Notice2025-07138

Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, From Thailand: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination and Final Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances

Primary source

Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.

Published
April 25, 2025

Issuing agencies

Commerce DepartmentInternational Trade Administration

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules (solar cells), from Thailand. The period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 79 (Friday, April 25, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 79 (Friday, April 25, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17380-17384]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-07138]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-549-852]


Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled 
Into Modules, From Thailand: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty 
Determination and Final Affirmative Determination of Critical 
Circumstances

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that 
countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters 
of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled 
into modules (solar cells), from Thailand. The period of investigation 
(POI) is January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023.

DATES: Applicable April 25, 2025.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shane Subler or Henry Wolfe, AD/CVD 
Operations, Office VIII, Enforcement and Compliance, International 
Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution 
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-6241, and (202) 
482-0574, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On October 4, 2024, Commerce published the Preliminary 
Determination in the Federal Register, invited interested parties to 
comment on the Preliminary Determination, and aligned this 
countervailing duty investigation with the final determination in the 
less-than-fair value investigation of crystalline silicon photovoltaic 
cells, whether or not assembled into modules, from Thailand, in 
accordance with section 705(a)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended 
(the Act), and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(4).\1\ On January 7, 2025, Commerce 
released its Post-Preliminary Analysis.\2\ For a complete discussion of 
the events that followed the Preliminary Determination, see the Issues 
and Decision Memorandum.\3\ 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 
<a href="https://access.trade.gov">https://access.trade.gov</a>. In addition, a complete version of the Issues 
and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at <a href="https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx">https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx</a>.
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    \1\ See Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not 
Assembled into Modules, from Thailand: Preliminary Affirmative 
Countervailing Duty Determination, Preliminary Affirmative Critical 
Circumstances Determination, in Part, and Alignment of Final 
Determination with Final Antidumping Duty Determination, 89 FR 80877 
(October 4, 2024) (Preliminary Determination), and accompanying 
Preliminary Decision Memorandum (PDM).
    \2\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Post-
Preliminary Analysis in the Countervailing Duty Investigation of 
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled 
into Modules, from Thailand,'' dated January 7, 2025.
    \3\ See Memorandum, ``Issues and Decision Memorandum for the 
Final Affirmative Determination of the Countervailing Duty 
Investigation of Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or 
Not Assembled into Modules, from Thailand,'' dated concurrently 
with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Issues and Decision 
Memorandum).
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Scope of the Investigation

    The products covered by this investigation are solar cells from 
Thailand. For a complete description of the scope of this 
investigation, see Appendix I.

Scope Comments

    In Commerce's Preliminary Scope Memorandum, we set aside a period 
of time for parties to raise issues regarding product coverage (i.e., 
scope) in scope-specific case briefs or other written comments on scope 
issues.\4\ Between December 27, 2024, and January 3, 2025, Commerce 
received a scope case brief and a rebuttal brief from JA Solar USA Inc. 
and JA Solar Vietnam Company Limited (collectively, JA Solar) and the 
American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee (the 
petitioner), respectively.\5\ For a summary of the product coverage 
comments and rebuttal responses submitted to the record for this final 
determination, and accompanying discussion and analysis of all comments 
timely received, see the Final Scope Memorandum.\6\ In the Final Scope 
Memorandum, Commerce determined that it is modifying the scope language 
as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. See Appendix I.
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    \4\ See Memorandum, ``Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, 
Whether or Not Assembled into Modules, from Cambodia, Malaysia, and 
Thailand: Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum,'' dated November 
27, 2024. (Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum).
    \5\ See JA Solar's Letter, ``Scope Case Brief,'' dated December 
27, 2024; see also Petitioner's Letter, ``Petitioner's Rebuttal 
Scope Brief,'' dated January 3, 2025.
    \6\ See Memorandum, ``Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, 
Whether or Not Assembled into Modules, from Cambodia, Malaysia, 
Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Final Scope 
Decision Memorandum,'' dated concurrently with this notice (Final 
Scope Decision Memorandum).
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Verification

    As provided in section 782(i) of the Act, in January 2025, Commerce 
conducted verification of the subsidy information reported by the Royal 
Thai Government (RTG) and Trina Solar Science & Technology (Thailand) 
Ltd. (TTL). We also verified information in the quantity and value 
questionnaire responses submitted by Runergy PV Technology (Thailand) 
Co. Ltd. (Runergy) and Talesun Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd. 
(Talesun). We used standard verification procedures, including an 
examination of relevant accounting records and original source 
documents provided by the RTG, TTL, Runergy, and Talesun.

Analysis of Subsidy Programs and Comments Received

    The subsidy programs under investigation and the issues raised in 
the case and rebuttal briefs that were submitted by interested parties 
in this

[[Page 17381]]

investigation are discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. For 
a list of the issues raised by interested parties and addressed in the 
Issues and Decision Memorandum, see Appendix II.

Final Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances

    Commerce preliminarily determined, in accordance with section 
703(e)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.206(c)(1), that critical 
circumstances did not exist with respect to imports of solar cells 
exported by TTL, but that critical circumstances did exist with respect 
to imports of solar cells produced and/or exported by Sunshine 
Electrical Energy (Sunshine Electrical), Taihua New Energy (Thailand) 
Co. Ltd. (Taihua New Energy), and all other producers and/or 
exporters.\7\
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    \7\ See Preliminary Determination PDM at 38-41.
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    For the final determination, pursuant to section 705(a)(2) of the 
Act and 19 CFR 351.206, we continue to find that critical circumstances 
exist for Sunshine Electrical and Taihua New Energy. Additionally, we 
continue to find that critical circumstances exist for all other 
producers and/or exporters not individually examined, and we determine 
that critical circumstances exist for TTL. For a full description of 
the methodology and results of Commerce's critical circumstances 
analysis, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

Methodology

    Commerce conducted this investigation in accordance with section 
701 of the Act. For each of the subsidy programs found to be 
countervailable, Commerce determines that there is a subsidy, i.e., a 
financial contribution by an ``authority'' that gives rise to a benefit 
to the recipient, and that the subsidy is specific.\8\ For a full 
description of the methodology underlying our final determination, see 
the Issues and Decision Memorandum.
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    \8\ See sections 771(5)(B) and (D) of the Act regarding 
financial contribution; see also section 771(5)(E) of the Act 
regarding benefit; and section 771(5A) of the Act regarding 
specificity.
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    In making this final determination, Commerce relied, in part, on 
facts otherwise available, including with an adverse inference, 
pursuant to sections 776(a) and (b) of the Act. For a full discussion 
of our application of adverse facts available (AFA), see the Issues and 
Decision Memorandum at the section entitled ``Uses of Facts Available 
and Application of Adverse Inferences.''

Changes Since the Preliminary Determination

    Based on our review and analysis of the information at verification 
and comments received from interested parties, we made changes to the 
subsidy rate calculations for TTL, Sunshine Electrical, Taihua New 
Energy, and all other producers and/or exporters, including the 
addition of subsidy programs included in the Post-Preliminary Analysis. 
For a discussion of these changes, see the Issues and Decision 
Memorandum.

All-Others Rate

    In accordance with section 705(c)(1)(B)(i) of the Act, we 
calculated an individual estimated countervailable subsidy rate for the 
mandatory respondent, TTL. Section 705(c)(5)(A)(i) of the Act states 
that, for companies not individually investigated, Commerce will 
determine an all-others rate equal to the weighted-average 
countervailable subsidy rates established for exporters and/or 
producers individually investigated, excluding any zero and de minimis 
countervailable subsidy rates, and any rates determined entirely under 
section 776 of the Act. For this final determination, TTL's subsidy 
rate is not zero, de minimis, or determined entirely under section 776 
of the Act. Consequently, we have assigned the subsidy rate calculated 
for TTL as the rate for all other producers and/or exporters.

Final Determination

    Commerce determines that the following estimated countervailable 
subsidy rates exist for the period January 1, 2023, through December 
31, 2023:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Subsidy rate
                         Company                           (percent  ad
                                                             valorem)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunshine Electrical Energy..............................        * 799.55
Taihua New Energy (Thailand) Co. Ltd....................        * 799.55
Trina Solar Science & Technology (Thailand) Ltd.........          263.74
All Others..............................................          263.74
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Rate based on facts available with adverse inferences.

Disclosure

    Commerce intends to disclose the calculations performed to 
interested parties in this final determination within five days of any 
public announcement or, if there is no public announcement, within five 
days of the date of the publication of the notice in the Federal 
Register, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

Suspension of Liquidation

    Because we preliminarily determined that the countervailing duty 
(CVD) rate for TTL was de minimis, we did not instruct U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection (CBP) to suspend entries of subject merchandise, as 
described in Appendix I to this notice, from TTL.\9\ Section 
705(c)(4)(C) of the Act provides that in the event of a final 
affirmative determination of critical circumstances, when the 
preliminary determination under section 703(b) of the Act was negative, 
any suspension of liquidation shall apply to unliquidated entries of 
subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for 
consumption on or after the date which is 90 days before the date on 
which the suspension of liquidation was first ordered. Therefore, in 
accordance with section 705(c)(4)(C) of the Act, we will now direct CBP 
to suspend liquidation of all imports of the subject merchandise from 
TTL entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after 
90 days prior to the date of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, and to require the posting of a cash deposit for such entries 
of merchandise.
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    \9\ See Preliminary Determination, 89 FR 80875.
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    We preliminarily determined that critical circumstances existed for 
imports of subject merchandise produced and/or exported by Sunshine 
Electrical, Taihua New Energy, and all other producers and/or exporters 
not individually examined.\10\ With respect to Sunshine Electrical, 
Taihua New Energy, and all other producers and/or exporters not 
individually examined, as a result of our Preliminary Determination and 
pursuant to sections 703(d)(1)(B) and (d)(2) of the Act, we directed 
CBP to suspend liquidation of entries of subject merchandise, as 
described in the scope of the investigation section, that were entered, 
or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after July 6, 2024, 
which was 90 days prior to the date of the publication of the 
Preliminary Determination in the Federal Register.\11\ Pursuant to 19 
CFR 351.205(d), we instructed CBP to require a cash deposit equal to 
the rates indicated in the Preliminary Determination.\12\ In accordance 
with section 703(d) of the Act, on January 31, 2025, we instructed CBP 
to discontinue the suspension of liquidation of all entries of subject 
merchandise entered or withdrawn from warehouse on or after February 1, 
2025. For this final determination, as

[[Page 17382]]

explained in the ``Final Affirmative Determination of Critical 
Circumstances'' section above, we continue to determine that critical 
circumstances exist for Sunshine Electrical and Taihua New Energy. 
Accordingly, we will instruct CBP to continue to suspend liquidation of 
all entries of subject merchandise from Sunshine Electrical and Taihua 
New Energy entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or 
after July 6, 2024, which is 90 days prior to the date of publication 
of the Preliminary Determination, through January 31, 2025.
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    \10\ Id.
    \11\ Id.
    \12\ Id.
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    If the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) issues a final 
affirmative injury determination, we will issue a CVD order, reinstate 
the suspension of liquidation under section 706(a) of the Act with 
respect to Sunshine Electrical, Taihua New Energy, and all other 
producer and/or exporters not individually examined, and require a cash 
deposit of estimated countervailing duties for entries of subject 
merchandise in the amounts indicated in the ``Final Determination'' 
section above. Pursuant to section 705(c)(2) of the Act, if the ITC 
determines that material injury, or threat of material injury, does not 
exist, this proceeding will be terminated, and all estimated duties 
deposited or securities posted as a result of the suspension of 
liquidation will be refunded or cancelled.

ITC Notification

    In accordance with section 705(d) of the Act, Commerce will notify 
the ITC of its final affirmative determination that countervailable 
subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of solar cells 
from Thailand. Because Commerce's final determination is affirmative, 
in accordance with section 705(b) of the Act, the ITC will make its 
final determination as to whether the domestic industry in the United 
States is materially injured, or threatened with material injury, by 
reason of imports or sales (or the likelihood of sales) for importation 
of solar cells from Thailand no later than 45 days after this final 
determination. If the ITC determines that material injury or threat of 
material injury does not exist, this proceeding will be terminated and 
all cash deposits will be refunded. If the ITC determines that such 
injury does exist, Commerce will issue a countervailing duty order 
directing CBP to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce, 
countervailing duties on all imports of the subject merchandise that 
are entered, or withdrawn, for consumption on or after the effective 
date of the suspension of liquidation, as discussed above in the 
``Suspension of Liquidation'' section.

Administrative Protective Order (APO)

    This notice serves as the final reminder to parties subject to an 
APO of their responsibility concerning the return or 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 
the terms of an APO is a violation subject to sanction.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This determination is issued and published in accordance with 
sections 705(d) and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.210(c).

    Dated: April 18, 2025.
Christopher Abbott,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the 
non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

    The merchandise covered by this investigation is crystalline 
silicon photovoltaic cells, and modules, laminates, and panels, 
consisting of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not 
partially or fully assembled into other products, including, but not 
limited to, modules, laminates, panels and building integrated 
materials.
    This investigation covers crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells 
of thickness equal to or greater than 20 micrometers, having a p/n 
junction formed by any means, whether or not the cell has undergone 
other processing, including, but not limited to, cleaning, etching, 
coating, and/or addition of materials (including, but not limited 
to, metallization and conductor patterns) to collect and forward the 
electricity that is generated by the cell.
    Merchandise under consideration may be described at the time of 
importation as parts for final finished products that are assembled 
after importation, including, but not limited to, modules, 
laminates, panels, building-integrated modules, building-integrated 
panels, or other finished goods kits. Such parts that otherwise meet 
the definition of merchandise under consideration are included in 
the scope of the investigations.
    Excluded from the scope of the investigation are thin film 
photovoltaic products produced from amorphous silicon (a-Si), 
cadmium telluride (CdTe), or copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS).
    Also excluded from the scope of the investigation are 
crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, not exceeding 10,000 mm\2\ 
in surface area, that are permanently integrated into a consumer 
good whose function is other than power generation and that consumes 
the electricity generated by the integrated crystalline silicon 
photovoltaic cell. Where more than one cell is permanently 
integrated into a consumer good, the surface area for purposes of 
this exclusion shall be the total combined surface area of all cells 
that are integrated into the consumer good.
    Additionally, excluded from the scope of the investigation are 
panels with surface area from 3,450 mm\2\ to 33,782 mm\2\ with one 
black wire and one red wire (each of type 22 AWG or 24 AWG not more 
than 206 mm in length when measured from panel extrusion), and not 
exceeding 2.9 volts, 1.1 amps, and 3.19 watts. For the purposes of 
this exclusion, no panel shall contain an internal battery or 
external computer peripheral ports.
    Also excluded from the scope of the investigation are:
    1. Off grid CSPV panels in rigid form with a glass cover, with 
the following characteristics: (A) a total power output of 100 watts 
or less per panel; (B) a maximum surface area of 8,000 cm\2\ per 
panel; (C) do not include a built-in inverter; (D) must include a 
permanently connected wire that terminates in either an 8 mm male 
barrel connector, or a two-port rectangular connector with two pins 
in square housings of different colors; (E) must include visible 
parallel grid collector metallic wire lines every 1-4 millimeters 
across each solar cell; and (F) must be in individual retail 
packaging (for purposes of this provision, retail packaging 
typically includes graphics, the product name, its description and/
or features, and foam for transport); and
    2. Off grid CSPV panels without a glass cover, with the 
following characteristics: (A) a total power output of 100 watts or 
less per panel; (B) a maximum surface area of 8,000 cm\2\ per panel; 
(C) do not include a built-in inverter; (D) must include visible 
parallel grid collector metallic wire lines every 1-4 millimeters 
across each solar cell; and (E) each panel is (1) permanently 
integrated into a consumer good; (2) encased in a laminated material 
without stitching, or (3) has all of the following characteristics: 
(i) the panel is encased in sewn fabric with visible stitching, (ii) 
includes a mesh zippered storage pocket, and (iii) includes a 
permanently attached wire that terminates in a female USB-A 
connector.
    In addition, the following CSPV panels are excluded from the 
scope of the investigation: off-grid CSPV panels in rigid form with 
a glass cover, with each of the following physical characteristics, 
whether or not assembled into a fully completed off-grid hydropanel 
whose function is conversion of water vapor into liquid water: (A) a 
total power output of no more than 80 watts per panel; (B) a surface 
area of less than 5,000 square centimeters (cm\2\) per panel; (C) do 
not include a built-in inverter; (D) do not have a frame around the 
edges of the panel; (E) include a clear glass back panel; and (F) 
must include a permanently connected wire that terminates in a 
twoport rectangular connector.
    Additionally excluded from the scope of this investigation are 
off-grid small portable

[[Page 17383]]

crystalline silicon photovoltaic panels, with or without a glass 
cover, with the following characteristics: (1) a total power output 
of 200 watts or less per panel; (2) a maximum surface area of 16,000 
cm\2\ per panel; (3) no built-in inverter; (4) an integrated handle 
or a handle attached to the package for ease of carry; (5) one or 
more integrated kickstands for easy installation or angle 
adjustment; and (6) a wire of not less than 3 meters either 
permanently connected or attached to the package that terminates in 
an 8 mm diameter male barrel connector.
    Also excluded from the scope of this investigation are off-grid 
crystalline silicon photovoltaic panels in rigid form with a glass 
cover, with each of the following physical characteristics, whether 
or not assembled into a fully completed off-grid hydropanel whose 
function is conversion of water vapor into liquid water: (A) a total 
power output of no more than 180 watts per panel at 155 degrees 
Celsius; (B) a surface area of less than 16,000 square centimeters 
(cm\2\) per panel; (C) include a keep-out area of approximately 
1,200 cm\2\ around the edges of the panel that does not contain 
solar cells; (D) do not include a built-in inverter; (E) do not have 
a frame around the edges of the panel; (F) include a clear glass 
back panel; (G) must include a permanently connected wire that 
terminates in a two-port rounded rectangular, sealed connector; (H) 
include a thermistor installed into the permanently connected wire 
before the twoport connector; and (I) include exposed positive and 
negative terminals at opposite ends of the panel, not enclosed in a 
junction box.
    Further excluded from the scope of the investigation are:
    1. Off grid rigid CSPV panels with a glass cover, with the 
following characteristics: (A) a total power output of 200 watts or 
less per panel, (B) a maximum surface area of 10,500 cm\2\ per 
panel, (C) do not include a built-in inverter, (D) must include a 
permanently connected wire that terminates in waterproof connector 
with a cylindrical positive electrode and a rectangular negative 
electrode with the positive and negative electrodes having an 
interlocking structure, (E) must include visible parallel grid 
collector metallic wire lines every 1-4 millimeters across each 
solar cell, and (F) must be in individual retail packaging (for 
purposes of this provision, retail packaging typically includes 
graphics, the product name, its description and/or features); and
    2. Off-grid small portable crystalline silicon photovoltaic 
panels, with or without a glass cover, with the following 
characteristics: (A) a total power output of 200 watts or less per 
panel, (B) a maximum surface area of 16,000 cm\2\ per panel, (C) no 
built-in inverter, (D) an integrated handle or a handle attached to 
the package for ease of carry, (E) one or more integrated kickstands 
for easy installation or angle adjustment, and (F) a wire either 
permanently connected or attached to the package terminates in 
waterproof connector with a cylindrical positive electrode and a 
rectangular negative electrode with the positive and negative 
electrodes having an interlocking structure.
    Also excluded from the scope of the investigation are:
    1. Off grid rigid CSPV panels with a glass cover, with the 
following characteristics: (A) a total power output of 200 watts or 
less per panel, (B) a maximum surface area of 10,500 cm\2\ per 
panel, (C) do not include a built-in inverter, (D) must include a 
permanently connected wire that terminates in waterproof connector 
with a cylindrical positive electrode and a rectangular negative 
electrode with the positive and negative electrodes having an 
interlocking structure, (E) must include visible parallel grid 
collector metallic wire lines every 1-4 millimeters across each 
solar cell, and (F) must be in individual retail packaging (for 
purposes of this provision, retail packaging typically includes 
graphics, the product name, its description and/or features); and
    2. Small off-grid panels with glass cover, with the following 
characteristics: (A) surface area from 3,450 mm\2\ to 33,782 mm\2\, 
(B) with one black wire and one red wire (each of type 22AWG or 28 
AWG not more than 350 mm in length when measured from panel 
extrusion), (C) not exceeding 10 volts, (D) not exceeding 1.1 amps, 
(E) not exceeding 6 watts, and (F) for the purposes of this 
exclusion, no panel shall contain an internal battery or external 
computer peripheral ports.
    Additionally excluded from the scope of the investigation are:
    1. Off grid rigid CSPV panels with a glass cover, with the 
following characteristics: (A) a total power output of 175 watts or 
less per panel, (B) a maximum surface area of 9,000 cm\2\ per panel, 
(C) do not include a built-in inverter, (D) must include a 
permanently connected wire that terminates in waterproof connector 
with a cylindrical positive electrode and a rectangular negative 
electrode with the positive and negative electrodes having an 
interlocking structure; (E) must include visible parallel grid 
collector metallic wire lines every 1-4 millimeters across each 
solar cell, and (F) must be in individual retail packaging (for 
purposes of this provision, retail packaging typically includes 
graphics, the product name, its description and/or features); and
    2. Off grid CSPV panels without a glass cover, with the 
following characteristics, (A) a total power output of 220 watts or 
less per panel, (B) a maximum surface area of 16,000 cm\2\ per 
panel, (C) do not include a built-in inverter, (D) must include 
visible parallel grid collector metallic wire lines every 1-4 
millimeters across each solar cell, and (E) each panel is encased in 
a laminated material without stitching.
    Also excluded from the scope of this investigation are off-grid 
CSPV panels in rigid form, with or without a glass cover, 
permanently attached to an aluminum extrusion that is an integral 
component of an automation device that controls natural light, 
whether or not assembled into a fully completed automation device 
that controls natural light, with the following characteristics:
    1. a total power output of 20 watts or less per panel;
    2. a maximum surface area of 1,000 cm\2\ per panel;
    3. does not include a built-in inverter for powering third party 
devices.
    Modules, laminates, and panels produced in a third-country from 
cells produced in a subject country are covered by the 
investigations; however, modules, laminates, and panels produced in 
a subject country from cells produced in a third-country are not 
covered by the investigations.
    Also excluded from the scope of this investigation are all 
products covered by the scope of the antidumping and countervailing 
duty orders on Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or 
Not Assembled into Modules, from the People's Republic of China: 
Amended Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, and 
Antidumping Duty Order, 77 FR 73018 (December 7, 2012); and 
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled 
into Modules, from the People's Republic of China: Countervailing 
Duty Order, 77 FR 73017 (December 7, 2012).
    Merchandise covered by the investigation is currently classified 
in the Harmonized Tariff System of the United States (HTSUS) under 
subheadings 8541.42.0010 and 8541.43.0010. Imports of the subject 
merchandise may enter under HTSUS subheadings 8501.71.0000, 
8501.72.1000, 8501.72.2000, 8501.72.3000, 8501.72.9000, 
8501.80.1000, 8501.80.2000, 8501.80.3000, 8501.80.9000, 
8507.20.8010, 8507.20.8031, 8507.20.8041, 8507.20.8061, and 
8507.20.8091. These HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience 
and customs purposes; the written description of the scope of the 
investigations is dispositive.

Appendix II

List of Topics Discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Final Critical Circumstances Determination
IV. Changes Since the Preliminary Determination
V. Subsidies Valuation Information
VI. Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Application of Adverse 
Inferences
VII. Benchmarks for Measuring the Adequacy of Remuneration
VIII. Analysis of Programs
IX. Discussion of the Issues
    Comment 1: Whether Commerce Should Reach an Affirmative 
Determination of Critical Circumstances
    Comment 2: Whether Commerce Erred in Its Calculation of the 
``All Others'' Rate
    Comment 3: Whether Commerce Has the Legal Authority Under the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) Rules and U.S. Law to Investigate 
Transnational Subsidies
    Comment 4: Policy Lending from Chinese Banks for Belt and Road 
Initiative (BRI) Capacity Cooperation Projects
    Comment 5: Substantial Evidence for the Cross-Border Provision 
of Chinese Polysilicon, Silicon Wafer, Silver Paste, and Solar Glass 
for Less Than Adequate Remuneration (LTAR)
    Comment 6: Specificity for the Cross-Border Provision of Chinese 
Origin Polysilicon, Silicon Wafer, Silver Paste, and Solar Glass for 
LTAR
    Comment 7: Whether Commerce Should Use Tier Two Benchmarks to 
Measure the Benefit Provided by the Cross-Border Provision of 
Chinese Silicon Wafers

[[Page 17384]]

    Comment 8: Whether Commerce Should Use Tier Two Benchmarks to 
Measure the Benefit Provided by the Cross-Border Provision of 
Chinese Solar Glass
    Comment 9: Whether Commerce Should Use Tier Two Benchmarks to 
Measure the Benefit Provided by the Cross-Border Provision of 
Chinese Silver Paste
    Comment 10: Whether Commerce Should Apply Adverse Facts 
Available (AFA) or Otherwise Countervail Short-Term Loans to TTL
    Comment 11: Whether Commerce Should Make Downward Adjustments to 
TTL's Reported Purchase Prices for Silicon Wafers and Solar Glass
    Comment 12: Whether Commerce's Determination That Trina Solar 
Co., Ltd. (TCZ) and Trina Solar (Suqian) Silicon Materials Co., Ltd. 
(TSM(SQ)) Are ``Authorities'' Is Supported by the Record Evidence
    Comment 13: Whether Commerce Made an Error in Its Calculation of 
the Benefit Provided by the Royal Thai Government's (RTG's) 
Provision of Electricity for LTAR
    Comment 14: Whether the Provision of Electricity for LTAR is 
Countervailable
    Comment 15: Whether Commerce Should Have Selected an Additional 
Mandatory Respondent
    Comment 16: Whether Commerce Should Apply AFA to Taihua New 
Energy (Thailand) Co. Ltd. (Taihua New Energy)
    Comment 17: Whether Commerce Should Initiate an Investigation 
Into Whether Producers in Malaysia Benefited From the Cross-Border 
Provision of Silicon Wafers for LTAR
X. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2025-07138 Filed 4-24-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on April 25, 2025.

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