Federal investigation slows solar projects in Oregon

After several years of work, Solar Damper Ryan Sheehy’s company was ready to put money down this spring on the nearly 9,600 solar panels it needs for a community solar project in Ontario, Oregon.

The Verde Light Power Project is a new type of solar development in Oregon that will allow residents to purchase locally generated solar power from the utility company, rather than installing panels directly on their homes or offices.

Sheehy said his company, Enterprise-based Fleet Development, could typically count on ordering solar panels and having those orders fulfilled — especially for a relatively small project like Verde. He was surprised when he called Solar project DC motor the distributor to learn that his order for the project had been canceled.

“The rug got pulled out from underneath us,” Sheehy said. “It was totally unexpected.”

Sheehy is one of many in Oregon’s solar industry feeling the effects of a federal trade investigation into overseas manufacturers.

The U.S. Solar tracker actuator, Department of Commerce announced in March that it was investigating whether Chinese companies were funneling solar panel parts through Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam in order to avoid tariffs imposed by the past three presidential administrations.

If the Commerce Department finds those panels are indeed subject to tariffs, those duties could be retroactively applied to panels purchased after the start of the investigation.

The threat of retroactive tariffs effectively shut down the vast majority of solar panel imports, causing a severe shortage.Solar Tracking Controller

“The fines that might be imposed are upon the solar module manufacturers,” said Mark Farrell, Oregon sales manager for A&R Solar. “That’s why they’re pulling products from the U.S. They’re turning ships around or redesignating them.”

The four countries under investigation supply about 80% of the solar panels imported by the U.S., according to the American Clean Power Association.

NMRV Series Worm Gear Reducer “It’s really just thrown a ton of chaos and uncertainty into the market,” said Mike August, branch manager for solar distributor CED Greentech’s Portland and Bend markets. “Until there’s any sort of nod or signal or formal response saying what the tariff will be or might be, a lot of folks are just hesitating to bring any material in at all.”Planetary gear motor,

That’s brought hundreds of projects across the country to a halt, including in Oregon.