The US Department of Commerce has opened an investigation into whether solar modules imported from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam are circumventing duties. California-based panel assembler Auxin Solar filed a petition in February, alleging imports from these countries use components from China, allowing the Chinese components to avoid duties. The four countries account for over half the US' non-Chinese solar cell imports, according to engineering services group Clean Energy Associates. Because it could mean retroactive tariffs, the probe will slow solar growth before the case is even decided, industry groups say.
Share
Related news posts
US firm only valid bidder for €2.6bn Serbian hydro unit
US firm only valid bidder for €2.6bn Serbian hydro unit
London, 24 July (Argus) — Serbia has preliminarily approved a bid from US construction company Bechtel to develop the country's flagship Djerdap 3 pumped-storage hydropower project, according to energy ministry documents. The ministry rejected five other applicants for the project, determining that Bechtel — in consortium with Turkish construction company Enka — was the only company to meet all of its requirements, which include experience with infrastructure projects costing more than €1bn ($1.1bn) and majority US ownership. The project could have an installed capacity of 1.8-2.4GW and cost €2.63bn, according to the ministry's energy infrastructure development plan, published in March 2025. But the final specifications of the project are yet to be decided. An initial development phase — which will include design, feasibility studies and environmental assessments — should be completed within 36 months from awarding the contract, with the project expected to be commissioned by 2036, according to a call on 3 June. The Serbian government issued the June call to US-based developers through the US embassy . Romania signed a memorandum of understanding with Serbia on 16 July to facilitate exchange of information about the project. The arrangement aims to ensure that construction of the Djerdap 3 project does not adversely impact operation of the existing Djerdap 1 and 2 hydropower plants or the "hydrological regime" of the Danube river, especially areas downstream in Romania and Bulgaria , the Romanian energy ministry told Argus . Serbia's procurement procedure for developers was not open to Romanian firms, the energy ministry said. The process was carried out according to an agreement between the US and Serbia on strategic co-operation in the field of energy, which was signed in September 2024 and came into force in March 2025. Bechtel entered preliminary talks about potential involvement with the Djerdap 3 project as early as 2021. The company was also award a contract by the Albanian government for preliminary works on the planned 210MW Skavica hydropower plant in 2021, but actors such as environmental group CEE Bankwatch Network raised concerns that the contract was awarded without a tender process . Hydro output accounted for 25pc of Serbia's generation mix last year. By Jessamy Guest Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Germany 'fine' with 50pc ETS revenue conditionality
Germany 'fine' with 50pc ETS revenue conditionality
Brussels, 24 July (Argus) — Germany is "fine" with the European Commission's proposal to oblige EU states to spend 50pc of their national revenue from the bloc's emissions trading system (ETS) on decarbonisation measures, climate minister Carsten Schneider said on Friday. But other countries are less convinced, with Sweden remaining "sceptical" about spending more money at the EU level. EU climate and environment ministers held a first informal meeting in Dublin today, discussing the commission's proposals for ETS reform. Schneider gave clear support to the commission's proposed minimum 50pc share of national ETS revenue being reinvested into decarbonising ETS sectors. "We already do that, so it's fine for us," Schneider said. Decarbonisation first-movers should be protected by "strong" price signals over the coming years for both the existing ETS and the upcoming system covering road transport and heating fuels (ETS 2), Schneider said. But Sweden is not convinced about earmarking 50pc of ETS revenue for industrial decarbonisation. "It's better that the market solves these things than that we collect money and then distribute them again," Swedish climate secretary Daniel Westlen said, while noting that Stockholm has not yet formed its position. Credits under the Paris climate agreement's Article 6 mechanism should be spent globally at an earlier stage rather than "very late" in the late 2030s, Westlen said. The commission has proposed the central purchase of 250mn international credits in 2036-40 as part of its ETS review. And Westlen is "frustrated" by the "lowering" of ambition in the commission's proposal, which rewards those "who didn't do their homework". Belgium's climate minister Jean-Luc Crucke said the 50pc conditionality for national ETS revenue is going in the "right direction". He also called for Europe to speak a few "truths" at the UN Cop 31 climate conference in Turkey this year. "We can't loosen purse strings without restraint while others continue to keep them tightly closed," he said. For Warsaw, the 50pc conditionality is a "very difficult" topic because the finance minister "usually knows" what is best to invest the money in, Poland's climate state secretary, Krzysztof Bolesta, said. The topic would also be "problematic" for those countries with insufficient projects to reinvest the money in, Bolesta said. But the commission's ETS proposal is a "good" start, Bolesta said, while adding that he still wants to see increased support measures. "Transition is expensive," he said. Poland is transitioning very fast, decreasing the share of coal in its energy mix to 50pc from 90pc in 10 years, according to Bolesta. Chairing the discussions was Irish climate minister Darragh O'Brien. Dublin will try to reach agreement on a common position between EU states in December "if at all we can", he said, noting it will be a "challenge". EU states and the European Parliament will have to negotiate a final legal text for implementing ETS reforms after they have reached their own internal positions. By Dafydd ab Iago Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Low Meuse flows could weigh on Chooz nuclear production
Low Meuse flows could weigh on Chooz nuclear production
London, 24 July (Argus) — Flows on the river Meuse are at their lowest for the time of year in over 10 years, which could continue weighing on output from France's 3GW Chooz nuclear plant. Chooz uses Meuse water for cooling, reducing the flow downstream. A 1998 treaty with Belgium obliges the plant to reduce output when flows downstream fall below 22 m³/s, and to halt completely at 20 m³/s or below. Meuse flows at Trou du Diable upstream of the plant are at their lowest for the time of year since at least 2015 ( see graph ). They are much lower than in 2018-20, the only years since 2015 when there have been significant environmental curtailments at the plant after the end of August. Restrictions were imposed at Chooz briefly during late-June's heatwave, and more consistently since 11 July. The 1.5GW unit 2 has been off line since that date, while the 1.5MW unit 1 has been subject to intermittent restrictions, mostly in the daytime. Unit 2 is scheduled to come back on 7 August, but unless rain boosts river flows, its return could end up being pushed back. Little rain is forecast in the coming weeks. Short-term forecasts for Paris put precipitation at 20pc of the norm, while the 45-day forecast points to 50pc. There is a chance the plant might not come back until October, one market participant said. Chooz outages often extend later into the year than those at other nuclear plants — Meuse flows tend to bottom out in August, and in some years in September-October. The plant accounted for 70pc of the 5.8TWh of nuclear output lost in France in September-November of 2015-25 because of environmental curtailments. The 2.6GW Saint Alban made up 21pc, while four other plants — Blayais, Bugey, Cattenom and Tricastin — accounted for 9pc between them. The potential for a Chooz outage could justify some of the strength in French September and October power contracts in recent weeks. While there have been outages in 2025-26, before this there were none since 2020. But the 2018-20 outages each took at least 1TWh off line in September-October. In 2018, over 600GWh was lost in each of these months, while 2020 outages were concentrated in September, reducing output by 2.2TWh. French monthly contracts have risen sharply in recent weeks on record-breaking heat, nuclear curtailments and a worsening drought. But market participants have questioned whether this is fully justified for September and October, or whether it projects beyond the horizon justified by fundamentals. Heat-based restrictions at nuclear plants are typically heaviest in July-August, falling off rapidly from September. And September forecasts point less to above-average temperatures than those for August. By Rhys Talbot Meuse flows, upstream of Chooz M³/s Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia's NSW's climate goals need policy support
Australia's NSW's climate goals need policy support
Sydney, 23 July (Argus) — Australia's New South Wales (NSW) state is unlikely to meet its 2030 and 2035 targets of cutting emissions by 50pc and 70pc from 2005 levels without policy changes, the state government-owned Net Zero Commission stated in its 2026 Annual Progress Report today. The decarbonisation rate in 2023-30 needs to be at 5.5mn t/yr of CO2-equivalent (CO2e), more than 2.5 times faster than the 2.1mn t CO2e/yr achieved in 2004-23. The rate is higher than an earlier pathway the commission indicated in March . NSW will now need to reduce its annual emissions by 38.5mn t of CO2e by 2030 from 2022–23 levels to reach its legislated target, and by a further 30.4mn t CO2e by 2035. The trajectory is steeper in-part because reported emissions increased by 7mn t CO2e between 2021–22 and 2022–23, driven by growth in transport, resources, and agriculture alongside declining land-sector carbon storage. Only data up to 2023 was available when the commission produced the report. "Although the direction is clear for NSW to achieve the 2030 target, the renewable roll-out is behind schedule and delayed closures of coal-fired power stations strongly impact emissions," the commission said. NSW must accelerate energy development approvals to build sufficient renewable generation, storage, and transmission capacity to maintain system security as coal-fired power stations close. The NSW government tabled legislation in May to fast-track approvals for priority renewable generation , storage and transmission projects as it seeks to replace retiring coal-fired generation capacity. The state should also back electrification by supporting a faster rollout of EV charging networks and introducing requirements for new industrial loads, such as data centres, to rely on additional renewable energy sources from the outset, the commission said. The commission explicitly warned that continued expansions of coal mines and the rapid growth of energy-intensive data centres pose a significant risk to the state's climate goals. It noted that coal mine extensions are "not consistent" with legislated targets, while the Australian Energy Market Operator (Aemo) forecasts data centres will add 8TWh to annual NSW electricity demand by 2035, equivalent to 13pc of current demand. Apart from electricity, the government must prioritise cutting methane pollution, which accounts for 30pc of the state's emissions. This can be achieved through practical solutions in the livestock, coal mining, and waste sectors, including scaling feed additives, increasing landfill gas capture, and mandated on-site abatement at mines, the commission said. The advice follows the March release of the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) rules requiring underground coal miners to cut methane emissions. The government has also recently supported emissions reductions through new investment in clean manufacturing and projects to expand domestic production capacity and attract investment into sectors including biofuels and renewable energy. By Lawrence Wen NSW Net Zero Commission revisions March 2026 Advice July 2026 Annual Progress Report Inventory Reference Year 2021–22 2022–23 Methane share of total NSW Emission 29pc 30pc Gap to 2030 Target (Reduction Needed) 35.0mn t CO2e 38.5mn t CO2e Gap to 2035 Target (Additional from 2030) 30.0mn t CO2e 30.4mn t CO2e Source: NSW Net Zero Commission Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Related Products
Business intelligence reports
Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.
Learn more