Solar tariffs in the US will increase prices and reduce profit margins for Southeast Asia
Analysts said that a new round of U.S. import tariffs against Southeast Asian solar panel producers will likely increase consumer prices while reducing producer profits. However, the industry had anticipated this move. The Commerce Department announced new duties on Friday that extend the United States anti-dumping regime to solar cells in Southeast Asia, instead of just finished modules. Citi analyst Pierre Lau wrote in a report that the tariff increase was in line with what had been expected.
Chinese solar firms are ever-nimble and go to places where US tariffs do not reach
The U.S. tariffs on Vietnam and three other Southeast Asian nations have prompted some of the largest Chinese-owned factories to cut production and lay off workers. In the meantime, a number of Chinese-owned solar power plants are being built in Indonesia and Laos. These are outside of Washington's protections on trade. Reports show that their planned capacity would be enough to provide about half of the solar panels installed in the U.S.
Cambodia increases power import capacity in order to improve flexibility
Cambodia's energy minister said that the country plans to increase its capacity to import cleaner power from Laos and Vietnam, as well as Thailand, by more than 600 Megawatts. This is a 50% increase over current agreements. Keo Rottanak noted that the move could boost interconnections in Southeast Asia and provide more options for diversifying power supply in the face of rising hydropower volatility due to weather-related interruptions.
Cambodian solar firms not cooperating in US tariff probe
Documents filed with the Department of Commerce indicate that two Cambodian solar companies have decided to stop cooperating with an investigation by the U.S. Commerce Department into accusations they were flooding the market with panels at prices below their cost of manufacture. Solar Long and Hounen Solar stated in separate letters, dated October 15, that they could no longer devote resources to the antidumping investigation. Craig Lewis, the attorney for Hogan Lovells who represents them, has no more comment.
Cambodia will increase its power import capacity to over 50% within the next two years
Keo Rottanak, the energy minister of Cambodia, said that it plans to import more than 600 megawatts (MW), or clean power, from Laos and Thailand. This will increase its contracted import capacity over 50%. In 2026, the Southeast Asian nation will import solar and hydro power from Laos. Rottanak stated that the country is nearing approval for a deal to nearly double its 300 MW agreement with Vietnam, and it could import 100 MW more from Thailand. We just signed last Thursday more than 300 Megawatts of combined hydro-solar with Laos.
The US has imposed preliminary new tariffs on solar imports from Southeast Asia
The U.S. Commerce Department announced on Tuesday anti-subsidy, countervailing duty on solar cells imported from Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia. A preliminary decision published on Commerce's site shows that the agency has calculated tariff rates ranging from 0.14% to 3,293.61% depending on the company for solar cells from four Southeast Asian countries. Next year, a final decision will be taken. This announcement is the second of…
US unveils first of two decisions regarding solar tariffs
The U.S. Trade officials may this week impose new tariffs against solar panels imported from four Southeast Asian countries. American manufacturers claim that these nations provide unfair subsidies, which make U.S. goods uncompetitive. The Commerce Department is expected to announce its first preliminary decision in this year on a trade case filed by Hanwha Qcells in Korea, Arizona's First Solar, and several smaller companies that are seeking to protect their billions in investments made in U.S. manufacturing of solar panels.
US Solar Group seeks retroactive duty on panels imported from Vietnam and Thailand
A group of U.S. manufacturers of solar panels asked the Commerce Department to consider imposing retroactive duties on Vietnam and Thailand because there has been a surge in imported goods. These countries are also under investigation for unfair trade practices. The Commerce Department began an investigation in May into silicon solar panels and cells made in Vietnam. Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia. A group of American manufacturers claims that the products were sold at low prices in the U.S. and received subsidies from China.
How to Determine Which Countries Have the Best Energy Policies
Which countries have the best energy policies? This is an interesting, and rather obvious, question, considering that every country’s energy practices impact the world in one way or another. But it’s one you don’t often hear asked.That is probably because it’s hard to compare countries in any sensible and fair way, given the differences in population, size, economy and resources.Still, the world needs to know who does it best. The challenge is to measure performance against a set of agreed indicators…
KrisEnergy Halts Thai Drilling and Production
Singapore-based upstream oil and gas company KrisEnergy has shut-in its producing Wassana oilfield off Thailand due to tropical storm Pabuk that entered the Gulf of Thailand.Southeast Asian company said in a press note that as a safety precaution due to Tropical Storm Pabuk, it has temporarily shut in oil production at the Wassana field in the G10/48 licence in the Gulf of Thailand and halted drilling of infill development wells…
ASEAN Adopts Oil Spill Contingency Plan
International Maritime Organization (IMO) technical assistance and institutional support has been instrumental in the recent adoption of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Oil Spill Contingency Plan.IMO said that the plan was adopted by the 24th ASEAN Transport Ministers Meeting, held in Bangkok, Thailand (8 November). The Regional Oil Spill Contingency Plan provides for a mechanism whereby ASEAN Member States…
Cambodia to Boost Clean Energy Use
Cambodia will push ahead with plans to use hydropower and coal to electrify the entire country by 2020, but solar energy will play some role, especially in remote areas, an energy ministry official said on Wednesday.The Southeast Asian nation has electrified rapidly since 2000, when only 16 percent of the population had access to power, according to the World Bank.Today, 87 percent of villages and 73 percent of households are connected to the grid…
Etern Inks $1.1 Bln Bangladesh Power Grid Deal
China's Jiangsu Etern Co Ltd signed a deal worth $1.1 billion to strengthen the power grid network in Bangladesh, the company said on Thursday, ahead of a visit to the country by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Ltd and Etern signed the four-and-a-half year deal to "expand, rebuild and upgrade Bangladesh's nationwide electrical network system", Etern said in a filing to the Shanghai stock exchange.
Green Appointed President, Chevron Asia Pacific E&P
Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) today named Stephen W. Green president of Chevron Asia Pacific Exploration and Production effective April 1, 2016. Green, 58, succeeds Melody B. Meyer who is retiring from Chevron after 37 years of distinguished service to pursue other opportunities, effective June 1. Green, who is currently corporate vice president of Policy, Government and Public Affairs, will oversee Chevron's exploration and production…
Vietnam Raises Retail Petrol Prices, Cuts Oil Import Taxes
Vietnam raised retail petrol prices on Wednesday to match global oil prices but cut import tariffs on some oil products in an effort to trim prices and support businesses, its trade and finance trade ministries said. Import duty on diesel was cut to 10 percent from the 12 percent set on May 4, while tax on kerosene fell 7 percentage points to 13 percent and fuel oil tariff is down to 10 percent from 13 percent previously. The cut is designed to limit petrol price rises…
Malaysia's Pestech Unit to Build Cambodia Power System
A unit of Malaysia's Pestech International Bhd will develop the 230-kilovolt Kampong Cham-Kratie transmission system project in Cambodia, it said on Wednesday, after completing all relevant agreements. To be developed on a build-operate-transfer basis, the project marks Pestech's debut as an independent power transmitter on a concession basis. "The project will have no material effect on the revenue and earnings of Pestech for the financial period ending June 30…
China, Vietnam to Address Maritime Disputes
Senior Chinese and Vietnamese officials have agreed to settle their maritime disputes without resorting to "megaphone diplomacy", the official Xinhua news service said on Saturday. The agency's report follows a meeting in Hanoi on Friday between Chinese political advisor Yu Zhengsheng and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, and it comes as Beijing backs off from aggressive attempts to press its territorial claims in the South China Sea.
UK's SFO Nails First Convicts
Three men were sentenced today at Southwark Crown Court as a result of the Serious Fraud Office's investigation and prosecution of Sustainable Growth Group (SGG) including its subsidiary companies Sustainable AgroEnergy plc (SAE) and Sustainable Wealth (UK) Investments Ltd (SWI). All three were convicted following a prosecution which focused on the selling and promotion of SAE investment products based on "green biofuel" Jatropha tree plantations in Cambodia.
Study: Philippines Hardest Hit by Extreme Weather in 2013
The Philippines, Cambodia and India were the countries hardest hit by extreme weather events in 2013, according to a study unveiled on Tuesday at U.N. talks in Lima on a global deal to limit climate change. The report by Germanwatch, a think-tank partly funded by the German government, said the Philippines suffered most because 6,300 people died when Typhoon Haiyan struck a year ago and caused $13 billion in damage. A new storm is now threatening the country.
Successful Completion of Cendor MOPU Move
Marine Contracting has announced the successful move of the Cendor Mobile Offshore Production Unit (MOPU) from the Cendor field, offshore Malaysia to Batam, Indonesia for upgrade work en route to its eventual destination in the Wassana field in the Gulf of Thailand. The successful towing by Marine Contracting was carried out on behalf of the Cendor MOPU’s owner Singapore-based Kris Energy, an independent upstream oil & gas company who recently purchased the MOPU from Global Process Systems.
