Commerce Department Considers Countervailing Duties on Wind from China, EPRI Study Emphasizes Flexibility

On May 30, the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) issued an affirmative preliminary determination in its countervailing duty (CVD) investigation of utility scale wind towers from China. ITA found that China has provided countervailable subsidies for the industry ranging from 13.74% to 26%. The affirmative preliminary determination means that U.S. Customs & Border Protection will be instructed to collect a cash deposit based on these preliminary rates. ITA conducted the investigation at the request of four petitioners located in Wisconsin, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Texas, and is expected to issue a final determination in August 2012. The U.S. International Trade Commission will make its final determination in September 2012. If both final determinations are affirmative, the Department of Commerce will issue a countervailing order; however, if either determination is negative no CVD order will be issued. 

The Electric Power Research Institute  has a new assessment which concludes that flexibility for electric utilities in installing new pollution control technology to comply with current and pending EPA rules could save approximately $100 billion in future expenditures.  The results are based on two potential pathways for compliance, one based on the “current course” and the other on an “alternative flexible path.” The analysis found that installing a suite of new emissions controls would cost the U.S. economy up to $275 billion, between 2010 and 2035 in present value terms, if the current course is followed.