A gaggle of U.S. Senators despatched a letter yesterday to Sec. of the Treasury Janet Yellen asking for her division to reconfigure pointers set forth within the Inflation Discount Act to encourage silicon photo voltaic wafer manufacturing in america.
Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) led the group of Senators urgent the Biden Administration for this transformation. Ossoff was joined by Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA).
Illustration exhibiting the levels of making silicon photo voltaic panels. Illustration by Al Hicks/NREL
The home content material bonus credit score inside the Inflation Discount Act gives an extra bonus credit score to photo voltaic vitality installers that use American-made merchandise. To ensure that photo voltaic panels to qualify as “American-made,” the Treasury Dept. stated the panels should use cells made in america. The group of senators is asking that photo voltaic panels not be thought of American-made except they use home wafers, taking the necessities one step backwards on the photo voltaic panel provide chain.
“With the intention to domesticate a powerful home manufacturing trade, disrupt China’s dominance of the photo voltaic provide chain, and bolster U.S. vitality and nationwide safety, it’s important that these vital photo voltaic vitality parts be manufactured in america. Your present steering, which attracts the road on the cell degree, falls wanting that vital purpose,” the Senators wrote within the letter.
Credit score: Meyer Burger
At present, there are not any silicon photo voltaic cell or wafer producers in america. Qcells in Georgia is constructing its personal inclusive silicon ingot-wafer-cell-panel manufacturing facility and can possible be the primary within the nation to safe home silicon cells (and wafers). First Photo voltaic manufactures cadmium-telluride thin-film photo voltaic panels by way of a novel vapor deposition course of that technically qualifies as wafer and cell manufacturing. As of right this moment, solely First Photo voltaic panels made in Ohio totally qualify for the home content material bonus as-written.
The senators argue that the one technique to break China’s dominance on the photo voltaic provide chain is to carry wafer manufacturing to america. Wafer growth is basically concentrated in China and Southeast Asia by Chinese language manufacturers.
“It’s crucial that any rules or steering be according to the legislative intent of Congress and ship a powerful sign that america prioritizes the event of a strong, lasting market for American-made wafers and polysilicon. We stand dedicated to working with you to help U.S. employees, finish China’s management of the photo voltaic market, and develop a powerful home photo voltaic manufacturing trade to make sure U.S. vitality safety, financial growth, and nationwide safety,” the senators concluded.
