2024-24297. Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, From the People's Republic of China: Notice of Initiation of Changed Circumstances Reviews, and Consideration of Revocation of the Antidumping and ...

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Department of Commerce

International Trade Administration

1. [A-570-979, C-570-980]

AGENCY:

Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY:

Based on a request from Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. (Lutron), the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is initiating changed circumstances reviews (CCRs) to consider the possible revocation, in part, of the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules (solar cells), from the People's Republic of China (China) with respect to certain small, low-wattage, off-grid crystalline silicon photovoltaic (CSPV) cells as described below.

DATES:

Applicable October 21, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mark Hoadley, AD/CVD Operations, Office VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue ( print page 84115) NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On December 7, 2012, Commerce published the AD and CVD orders on solar cells from China.^[1] On August 28, 2024, Lutron, a domestic producer, importer and exporter of subject merchandise, requested, through CCRs, revocation of the Orders, in part, with respect to certain small, low-wattage, off-grid CSPV cells, pursuant to section 751(b)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), and 19 CFR 351.216(b).^[2] Within its CCRs request, Lutron included a letter from the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing (the Alliance), a domestic interested party in this proceeding, in which the Alliance stated that it did not oppose the partial revocation of the Orders proposed by Lutron.^[3] No interested parties filed comments opposing the CCRs request.

Scope of the Orders

The merchandise covered by these Orders is crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, and modules, laminates, and panels, consisting of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not partially or fully assembled into other products, including, but not limited to, modules, laminates, panels and building integrated materials.

These Orders cover crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells of thickness equal to or greater than 20 micrometers, having a p/n junction formed by any means, whether or not the cell has undergone other processing, including, but not limited to, cleaning, etching, coating, and/or addition of materials (including, but not limited to, metallization and conductor patterns) to collect and forward the electricity that is generated by the cell.

Merchandise under consideration may be described at the time of importation as parts for final finished products that are assembled after importation, including, but not limited to, modules, laminates, panels, building-integrated modules, building-integrated panels, or other finished goods kits. Such parts that otherwise meet the definition of merchandise under consideration are included in the scope of the Orders.

Excluded from the scope of the Orders are thin film photovoltaic products produced from amorphous silicon (a-Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe), or copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS).

Also excluded from the scope of the Orders are crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, not exceeding 10,000 mm² in surface area, that are permanently integrated into a consumer good whose function is other than power generation and that consumes the electricity generated by the integrated crystalline silicon photovoltaic cell. Where more than one cell is permanently integrated into a consumer good, the surface area for purposes of this exclusion shall be the total combined surface area of all cells that are integrated into the consumer good.

Additionally, excluded from the scope of the Orders are panels with surface area from 3,450 mm² to 33,782 mm² with one black wire and one red wire (each of type 22 AWG or 24 AWG not more than 206 mm in length when measured from panel extrusion), and not exceeding 2.9 volts, 1.1 amps, and 3.19 watts. For the purposes of this exclusion, no panel shall contain an internal battery or external computer peripheral ports.

Also excluded from the scope of the Orders are:

1. Off grid CSPV panels in rigid form with a glass cover, with the following characteristics:

(A) a total power output of 100 watts or less per panel;

(B) a maximum surface area of 8,000 cm² per panel;

(C) do not include a built-in inverter;

(D) must include a permanently connected wire that terminates in either an 8 mm male barrel connector, or a two-port rectangular connector with two pins in square housings of different colors;

(E) must include visible parallel grid collector metallic wire lines every 1-4 millimeters across each solar cell; and

(F) must be in individual retail packaging (for purposes of this provision, retail packaging typically includes graphics, the product name, its description and/or features, and foam for transport); and

2. Off grid CSPV panels without a glass cover, with the following characteristics:

(A) a total power output of 100 watts or less per panel;

(B) a maximum surface area of 8,000 cm² per panel;

(C) do not include a built-in inverter;

(D) must include visible parallel grid collector metallic wire lines every 1-4 millimeters across each solar cell; and

(E) each panel is

1. permanently integrated into a consumer good;

2. encased in a laminated material without stitching, or

3. has all of the following characteristics: (i) the panel is encased in sewn fabric with visible stitching, (ii) includes a mesh zippered storage pocket, and (iii) includes a permanently attached wire that terminates in a female USB-A connector.

In addition, the following CSPV panels are excluded from the scope of the Orders:

1. Off-grid CSPV panels in rigid form with a glass cover, with each of the following physical characteristics, whether or not assembled into a fully completed off-grid hydropanel whose function is conversion of water vapor into liquid water:

(A) A total power output of no more than 80 watts per panel;

(B) A surface area of less than 5,000 cm² per panel;

(C) Do not include a built-in inverter;

(D) Do not have a frame around the edges of the panel;

(E) Include a clear glass back panel; and

(F) Must include a permanently connected wire that terminates in a two-port rectangular connector.

Modules, laminates, and panels produced in a third country from cells produced in China are covered by the Orders; however, modules, laminates, and panels produced in China from cells produced in a third country are not covered by the Orders.

Additionally excluded from the scope of these Orders are off-grid small portable crystalline silicon photovoltaic panels, with or without a glass cover, with the following characteristics: (1) a total power output of 200 watts or less per panel; (2) a maximum surface area of 16,000 cm² per panel; (3) no built-in inverter; (4) an integrated handle or a handle attached to the package for ease of carry; (5) one or more integrated kickstands for easy installation or angle adjustment; and (6) a wire of not less than 3 meters either permanently connected or attached to the package that terminates in an 8mm diameter male barrel connector.

Also excluded from the scope of the Orders are off-grid crystalline silicon photovoltaic panels in rigid form with a glass cover, with each of the following physical characteristics, whether or not ( print page 84116) assembled into a fully completed off-grid hydropanel whose function is conversion of water vapor into liquid water:

(A) A total power output of no more than 180 watts per panel at 155 degrees Celsius;

(B) A surface area of less than 16,000 square centimeters (cm² ) per panel;

(C) Include a keep-out area of approximately 1,200 cm² around the edges of the panel that does not contain solar cells;

(D) Do not include a built-in inverter;

(E) Do not have a frame around the edges of the panel;

(F) Include a clear glass back panel;

(G) Must include a permanently connected wire that terminates in a two-port rounded rectangular, sealed connector;

(H) Include a thermistor installed into the permanently connected wire before the two-port connector; and

(I) Include exposed positive and negative terminals at opposite ends of the panel, not enclosed in a junction box.

Merchandise covered by these Orders is currently classified in the Harmonized Tariff System of the United States (HTSUS) under subheadings 8501.71.0000, 8501.72.1000, 8501.72.2000, 8501.72.3000, 8501.72.9000, 8501.80.1000, 8501.80.2000, 8501.80.3000, 8501.80.9000, 8507.20.8010, 8507.20.8031, 8507.20.8041, 8507.20.8061, 8507.20.8091, 8541.42.0010, and 8541.43.0010. These HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes; the written description of the scope of the Orders are dispositive.

Proposed Partial Revocation of the Orders

The products subject to the proposed revocation are certain small, low-wattage, off-grid CSPV cells that are permanently attached to an aluminum extrusion that controls natural light, whether or not assembled into a fully completed automation device that controls natural light.

Lutron requests that the following language be added to the scope of the Orders to implement the requested exclusion:

Also excluded from the scope of these investigations are off-grid CSPV panels in rigid form, with or without a glass cover, permanently attached to an aluminum extrusion that is an integral component of an automation device that controls natural light, whether or not assembled into a fully completed automation device that controls natural light, with the following characteristics:

1. A total power output of 20 watts or less per panel;

2. A maximum surface area of 1,000 cm² per panel;

3. Does not include a built-in inverter for powering third party devices.^[4]

Initiation of CCRs and Consideration of Revocation of the Orders, in Part

Pursuant to section 751(b)(1) of the Act, when Commerce receives information concerning, or a request from an interested party ^[5] for a review of, a final affirmative determination that resulted in an AD or CVD order, which shows changed circumstances sufficient to warrant a review of an order, Commerce shall conduct a CCR of the order.^[6] In accordance with 19 CFR 351.216(d), Commerce determines that the information submitted by Lutron and the letter of no opposition to partial revocation of the Orders with respect to the products described by Lutron constitute a sufficient basis to conduct CCRs of the Orders.^[7]

Section 782(h)(2) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.222(g)(1)(i) provide that Commerce may revoke an order (in whole or in part) if it determines that producers accounting for substantially all of the production of the domestic like product have expressed a lack of interest in the order, in whole or in part. In its administrative practice, Commerce has interpreted “substantially all” to mean producers accounting for at least 85 percent of the total U.S. production of the domestic like product covered by the order.^[8] One domestic interested party, the Alliance, stated that it does not object to the partial revocation of the Orders proposed by Lutron.

However, because the Alliance did not indicate whether it accounts for substantially all of the U.S. production of the domestic like product covered by the Orders, we are not combining this notice of initiation with a preliminary determination, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.221(c)(3)(ii).^[9] Rather, we will provide interested parties with an opportunity to address the issue of domestic industry support with respect to the partial revocation of the Orders, as explained below. After examining comments, if any, concerning domestic industry support, we will issue the preliminary results of these CCRs.

Public Comment

Interested parties are invited to provide comments and/or factual information regarding these CCRs, including comments on industry support and the proposed partial revocation language. Comments and factual information may be submitted to Commerce no later than 14 days after the date of publication of this notice. Rebuttal comments and rebuttal factual information may be filed with Commerce no later than seven days after the comments and/or factual information are filed.^[10] All submissions must be filed electronically using Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS).^[11] An electronically filed document must be received successfully in its entirety by ACCESS, by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the due dates set forth in this notice. Note that Commerce has temporarily modified certain requirements for serving documents containing business proprietary information, until further notice.^[12]

Preliminary and Final Results of the CCRs

Commerce intends to publish in the Federal Register a notice of the preliminary results of these CCRs in accordance with 19 CFR 351.221(b)(4) and (c)(3)(i). Commerce will set forth its preliminary factual and legal conclusions in that notice. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.221(b)(4)(ii), interested parties will have an opportunity to comment on the preliminary results. Unless extended, Commerce will issue the final results of these CCRs in accordance with the time limits set forth in 19 CFR 351.216(e).

Notification to Interested Parties

This initiation notice is published in accordance with section 751(b)(1) of the Act, 19 CFR 351.216(b) and 19 CFR 351.221(c)(3).

( print page 84117)

Dated: October 15, 2024.

Scot Fullerton,

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations.

Footnotes

1.   See Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, from the People's Republic of China: Amended Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, and Antidumping Duty Order, 77 FR 73018 (December 7, 2012); see also Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, from the People's Republic of China: Countervailing Duty Order,77 FR 73017 (December 7, 2012) (collectively, Orders).

2.   See Lutron's Letter, “Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.'s Request for Changed Circumstances Reviews and Request to Combine Initiation and Preliminary Results,” dated August 28, 2024 (CCR Request).

3.   Id. at Exhibit 2 and 3.

4.   See Lutron's Letter at 3.

5.  Lutron stated in its CCR Request that it is a U.S. importer of solar panels. As such, Lutron is an interested party pursuant to section 771(9)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.102(b)(29)(i).

6.   See19 CFR 351.216(d).

7.   See CCR Request at Exhibit 2.

8.   See, e.g., Certain Cased Pencils from the People's Republic of China: Initiation and Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Changed Circumstances Review, and Intent To Revoke Order in Part,77 FR 42276 (July 18, 2012), unchanged in Certain Cased Pencils from the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Changed Circumstances Review, and Determination To Revoke Order, in Part,77 FR 53176 (August 31, 2012).

9.  In the event that Commerce determines an expedited action is warranted, 19 CFR 351.221(c)(3)(ii) permits Commerce to combine the notices of initiation and preliminary results.

10.  Submissions of rebuttal factual information must comply with 19 CFR 351.301(b)(2).

11.   See, generally,19 CFR 351.303.

12.   See19 CFR 351.309(d); see also Administrative Protective Order, Service, and Other Procedures in Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings,88 FR 67069, 67077 (September 29, 2023).