[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 159 (Monday, August 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50007-50008]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17943]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-570-980]


Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled 
Into Modules, From the People's Republic of China: Notice of Court 
Decision Not in Harmony With Final Results of Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Review and Notice of Amended Final Results of Review

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: On August 4, 2020, the United States Court of International 
Trade (the Court) entered final judgment sustaining the final results 
of remand redetermination pursuant to court order by the Department of 
Commerce (Commerce) pertaining to the 2014 countervailing duty (CVD) 
administrative review of the order on crystalline silicon photovoltaic 
cells, whether or not assembled into modules (solar cells), from the 
People's Republic of China (China). Commerce is notifying the public 
that the final judgment in this case is not in harmony with Commerce's 
final results in the 2014 administrative review of solar cells from 
China, and that Commerce is amending the final results.

DATES: Applicable August 14, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caitlin Monks, AD/CVD Operations, 
Office VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-2670.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On July 17, 2017, Commerce published its final results of the 2014 
administrative review of solar cells.\1\ Commerce reached affirmative 
determinations for mandatory respondents Canadian Solar Manufacturing 
(Changshu) Inc. and its cross-owned affiliates (collectively, Canadian 
Solar) and Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd. and its cross-owned 
affiliates (collectively, Trina Solar), as well as numerous other 
producers and exporters not selected for individual review. On November 
30, 2018, the Court remanded aspects of the Final Results to Commerce 
for further consideration.\2\ The Court remanded Commerce's 
determinations as regards to the Export Buyer's Credit Program, the 
inclusion of Comtrade data in calculating the world market price for 
aluminum extrusions and solar glass, Commerce's decision to revert to a 
tier-two benchmark in determining the price for polysilicon without 
considering a respondent's proffered evidence, and the finding that the 
provision of electricity constitutes a specific and thus 
countervailable subsidy.\3\ In its first remand redetermination, issued 
in April 2019,\4\ Commerce provided additional explanation and evidence 
for its determinations, but the Court continued to find them 
unsupported by substantial evidence and remanded them a second time.\5\
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    \1\ See Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not 
Assembled into Modules, from the People's Republic of China: Final 
Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, and Partial 
Rescission of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2014, 82 FR 
32678 (July 17, 2017) (Final Results), and accompanying Issues and 
Decision Memorandum (IDM), as amended by Crystalline Silicon 
Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled into Modules, from the 
People's Republic of China: Amended Final Results of Countervailing 
Duty Administrative Review, 82 FR 46760 (October 6, 2017) (Amended 
Final Results).
    \2\ See Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd. et al. v. United 
States, Slip Op. 18-166 (November 30, 2018).
    \3\ Id. at 44.
    \4\ See Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd. et al. v. United 
States, Court of International Trade Consolidated Court No. 17-
00198, ``Final Results of Redetermination Pursuant to Court 
Remand,'' dated April 24, 2019.
    \5\ See Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co. v. United States, Slip 
Op. 19-137 (November 8, 2019) (Second Remand Order).
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    In its second remand redetermination, issued in February 2020,\6\ 
Commerce explained that, although it continues to believe that it is 
not possible to verify whether respondents used the Export Buyer's 
Credit Program without the cooperation of the Government of China 
(GOC), it found the program not used, under protest, to comply with the 
Court's order.\7\ Commerce also solicited additional information for 
the solar glass benchmark, and selected data from PV Insights 
consistent with Commerce's preference for product specific monthly 
data.\8\ For aluminum extrusions, Commerce used the more product-
specific annual data from IHS exclusively rather than averaging them 
with less specific monthly Comtrade data, consistent with the Court's 
order.\9\

[[Page 50008]]

For polysilicon, Commerce placed additional information on the record 
that supported its finding that the solar grade polysilicon market in 
China is distorted by government involvement.\10\ Finally, Commerce 
found, based on adverse facts available, that the provision of 
electricity for less-than-adequate remuneration is a regionally 
specific subsidy program, based on the GOC's failure to explain the 
variation in electricity prices between provinces.\11\
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    \6\ See Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd. v. United States, 
Consol. Court No. 17-00198; Slip Op. 19-137 (November 8, 2019), 
``Final Results of Redetermination Pursuant to Court Remand,'' dated 
February 28, 2020 (Second Remand Redetermination).
    \7\ Id. at 11-12.
    \8\ Id. at 13-14.
    \9\ Id. at 12-13.
    \10\ Id. at 14-22.
    \11\ Id. at 22-24.
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    The Court sustained Commerce's second remand redetermination in 
full.\12\ Specifically, the Court found that Commerce's determinations 
regarding the Export Buyer's Credit Program, as well as the aluminum 
extrusions and solar glass benchmarks, complied with the options the 
Court provided in the Second Remand Order.\13\ For polysilicon, the 
Court explained that Commerce reasonably identified further evidence 
supporting its finding of market distortion.\14\ Finally, the Court 
found that Commerce appropriately identified the missing information 
and facts that, when combined with an adverse inference, supported 
finding that the provision of electricity is regionally specific.\15\
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    \12\ See Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd. v. United 
States, Slip Op. 20-108 (August 4, 2020).
    \13\ Id. at 4-8 (Export Buyer's Credit Program) and 8-14 
(benchmarks for aluminum extrusions and solar glass).
    \14\ Id. at 14-18.
    \15\ Id. at 18-25.
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Timken Notice

    In its decision in Timken,\16\ as clarified by Diamond 
Sawblades,\17\ the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held that, 
pursuant to section 516A(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the 
Act), Commerce must publish a notice of court decision that is not ``in 
harmony'' with a Commerce determination and must suspend liquidation of 
entries pending a ``conclusive'' court decision. The Court's August 4, 
2020, judgment constitutes a final decision of that court that is not 
in harmony with Commerce's Final Results and Amended Final Results. 
This notice is published in fulfillment of the publication requirements 
of Timken. Accordingly, Commerce will continue suspension of 
liquidation of subject merchandise pending expiration of the period of 
appeal or, if appealed, pending a final and conclusive court decision.
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    \16\ See Timken Co. v. United States, 893 F.2d 337 (Fed. Cir. 
1990) (Timken).
    \17\ See Diamond Sawblades Mfrs. Coalition v. United States, 626 
F.3d 1374 (Fed. Cir. 2010).
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Amended Final Results

    Because there is now a final court decision, Commerce is amending 
the Amended Final Results with respect to Canadian Solar, Trina Solar, 
and all other producers and exporters subject to this review. The 
revised total subsidy rates for Canadian Solar and Trina Solar for the 
period January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014 are as follows: \18\
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    \18\ See Second Remand Redetermination at 48.
    \19\ See Final Results, 82 FR at 32680. Cross-owned affiliates 
are: Canadian Solar Inc.; Canadian Solar Manufacturing (Luoyang) 
Inc.; CSI Cells Co., Ltd.; CSI Solar Power (China) Inc.; CSI 
Solartronics (Changshu) Co., Ltd.; CSI Solar Technologies Inc.; and 
CSI Solar Manufacture Inc.
    \20\ Id. Cross-owned affiliates are: Trina Solar Limited; Trina 
Solar (Changzhou) Science & Technology Co., Ltd.; Yancheng Trina 
Solar Energy Technology Co., Ltd.; Changzhou Trina Solar Yabang 
Energy Co., Ltd.; Hubei Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd.; Turpan Trina 
Solar Energy Co., Ltd.; and Changzhou Trina PV Ribbon Materials Co., 
Ltd.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Subsidy rate
                  Exporter or producer                     (percent  ad
                                                             valorem)
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Canadian Solar Manufacturing (Changshu) Inc. and its                7.36
 Cross-Owned Affiliates \19\............................
Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd. and its Cross-               5.97
 Owned Affiliates \20\..................................
BYD (Shangluo) Industrial Co., Ltd......................            6.44
Chint Solar (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd.........................            6.44
ET Solar Energy Limited.................................            6.44
ET Solar Industry Limited...............................            6.44
Hangzhou Sunny Energy Science and Technology Co., Ltd...            6.44
Jiawei Solarchina Co., Ltd..............................            6.44
Jiawei Solarchina (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd...................            6.44
Lightway Green New Energy Co., Ltd......................            6.44
Luoyang Suntech Power Co., Ltd..........................            6.44
Ningbo Qixin Solar Electrical Appliance Co., Ltd........            6.44
Shanghai BYD Co., Ltd...................................            6.44
Shenzhen Topray Solar Co. Ltd...........................            6.44
Systemes Versilis, Inc..................................            6.44
Taizhou BD Trade Co., Ltd...............................            6.44
tenKsolar (Shanghai) Co., Ltd...........................            6.44
Toenergy Technology Hangzhou Co., Ltd...................            6.44
Wuxi Suntech Power Co., Ltd.............................            6.44
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Amended Cash Deposit Rates

    Commerce will issue revised cash deposit instructions to U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection for all firms above that do not have a 
superseding cash deposit rate (e.g., from a subsequent administrative 
review). For such firms, the revised cash deposit rates will be the 
rates indicated above, effective August 14, 2020.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 
516A(e)(1), 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

    Dated: August 11, 2020.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2020-17943 Filed 8-14-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P