EU Photovoltaic takes China as "imaginary enemy"

The waves caused by the "double reverse" of photovoltaics are far from settled. Some photovoltaic experts disclosed to the “Securities Daily” reporter that the independent organizations in Europe are currently investigating multiple technological routes in the photovoltaic industry in China. The results of the research will be used for the photovoltaic development plans of two large-scale enterprises supported by the government. The plan will use China PV as an "imaginary enemy."

EU Photovoltaic takes China as "imaginary enemy"

As of September 16, China's investigation agencies initially ruled that the United States and South Korea imported solar grade polysilicon "dumped", the United States imported solar grade polysilicon "subsidy." However, on this basis, in November last year, the investigation of “anti-dumping and countervailing” against the EU’s imports of solar grade polysilicon was still underway, and the preliminary results had not been released.

Although at the beginning of August, China-EU PV trade disputes were properly resolved in a “price-commitment” manner, according to a Chinese-born photovoltaic expert who lived in Europe, the reporter of the “Securities Daily” broke the news. “At present, the EU has hired nine independent agencies. Investigate various technical routes of China's photovoltaic industry, and the results of the research will be used in the two large-scale enterprises supported by the government, including Bosch and Siemens' PV development plans.

Why does Bosch and Siemens' PV development plan launch an investigation of China's PV market?

“First of all, the only photovoltaic industry in the world that can compete with Europe is China. Second, the rapid rise of China’s photovoltaic industry has surprised Europeans. They know that Chinese counterparts have many lessons to learn from, but more importantly, Europe. It is not reconciled to lose the leading position and the right to speak in the field of photovoltaics. Therefore, these investigations, including plans for the future development of photovoltaics, are all based on China's PV as an "imaginary enemy." The aforementioned photovoltaic experts told reporters Introduction.

In response, an executive from a domestic photovoltaic company interviewed by the Securities Daily expressed their approval. “We believe that in the “double-reaction” dispute, the EU’s decision will not be compelling, or that it will not be incorporated into the country. Relations or political considerations. They must have made decisions based on overall plans and greater interests."

“Europeans learned a lot in the Sino-European photovoltaic dispute. For example, they learned that economies of scale can bring unprecedented cost advantages, so they chose to support two large companies (Bosch, Siemens) as future development of photovoltaics. The main force, then, from a certain point of view, this time, they at least recognized in the field of polysilicon, single crystal silicon photovoltaic, but from the overall point of view, even to the outcome of the dual anti-competition campaign, Europeans believe that they win According to them, they hope that China's PV will be busied up, stick to its own route, and eventually lose sight of each other, leading to a re-unification of the European PV (some of its own emphasis on the technical line). The above photovoltaic experts in an interview to many times The reporter reiterated that "we must be vigilant, maintain and continuously improve the innovative nature of China's photovoltaics."

For the future, the expert predicts to reporters that once their PV products have an advantage over China in carbon dioxide emissions, the “carbon emission reduction” standard will become an excuse for Europe to regain its trade protection stick. “For example, they can stipulate that the carbon dioxide emissions from photovoltaic cells imported from China must reach a certain standard in the production process, and if they do not, they can levy a tariff or even refuse to import. At that time, China’s huge production capacity will face no more. The dilemma at the office."

The expert believes that “the only way to avoid this bad luck is to continuously innovate so that China’s photovoltaic products will always be the leader in terms of cost, environmental protection, conversion rate, and total annual power generation; control of production capacity and timely support of photovoltaic emerging technology routes "."

Polysilicon "countervailing subsidies"

Punishment too light

On September 16, the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China issued the "Announcement on the Preliminary Subsidy of Countervailing Subsidies for Solar-grade Polysilicon Originating in the United States." So far, on July 20, 2012, the investigation that lasted more than one year has come to an end.

According to the results of the countervailing preliminary findings that were rated by the industry as "symbolic punishment," the investigation agency initially ruled that there is a subsidy for solar grade polysilicon originating in the United States, and it has a cause and effect with "China's solar grade polysilicon industry has been substantially damaged". relationship.

Even if the State Council’s Customs Tariff Commission finally decided on the basis of the investigation agency's recommendations to take temporary anti-subsidy measures for the products under investigation, since September 20, 2013, when importers import products under investigation from the United States, Only a countervailing duty deposit of no more than 6.5% is also required.

In response, Lun Jinbiao, deputy general manager of Zhongneng Silicon, told the "Securities Daily" reporter that "the current collection of this countervailing duty rate is widely considered by the industry as not in place. In the future, it will require on-site verification and confirmation, and the results will be final. Is reflected in."

“Subsidies received by U.S. companies are far more than the subsidized tax rates, such as 0% for REC and MEMC, and 6.5% for HEMOLOCK, which are too low,” said Lu Jinbiao.

Of course, in any case, the initial results of China’s anti-dumping against the ROK and anti-dumping and countervailing measures against the United States have been introduced in succession, and many have benefited China Polysilicon as the “leading” of GCL-Poly and even the entire Chinese PV industry.

However, China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association monitoring figures show that after the US and South Korea's "anti-dumping" preliminary ruling, the domestic polysilicon spot trading price rose from the previous pre-arrangement of 125,000 yuan / ton (including tax) to the current 132,000 yuan / ton. This price is still lower than the production costs of the world-class polysilicon companies. When the PV downstream companies fully recover and start to make profits, the global polysilicon companies are still in a loss-making state.

In response to the preliminary results of China's investigation of anti-dumping and countervailing subsidies against polysilicon in Europe, an authoritative source disclosed to the “Securities Daily” reporter that the “Our side will learn from the EU and negotiate with them”. .