EU tariffs on Chinese PV products could slow Energiewende鈥檚 progress
The EU Commission鈥檚 decision to extend the tariffs on Chinese PV products has raised concerns among environmental organisations that a slower expansion of solar power production might hinder the German energy transition鈥檚 (Energiewende) progress, writes Daniel Wetzel in Die Welt. More than 400 European solar power companies and major environmental organisations like the WWF and Greenpeace have advocated for an exemption of the PV products from customs, Wetzel explains. With this decision, the EU Commissioner for Trade, Cecilia Malmstr枚m, 鈥渙nce again sides with German market leader Solarworld鈥�, which has called for a Europe-wide alliance against Chinese competitors, he writes. But according to Udo M枚hrstedt, CEO of IBC Solar AG, the tariffs that 鈥渃ost tens of thousands of jobs鈥� and 鈥渞educed the number of module producers鈥� are in fact 鈥渂ad for Germany鈥檚 solar industry鈥�.
Read the article in German .