Tillis Urges Trump Administration to Preserve American Jobs in Solar Tariff Implementation | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    WASHINGTON, D.C.     Yesterday, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) led a letter to Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, Secretary Wilbur Ross, and Secretary Rick Perry urging them to exclude 72 cell, 1500 volt utility-scale solar panels, a large source of U.S. jobs and investment in our domestic solar industry, from the tariffs recently imposed on solar products. North Carolina has the second largest solar footprint of any state in the nation and has over 7,622 solar jobs in the state.

    Efforts to diversify America's electrical grid have continued to cut utility rates for consumers, create high-paying jobs, and increase America's overall economic competitiveness. These benefits are strongly linked to the use of 72 cell, 1500 volt panels and have motivated states across the country to differentiate energy production sources. The tariff would lead to a considerable cost increase for these panels - diminishing job growth opportunities, solar market viability, and overall advancement of our energy infrastructure.

    "Based on the exclusion request criteria set forth in the Federal Register notice published on February 14, 2018 (83 FR 6670), we respectfully request that the Administration consider excluding certain utility-scale products. We specifically urge you to exclude 72 cell, 1500 volt utility-scale solar panels from this safeguard measure. Solar manufacturing jobs have surged 58% in the last five years, and the growth rate in over 50 factories throughout the Midwest and South has become increasingly affiliated with the deployment of these 72 cell, 1500 volt panels that have never been manufactured in the United States," the senators wrote.

    "The exclusion of 72-cell, 1500 volt solar panels from the safeguard measure will preserve tens of thousands of existing solar manufacturing and development jobs, foster market expansion, and allow the U.S. to once again fairly compete in the global marketplace for energy production technologies. Sensible product exclusions will uphold the integrity of the safeguard measures intended to facilitate positive adjustment to competition from imports of certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells," the senators continued.

    The letter is also signed by Senators Dean Heller (R-NV), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Richard Burr (R-NC), Pat Roberts (R-KS), and Tim Scott (R-SC).

    Read the full letter here.

• Contact: Daniel Keylin
•     daniel_keylin@tillis.senate.gov