, forcing companies to pay more than $1 billion in retroactive duties and eliminate 30,000 good-paying jobs, including 4,000 manufacturing jobs.
- Congress just passed a historic clean energy law that is encouraging more manufacturing investments in just 7 months than 12 years of tariffs ever could.
- New investments announced since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) would bring America’s solar module manufacturing capacity to more than 47 gigawatts, which is more than 5 times what we could produce in 2022.
- There is universal agreement about the need diversify our supply chains and build more manufacturing capacity in America. But tariffs are not the answer, and certainly not ones that would implement retroactive duties and inflict widespread harm to American workers and our clean energy progress.
- The U.S. currently lacks the capacity to produce enough solar panels and cells to meet domestic demand. The 2-year duty moratorium enables planned solar projects to move forward while providing an important bridge for domestic manufacturing to grow.
- This strategic approach not only protects existing U.S. solar jobs while new ones are added, but it also helps sustain the robust environmental, economic and job-creating benefits offered by U.S. solar deployment.
- We believe most lawmakers want to protect American jobs and support domestic manufacturing. We hope the leaders that championed the IRA would not choose to undercut their own momentous achievement.
Leading the Conversation
Canary Media: The Threat of New
U.S. Solar Tariffs Is Back
Axios: Congress Braces for Flare-up
Over Biden's Solar Panel Move
Politico PRO: Solar Flexes to
Defend Tariff Freeze
The Hill: Rosen Urging Senate Democrats to Oppose Solar Tariff Resolution
“We are spending a significant amount of time with members of Congress explaining why this is unnecessary, unproductive and hurts our economy… We are all in agreement that there needs to be reshoring and reinvestment here of American solar manufacturing. But we can’t just snap our fingers or pass a piece of legislation and have a manufacturing base happen overnight.”
– SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper in Canary Media
Social Media Toolkit
Last updated on April 20, 2023
Follow SEIA on Social Media
We are urging clean energy companies to sign SEIA’s letter calling on members of Congress to oppose the CRA legislation, keep clean energy growing and protect the achievements of the Inflation Reduction Act. We are also asking advocates to share SEIA’s data and resources that showcase the negative impact of reversing President Biden’s solar tariff pause.
Whether you use our premade posts, draft your own, or amplify SEIA’s posts, we need everyone who has a social media account to engage with us online. This means sharing these posts from your personal and company social media accounts.
Use #StopRetroactiveTariffs in all your posts.
LinkedIn/Instagram/Facebook
- The Auxin Solar tariff case caused upheaval in the solar industry last year. Fortunately, the Biden administration instituted a two-year pause on new solar tariffs to create a bridge to more domestic manufacturing. Now a group of lawmakers are attempting to pull the rug out from underneath the industry by overturning this tariff pause and subjecting American businesses to over $1 billion in retroactive duties. Clean energy companies: Join SEIA in its work to educate federal lawmakers about the harm this legislation would cause. Send a message to your representatives to unequivocally say “NO” to retroactive solar tariffs: p2a.co/SdeGlU7 #StopRetroactiveTariffs #SolarShutdown #StopSolarTariffs #solar #tariffs #cleanenergy #trade #manufacturing #climate #modules #cells #workforce #industry
- We all remember the upheaval that the Auxin Solar tariff case caused in the U.S. solar and storage industry last year. A group of lawmakers are attempting to overturn the Biden administration’s solar tariff moratorium, which would undercut so much of the progress made by the Inflation Reduction Act and subject American businesses to over $1 billion in retroactive duties. Congress, reject this legislation to protect workers and America’s energy security. bit.ly/40kl5Yh #StopRetroactiveTariffs #SolarShutdown #StopSolarTariffs #solar #tariffs #cleanenergy #trade #manufacturing #climate #modules #cells #workforce #industry
- Repealing President Biden’s solar tariff pause is a bad deal for American workers. This week, some of the largest trade unions active in the U.S. solar and storage industry came out in staunch opposition to this legislation. “Our union has never seen this much solar construction work… and it is now all at risk if the CRA is passed.” Learn more about the devastating impact of this legislation for American jobs: bit.ly/40kl5Yh #StopRetroactiveTariffs #SolarShutdown #StopSolarTariffs #solar #tariffs #cleanenergy #trade #manufacturing #climate #modules #cells #workforce #industry
- Congress just passed a historic clean energy law that has sparked more manufacturing investments in 7 months than 12 years of tariffs ever could. Now a group of federal lawmakers are trying to use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to undo President Biden’s two-year moratorium on new solar tariffs that is providing the bridge for a manufacturing base to grow. Simply put, this is bad policy that will kill jobs and undermine the stable business environment needed for any industry to grow. Every member of Congress should reject this. bit.ly/3A33Vnh #StopRetroactiveTariffs #SolarShutdown #StopSolarTariffs #solar #tariffs #cleanenergy #trade #manufacturing #climate #modules #cells #workforce #industry
- A group of lawmakers are attempting to overturn the Biden administration’s solar tariff moratorium, which would subject American businesses to over $1 billion in retroactive duties, cause massive layoffs and stop the clean energy transition in its tracks. The moratorium on new tariffs provided critical certainty for businesses and preserved thousands of jobs after the Auxin Solar tariff case caused upheaval in the U.S. solar and storage industry last year. Congress, the choice is clear. Say NO to retroactive, job-killing solar tariffs. bit.ly/3A33Vnh #StopRetroactiveTariffs #SolarShutdown #StopSolarTariffs #solar #tariffs #cleanenergy #trade #manufacturing #climate #modules #cells #workforce #industry
- Any policy that forces companies to pay $1 billion in retroactive tariffs and kills 30,000 good-paying jobs should be a non-starter. We need diversify our supply chains and build more manufacturing capacity in America, but tariffs are not the answer. Congress just passed a historic clean energy law that has sparked more solar manufacturing investment in 7 months than 12 years of tariffs ever could. Overturning President Biden’s tariff pause would cause upheaval for thousands of businesses and upend the incredible progress America has made on clean energy. This is terrible policy and Congress should reject it. bit.ly/3A33Vnh #StopRetroactiveTariffs #SolarShutdown #StopSolarTariffs #solar #tariffs #cleanenergy #trade #manufacturing #climate #modules #cells #workforce #industry
- Any policy that forces companies to pay $1 billion in retroactive tariffs and kills 30,000 good-paying jobs should be a non-starter. We need diversify our supply chains and build more manufacturing capacity in America, but tariffs are not the answer. Congress just passed a historic clean energy law that has sparked more solar manufacturing investment in 7 months than 12 years of tariffs ever could. Overturning President Biden’s tariff pause would cause upheaval for thousands of businesses and upend the incredible progress America has made on clean energy. This is terrible policy and Congress should reject it. bit.ly/3A33Vnh #StopRetroactiveTariffs #SolarShutdown #StopSolarTariffs #solar #tariffs #cleanenergy #trade #manufacturing #climate #modules #cells #workforce #industry
- A group of lawmakers are trying to overturn @POTUS’ #solar tariff pause. Send a message to your representatives to unequivocally say “NO” to retroactive solar tariffs: p2a.co/SdeGlU7 #StopRetroactiveTariffs
- Lawmakers are trying to reverse a pause on #solar tariffs, forcing companies to pay $1 billion in retroactive duties and eliminating 30,000 jobs, including 4,000 manufacturing jobs. Tell your representatives to #StopRetroactiveTariffs: p2a.co/SdeGlU7
- Overturning @POTUS’ #solar tariff pause would stop America’s manufacturing and clean energy progress in its tracks. #StopRetroactiveTariffs bit.ly/3A33Vnh
- Lawmakers are trying to reverse a pause on #solar tariffs, forcing companies to pay $1 billion in retroactive duties and eliminating 30,000 jobs, including 4,000 manufacturing jobs. Put simply, this is terrible policy. #StopRetroactiveTariffs bit.ly/3A33Vnh
- I hope lawmakers that championed the #InflationReductionAct do not undercut their own achievement. Repealing @POTUS’ #solar tariff pause rips the carpet out from underneath businesses. #StopRetroactiveTariffs bit.ly/3A33Vnh
- American #solar manufacturing is booming, but a group of lawmakers want to stop this progress. Congress, reject this legislation to protect workers and America’s energy security. #StopRetroactiveTariffs bit.ly/3A33Vnh
- Repealing @POTUS' #solar tariff pause is a bad deal for American workers. This week, the largest trade unions active in the solar and storage industry came out in staunch opposition to this legislation. #StopRetroactiveTariffs bit.ly/40kl5Yh
- Trade unions representing 1.5 million American workers staunchly oppose retroactive #solar tariffs. “Our union has never seen this much solar construction work… and it is now all at risk if the CRA is passed.” #StopRetroactiveTariffs bit.ly/40kl5Yh
- A group of lawmakers are trying to overturn a two-year pause on #solar tariffs. This would subject American businesses to over $1 billion in retroactive duties and cause massive layoffs. Congress, the choice is clear: #StopRetroactiveTariffs bit.ly/40kl5Yh
- We all remember the upheaval that the Auxin Solar tariff case caused in the U.S. #solar industry. Overturning @POTUS’ tariff pause is bad policy that will hurt workers and American manufacturing. #StopRetroactiveTariffs bit.ly/40kl5Yh
- Any policy that forces companies to pay $1 billion in retroactive tariffs and kills 30,000 good-paying jobs should be a non-starter. #StopRetroactiveTariffs bit.ly/40kl5Yh
- America’s #solar manufacturing workforce is poised to grow to 115k jobs by 2030. This bill will stop that progress and should be dead-on-arrival. #StopRetroactiveTariffs bit.ly/40kl5Yh
- The #InflationReductionAct has sparked more #solar manufacturing investment in 7 months than 12 years of tariffs ever could. Congress, the choice is clear: #StopRetroactiveTariffs bit.ly/40kl5Yh
