U.S. solar manufacturers seek duties against China

WASHINGTON — U.S. solar manufacturers have asked the Obama administration to slap duties of more than 100% on imports from China that they said were unfairly undercutting U.S. prices and destroying American jobs.

Trade relations with China have become a hot issue ahead of the 2012 U.S. presidential and congressional elections. The Senate last week passed a bill aimed at Beijing’s currency practices, although the bill faces an uphill battle in the House to become law.

Next week, the House Ways and Means Committee plans a hearing to dive into a broad array of Chinese trade actions that are causing concern in the United States.

The U.S. solar industry has been hit hard by competition from China and other countries.

“Let us be clear, China has a plan for our market — to gut it and own it,” said Gordon Brinser, president of SolarWorld Industries Americas Inc., at a news conference Wednesday.

A coalition of seven companies led by SolarWorld Industries accused China of a long list of illegal subsidies and pricing practices to grab global market share.

Some trade experts have warned that the Obama administration needs to tread carefully because the United States also has programs to support the sector.

Last month, U.S. solar panel maker Solyndra filed for bankruptcy, burdened with $783 million in secured debt and squeezed by falling prices caused by an industry glut.

Its downfall has become a political embarrassment for the Obama administration, which had promoted the company as an example of how it planned to spur development in clean energy technology and provided a government guarantee on a $535-million loan Solyndra has said it may not repay in full.

SolarWorld is the U.S. arm of Germany’s SolarWorld AG, which is one of Germany’s largest solar products producers and has sought to expand into the growing U.S. market.

Last month, SolarWorld shut its Camarillo, Calif., production plant amid a steep drop in solar panel prices.