As of April, Chinese PV manufacturers that have committed to the European Unions so-called Undertaking, or minimum import price agreement, will have to sell their solar modules for EUR 0.56 per watt in the EU. A number of industry sources have confirmed the news to pv magazine. The minimum import price for Chinese solar cells, meanwhile, will go up to EUR 0.28 from April 1.
A year ago, the EU lowered the minimum import prices for crystalline solar modules from 0.56 to 0.53 per watt. This time, however, the weak exchange rate of the euro against the U.S. dollar has most likely led to the increase. The Commission sets its prices according to the development of the Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) module price index. The index is determined and issued in U.S. dollars, however. The current drop in the euro resulted in the drastic increase, the level of which has even surprised industry reps. The minimum specified import volume for Chinese solar PV manufacturers, which is also specified in the Undertaking, will initially remain unchanged, according to pv magazine sources.
Last week the European Commission issued a statement accusing Canadian Solar, ET Solar and Renesola of massive violations against minimum import price and import volume regulations. It is now threatening to ban the PV manufacturers from the undertaking. They have until the end of the week to respond to the charges.
Renesola has already announced its departure from the Undertaking. Canadian Solar and ET Solar, however, are seeking to clarify the allegations with Brussels and reject the accusations. The European Commission is expected to make a final decision on the matter in late April or early May, according to Reuters.
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