Solar Panel Tariffs

The Georgia Public Service Commission announced that one of its members, Commissioner Lauren "Bubba" McDonald, had testified before the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., arguing in opposition to proposed higher tariffs on imported solar cells and modules thought necessary by some in order to protect manufacturing in the United States.

Commissioner McDonald cautioned that if the requested tariff remedies are granted, solar energy growth is likely to come to a standstill, with a corresponding negative impact on jobs, economic development, property tax revenue, and investment in rural communities.

From the commissioner's perspective, competition and technological improvements are more responsible for driving down the cost of solar projects than are cheaper imports. In fact, he asserted, solar energy is now competing with natural gas quite effectively in some regions.

But, the commissioner warned, higher tariffs could threaten that progress. As an example, Commissioner McDonald cited a solar installation project now getting underway at Robins Air Base near Warner Robins, Georgia. He stated that higher tariffs could cause the project to be abandoned, costing the state between $2 billion and $3 billion in solar investments and jobs.