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					</table>Polysilicon imports into China dropped 28.5% in 2023 to 62,965 metric tons (MT), the lowest level since 2011, according to Germany-based polysilicon market research firm <a href="https://www.bernreuter.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bernreuter</a>. Polysilicon is a key material for making solar cells and semiconductors.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-63915 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-02-28-polysilicon-imports-into-china-2018-2023.jpg" alt="2024-02-28-polysilicon-imports-into-china-2018-2023" width="1024" height="536" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-02-28-polysilicon-imports-into-china-2018-2023.jpg 1024w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-02-28-polysilicon-imports-into-china-2018-2023-300x157.jpg 300w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-02-28-polysilicon-imports-into-china-2018-2023-768x402.jpg 768w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-02-28-polysilicon-imports-into-china-2018-2023-650x340.jpg 650w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-02-28-polysilicon-imports-into-china-2018-2023-624x327.jpg 624w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-02-28-polysilicon-imports-into-china-2018-2023-600x314.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
The report also says that major foreign suppliers like <a href="https://www.wacker.com/cms/en-us/home/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wacker</a>, <a href="https://www.hscpoly.com/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hemlock Semiconductor</a>, and <a href="https://ocim.com.my/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OCI Malaysia</a> are shifting shipments from China to Vietnam after U.S. regulations aimed at preventing imports of goods linked to forced labor in Xinjiang came into force.
To avoid the regulations, big Chinese solar module makers like <a href="https://www.jasolar.com/html/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JA Solar</a>, <a href="https://www.jinkosolar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JinkoSolar</a>, and <a href="https://www.trinasolar.com/us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trina Solar</a> have already opened wafer plants in Vietnam and are sourcing polysilicon from non-Chinese suppliers.
JA Solar began making wafers in Vietnam in 2018-19, starting with 1.5 GW yearly capacity. By the first half of 2023, they increased it to 4 GW. JinkoSolar built a 7 GW wafer plant in early 2022, and Trina Solar opened a 6.5 GW wafer factory in August 2023.
According to Bernreuter, manufacturing wafers outside China makes it easier for companies to show the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency that polysilicon from Xinjiang has not entered the supply chain of modules destined for the U.S.
However, a surge in polysilicon exports from China to Vietnam in 2023 raised concerns that these supply chains may not be as separate as claimed. Polysilicon exports from China to Vietnam soared from 639 MT in 2022 to 4,970 MT in 2023.
“That raises doubts about the claims of a separate supply chain and should sound alarm bells at the CBP,” said Johannes Bernreuter, head of the polysilicon market Bernreuter Research.
Overall, polysilicon imports into China from the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan plunged in 2023 as temporary supply deals expired. Germany&#8217;s Wacker and Malaysia&#8217;s OCI now account for 98% of Chinese polysilicon imports.
Bernreuter predicts polysilicon imports into China could drop another 40% this year to around 38,000 MT as major solar manufacturers focus on wafer production in Vietnam instead.
Earlier this month, India’s Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/dgtr-anti-dumping-probe-solar-glass" target="_blank" rel="noopener">initiated</a> an anti-dumping investigation on imports of textured tempered coated and uncoated glass originating in or exported from China and Vietnam.
DGTR also <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/dgtr-extension-anti-dumping-duty-eva-backsheets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recommended</a> the extension of anti-dumping duty on the imports of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) backsheets originating in or exported from China for five years. It found that EVA backsheets continue to be exported to India at prices below the normal value, resulting in their dumping.

Polysilicon Imports into China Drop as Manufacturers Shift to Vietnam

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has recommended the imposition of anti-dumping duty on the imports of the Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) sheets for solar modules imported from China PR, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand a period of 5 years.
In April 2018, the office of Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD)  (now DGTR) had initiated an <a href="https://mercomindia.com/dgad-anti-dumping-investigation-solar-sheets-imports/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigation</a> on the import of EVA sheets for solar modules imported from China PR, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Thailand.
Later, imports from South Korea were excluded from the investigation as DGTR found that these imports are mostly EVA resins, the raw material for EVA sheets.
The petition was filed by <a href="https://www.renewsysworld.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Renewsys</a>, Vishakha Renewables Private Limited, and Allied Glasses Private Limited. In the petition, it was mentioned that there is no known difference between the EVA sheets imported from the above-mentioned countries and that produced by the petitioners, and the consumers can use the two interchangeably. EVA sheets are integral to the process of production of solar modules. In the petition, <a href="https://www.renewsysworld.com/">Renewsys</a> said that they can produce EVA sheets of all widths and thicknesses as desired by solar module manufacturers in India.
The investigation focused on the EVA sheets exported to India between October 1, 2016, and September 30, 2017.
The duty rates as recommended in the chart below are applicable for exports of EVA sheets manufactured by specified producers. The customs should verify the name of the producer at the time of clearance of EVA sheets.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/evsheet.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-12793" src="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/evsheet.png" alt="India Likely to Impose Anti-dumping Duty on EVA Sheet Imports for 5 Years " width="670" height="423" srcset="https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/evsheet.png 670w, https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/evsheet-600x379.png 600w, https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/evsheet-300x189.png 300w, https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/evsheet-650x410.png 650w, https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/evsheet-624x394.png 624w" sizes="(max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px" /></a>
Parties opposed to the anti-dumping duty argued that the domestic industry is not utilizing their capacities efficiently. Indian producers are operating at only 25 percent capacity utilization and producing only 4,151 MT against the total demand of 10,396 MT. Such a huge gap in demand and supply has caused an increase in the imports of EVA sheets from these countries.
The Authority notes that the total demand in India has substantively increased consistently. However, the market share of the domestic industry has decreased from 68 percent in the base year to 28 percent during the period of investigation. At the same time, the market share of imports from the subject countries increased from 24 percent in the base year to 60 percent in the period of investigation.
DGTR opined that the purpose of anti-dumping duties is to eliminate injury caused to the domestic industry by the unfair trade practices of dumping and to re-establish open and fair competition in the Indian market. Imposition of anti-dumping measures would not restrict imports from any country and would not affect the availability of the products to the consumers.
It further said, “Fair competition in the Indian market will not be reduced by the anti-dumping measures, particularly if the levy of the anti- dumping duty is restricted to an amount necessary to redress the injury to the domestic industry. On the contrary, the imposition of anti-dumping measures would remove the unfair advantages gained by dumping practices, would prevent the decline of the domestic industry and help maintain the availability of wider choice to the consumers of the subject goods.”

India Likely to Impose Anti-Dumping Duty on Solar EVA Sheet Imports for 5 Years

The Gujarat High Court has provided temporary relief to project developer Azure Power in the matter of levy of safeguard duty on solar cells and modules imported by the company. The final hearing is scheduled for January 23, 2019.
Azure Power had submitted its petition to the Gujarat High Court arguing that for the purpose of protecting about 3 percent of the domestic demand, the rest of the importers should not be subjected to safeguard duty. According to Azure Power, the capacity utilization of the domestic industry is 85 percent, therefore they cannot claim to be injured due to imports.
In its order, the Gujarat High Court directed the Principal Commissioner of Customs to assess the provisional safeguard duty payable by Azure Power relating to bills of entries for import of solar cells and modules in accordance with Section 18 of the Customs Act and to release the goods without insisting on the payment of safeguard duty on executing a bond.
The bench has directed that the bond will be executed by an authorized officer of Azure Power. In its order, the Gujarat High Court has also specified that if the Principal Commissioner of Customs after reassessment insists on the payment of safeguard duty for the released cells and modules, Azure Power will have to pay the safeguard duty provisionally assessed by the authority.
The petition was submitted by Azure Power Thirty Three Private Limited, an entity operating under Azure Power.
This is a case specific order and does not apply to all firms that have imported solar cells and modules.
Last year, the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (<a href="http://www.dgtr.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DGTR</a>) had <a href="https://mercomindia.com/25-percent-dgtr-safeguard-duty-recommendation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recommended</a> levy of 25 percent safeguard duty on solar cell imports from China and Malaysia for the first year, followed by a phased down approach for a second year. In the first six months of the second year, a safeguard duty of 20 percent will be payable by exporters to India and in the latter half of the second year, exporters will pay a safeguard duty of 15 percent.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/safeguard-duty-25-percent-solar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Later</a>, the government issued an order stating that the safeguard duty of 25 percent on solar modules and cells will be effective from July 30, 2018.
Initially, it was a popular sentiment that all the Indian manufacturers would benefit from this move. However, later the authorities specified that solar module and cell manufacturers in India who are operating in special economic zones (<a href="https://mercomindia.com/manufacturing-units-india-sez-solar-safeguard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SEZs</a>) will not benefit from the levy of 25 percent safeguard duty on solar imports, which was a setback for many manufacturers.

Azure Power Moves Gujarat High Court Against Solar Safeguard Duty, Gets Interim Relief

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>) has issued a memorandum regarding continuation of issue of concessional custom duty certificate (CCDC) to set up projects for generation of power using non-conventional materials. Non-conventional materials include, agricultural, forestry, agro-industrial, industrial, municipal and urban waste, bio-waste and or poultry litter.
Per MNRE, the CCDC will be issued per the procedure stated in the memorandum.
<ul>
<li>The developer must submit application with details of items certified by the project developer and chartered engineer.</li>
<li>The application will be routed through concerned state department/nodal agency and will be submitted to the Director (Waste to Energy Division), MNRE.</li>
<li>MNRE will issue certificate recommending the grant of CCDC.</li>
</ul>
When contacted, an MNRE official said, “Waste management is another huge problem that India is tackling. Today, most of the waste can be utilized to generate power in some way or the other. So, the continuation of CCDC issuance for non-conventional power projects that utilize waste is a win-win for the country. By utilizing CCDC the developers’ cost comes down.”
The continuation of issuance of CCDC order comes on the heels of <a href="https://mercomindia.com/mnre-program-energy-from-waste/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approval of a program</a> “Energy from Urban, Industrial and Agricultural Waste/Residue” with modified terms and conditions from 2017-18 to 2019-20, aimed at creating conducive conditions and environment with fiscal and financial regime to develop, demonstrate, and disseminate utilization of wastes and residues for recovery of energy.
This is another step towards attaining the goal of increasing farmers’ income, employment generation, waste-to-wealth creation. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/cabinet-approves-national-policy-biofuels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recently</a>, the central government’s cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the National Policy on Biofuels – 2018.
A program to support promotion of biomass-based cogeneration in sugar mills and other industries was also <a href="https://mnre.gov.in/sites/default/files/schemes/scheme-Biomass-11052018.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> in May 2018, by MNRE’s biomass power division.

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