[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 237 (Wednesday, December 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79163-79165]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27037]


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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: Final Results of 
Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2017

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that 
countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers/exporters of 
crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into 
modules (solar cells), from the People's Republic of China (China) 
during the period of review (POR) January 1, 2017 through December 31, 
2017.

DATES: Applicable December 9, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gene H. Calvert, 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) 482-3586.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Commerce published the Preliminary Results of this administrative 
review in the Federal Register on February 11, 2020.\1\ We invited 
interested parties to comment on the Preliminary Results. Between March 
12, 2020 and October 26, 2020, we received timely case briefs from the 
following interested parties: Trina Solar Co., Ltd. (formerly known as 
Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd.); the Government of China (GOC); 
BYD Shangluo Industrial Co., Ltd. and Shanghai BYD Co., Ltd. (the BYD 
Companies); JA Solar Technology Yangzhou, Co., Ltd. (JA Solar); Risen 
Energy Co., Ltd. (Risen Energy); and SunPower Manufacturing Oregon LLC. 
On November 2, 2020, we received timely rebuttal briefs from the 
following companies: JA Solar; the BYD Companies; and Risen Energy.
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    \1\ See Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not 
Assembled Into Modules, from the People's Republic of China: 
Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review and 
Rescission of Review, in Part; 2017, 85 FR 7727 (February 11, 2020) 
(Preliminary Results), and accompanying Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum (PDM).
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    On April 24, 2020, Commerce tolled the due date for these final 
results by 50 days.\2\ On July 21, 2020, Commerce tolled the due date 
for these final results an additional 60 days.\3\ On September 25, 
2020, Commerce extended the deadline for issuing the final results of 
this review by 60 days, until November 27, 2020.\4\
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    \2\ See Memorandum, ``Tolling of Deadlines for Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews in Response to 
Operational Adjustments Due to COVID-19,'' dated April 24, 2020.
    \3\ See Memorandum, ``Tolling of Deadlines for Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews,'' dated July 21, 2020.
    \4\ See Memorandum, ``Administrative Review of the 
Countervailing Duty Order on Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, 
Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, from the People's Republic of 
China: Extension of Deadline for the Final Results of the 
Administrative Review,'' dated September 25, 2020.
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Scope of the Order

    The products covered by the order are solar cells from China. A 
full description of the scope of the order is contained in the Issues 
and Decision Memorandum.\5\
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    \5\ See Memorandum, ``Issues and Decision Memorandum for the 
Final Results of the Administrative Review of the Countervailing 
Duty Order on Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not 
Assembled Into Modules, from the People's Republic of China; 2017,'' 
dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Issues 
and Decision Memorandum).
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Analysis of Comments Received

    All issues raised in interested parties' briefs are addressed in 
the Issues and Decision Memorandum accompanying this notice. A list of 
the issues raised by interested parties and to which Commerce responded 
in the Issues and Decision Memorandum is provided in Appendix I to this 
notice. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is 
on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). 
ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov. In 
addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can 
be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed 
and electronic versions of the Issues and Decision Memorandum are 
identical in content.

Changes Since the Preliminary Results

    Based on comments in case briefs and record evidence, Commerce made 
certain changes from the Preliminary Results, with regard to the ocean 
freight benchmark used to measure the remuneration of inputs for less 
than adequate remuneration, and corrected various ministerial errors 
for the respondent companies, JA Solar and

[[Page 79164]]

Risen Energy. These changes are explained in the Issues and Decision 
Memorandum.

Methodology

    Commerce conducted this administrative review in accordance with 
section 751(a)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). 
For each subsidy program found to be countervailable, Commerce finds 
that there is a subsidy, i.e., a financial contribution from a 
government or public entity that gives rise to a benefit to the 
recipient, and that the subsidy is specific.\6\ For a full description 
of the methodology underlying all of Commerce's conclusions, including 
any determination that relied upon the use of adverse facts available 
pursuant to section 776(a) and (b) of the Act, see the Issues and 
Decision Memorandum.
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    \6\ See sections 771(5)(B) and (D) of the Act regarding 
financial contribution; section 771(5)(E) of the Act regarding 
benefit; and section 771(5A) of the Act regarding specificity.
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Final Results of Administrative Review

    In accordance with 19 CFR 351.221(b)(5), Commerce calculated a 
countervailable subsidy rate for the mandatory company respondents, JA 
Solar and Risen Energy. For the non-selected companies subject to this 
review,\7\ Commerce followed its practice, which is to base the subsidy 
rates on a weighted average of the subsidy rates calculated for those 
companies selected for individual examination, excluding rates of zero, 
de minimis, or rates determined entirely based on adverse facts 
available.\8\ To this end, Commerce calculated a rate by weight-
averaging the calculated subsidy rates of JA Solar and Risen Energy 
using their publicly-available sales data for exports of subject 
merchandise to the United States during the POR. Commerce finds the 
countervailable subsidy rates for the producers/exporters under review 
to be as follows:
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    \7\ See Appendix II.
    \8\ See, e.g., Certain Pasta from Italy: Preliminary Results of 
the 13th (2008) Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, 75 FR 
18806, 18811 (April 13, 2010), unchanged in Certain Pasta from 
Italy: Final Results of the 13th (2008) Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Review, 75 FR 37386 (June 29, 2010).

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                                                           Subsidy rate
                         Company                           (ad valorem)
                                                             (percent)
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JA Solar Technology Yangzhou, Co., Ltd. (JA Solar) \9\..           14.86
Risen Energy Co., Ltd. (Risen Energy) \10\..............           11.68
Non-Selected Companies Under Review \11\................           12.67
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Disclosure

    Commerce will disclose to the parties in this proceeding the 
calculations performed for these final results within five days of the 
date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.\12\
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    \9\ As discussed in the Preliminary Results PDM, JA Solar is 
cross-owned with JA (Hefei) Renewable Energy Co., Ltd.; Hefei JA 
Solar Technology Co., Ltd.; JA Solar Investment China Co., Ltd.; JA 
Solar Technology Yangzhou Co., Ltd.; Jing Hai Yang Semiconductor 
Material (Donghai) Co., Ltd.; Donghai JingAo The Solar Energy 
Science and Technology Co., Ltd.; Solar Silicon Valley Electronic 
Science and Technology Co., Ltd.; Jingwei Electronic Materials Co., 
Ltd.; Hebei Yujing Electronic Science and Technology Co., Ltd.; 
Solar Silicon Peak Electronic Science and Technology Co., Ltd.; 
Beijing Jinfeng Investment Co., Ltd.; Jinglong Technology Holdings 
Co., Ltd.; JingAo Solar Co., Ltd.; Ningjin Songgong Electronic 
Materials Co., Ltd.; Jinglong Industry and Commerce Group Co., Ltd.; 
Ningjin Guiguang Electronic Investment Co., Ltd.; Ningjin County 
Jingyuan New Energy Investment Co., Ltd.; Hebei Jinglong Fine 
Chemicals Co., Ltd.; Ningjin Sunshine New Energy Co., Ltd.; Hebei 
Jinglong Sunshine Equipment Co., Ltd.; Hebei Jingle Optoelectronic 
Technology Co., Ltd.; Hebei Ningjin Songgong Semiconductor Co., 
Ltd.; Ningjin Jingxing Electronic Material Co., Ltd.; Ningjin 
Jingfeng Electronic Materials Co., Ltd.; Ningjin Saimei Ganglong 
Electronic Materials Co., Ltd.; Hebei Ningtong Electronic Materials 
Co., Ltd.; Ningjin Changlong Electronic Materials Manufacturing Co. 
Ltd.; JA Solar (Xingtai) Co., Ltd.; Xingtai Jinglong Electronic 
Material Co., Ltd.; Xingtai Jinglong PV Materials Co., Ltd.; Taicang 
Juren PV Material Co., Ltd.; JA PV Technology Co., Ltd.; Ningjin 
Longxin Investment Co., Ltd.; and Ningjin Jinglong PV Industry 
Investment Co., Ltd.
    \10\ As discussed in the Preliminary Results PDM, Risen Energy 
is cross-owned with Changzhou Sveck Photovoltaic New Material Co., 
Ltd.; Changzhou Sveck New Material Technology Co., Ltd.; JiuJiang 
Shengchao Xinye Technology Co., Ltd.; Jiangsu Sveck New Material 
Co., Ltd.; Ninghai Risen Energy Power Development Co., Ltd.; Risen 
(Luoyang) New Energy Co., Ltd.; Risen (Ningbo) Electric Power 
Development Co., Ltd.; Risen (Wuhai) New Energy Co., Ltd.; Zhejiang 
Boxin Investment Co., Ltd.; and Zhejiang Twinsel Electronic 
Technology Co., Ltd.
    \11\ See Appendix II.
    \12\ See 19 CFR 351.224(b).
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Assessment Rates

    Consistent with 19 CFR 351.212(b)(2), Commerce intends to issue 
assessment instructions to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 15 
days after the publication of these final results of review, to 
liquidate shipments of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from 
warehouse, for consumption, on or after January 1, 2017 through 
December 31, 2017, at the ad valorem rates listed above.

Cash Deposit Instructions

    In accordance with section 751(a)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends 
to instruct CBP to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing 
duties in the amounts shown for each of the respective companies listed 
above. These cash deposits, when imposed, shall remain in effect until 
further notice.

Administrative Protective Order

    This notice also serves as a reminder to parties subject to 
administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility 
concerning the destruction of proprietary information disclosed under 
APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written 
notification of the return or destruction of APO materials or 
conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to 
comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a sanctionable 
violation.

Notification to Interested Parties

    Commerce is issuing and publishing these results in accordance with 
sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

    Dated: November 27, 2020.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix I

List of Topics Discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. List of Comments from Interested Parties
IV. Scope of the Order
V. Changes Since the Preliminary Results
VI. Subsidies Valuation Information
    A. Allocation Period
    B. Cross-Ownership and Attribution of Subsidies
    C. Denominators
    D. Benchmarks and Discount Rates
VII. Use of Facts Available and Adverse Inferences
VIII. Programs Determined to be Countervailable
IX. Programs Determined to be Not Used or Not To Confer a Measurable 
Benefit During the POR
X. Ad Valorem Rate for Non-Selected Companies Under Review
XI. Analysis of Comments
Comment 1: Whether Commerce Appropriately Applied the Use of Adverse 
Facts Available (AFA) Regarding Responses from the GOC
Comment 2: Whether Input Suppliers That Are Wholly Owned by 
Individuals Are ``Government Authorities''
Comment 3: Whether Commerce Should Apply AFA to the Export Buyer's 
Credit Program (EBCP)
Comment 4: The Provision of Electricity
Comment 5: Whether the Income Tax Deduction for Research and 
Development (R&D) Expenses is Specific
Comment 6: Whether Commerce Should Revise the Benchmark for the 
Provision of Aluminum Extrusions
Comment 7: The Benchmark for the Provision of Solar Glass
Comment 8: The Benchmark for the Provision of Land

[[Page 79165]]

Comment 9: The Benchmark for Ocean Freight
Comment 10: Commerce's Use of ``Zeroing'' in Benefit Calculations
Comment 11: Whether Commerce Should Correct Errors to Sales 
Denominators and the Attribution of Subsidies
XII. Recommendation

Appendix II

Non-Selected Companies Under Review

1. Anji DaSol Solar Energy Science & Technology Co., Ltd.
2. Baoding Jiasheng Photovoltaic Technology Co., Ltd.
3. Baoding Tianwei Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
4. Beijing Tianneng Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
5. BYD (Shangluo) Industrial Co., Ltd.
6. Canadian Solar (USA) Inc.
7. Canadian Solar Inc.
8. Canadian Solar International Ltd.
9. Canadian Solar Manufacturing (Changshu) Inc.
10. Canadian Solar Manufacturing (Luoyang) Inc.
11. Changzhou Trina Solar Yabang Energy Co., Ltd.
12. CSI Cells Co., Ltd.
13. CSI-GCL Solar Manufacturing (Yancheng) Co., Ltd.
14. De-Tech Trading Limited HK
15. Dongguan Sunworth Solar Energy Co., Ltd.
16. Eoplly New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.
17. ERA Solar Co., Ltd.
18. ET Solar Energy Limited
19. Hainan Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
20. Hangzhou Sunny Energy Science and Technology Co., Ltd.
21. Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd.
22. Hengshui Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
23. Hubei Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd.
24. JA Technology Yangzhou Co., Ltd.
25. Jiangsu High Hope Int'l Group
26. Jiawei Solarchina (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
27. Jiawei Solarchina Co., Ltd.
28. Jinko Solar (U.S.) Inc.
29. Jinko Solar Co., Ltd.
30. Jinko Solar Import and Export Co., Ltd.
31. Jinko Solar International Limited
32. LERRI Solar Technology Co., Ltd.
33. Lightway Green New Energy Co., Ltd.
34. Lixian Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
35. Luoyang Suntech Power Co., Ltd.
36. Nice Sun PV Co., Ltd.
37. Ningbo ETDZ Holdings, Ltd.
38. Ningbo Qixin Solar Electrical Appliance Co., Ltd.
39. Shanghai BYD Co., Ltd.
40. Shenzhen Sungold Solar Co., Ltd.
41. Shenzhen Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
42. Sumec Hardware & Tools Co., Ltd.
43. Sunpreme Solar Technology (Jiaxing) Co., Ltd.
44. Systemes Versilis, Inc.
45. Taizhou BD Trade Co., Ltd.
46. TenKsolar (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
47. Tianjin Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
48. Tianneng Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
49. Toenergy Technology Hangzhou Co., Ltd.
50. Trina Solar (Changzhou) Science & Technology Co., Ltd.
51. Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Changzhou Trina 
Solar Energy Co., Ltd.)
52. Turpan Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd.
53. Wuxi Suntech Power Co., Ltd.
54. Wuxi Tianran Photovoltaic Co., Ltd.
55. Yancheng Trina Solar Energy Technology Co., Ltd.
56. Yingli Energy (China) Co., Ltd.
57. Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited
58. Yingli Green Energy International Trading Company Limited
59. Zhejiang ERA Solar Technology Co., Ltd.
60. Zhejiang Jinko Solar Co., Ltd.

[FR Doc. 2020-27037 Filed 12-8-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P