US president Donald Trump has brought in new tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico, which will hit batteries – the kind of move Samsung SDI said could benefit its Korea-based manufacturing.
Lithium-sulfur battery and supermaterials firm Lyten is seeking a US$650 million loan from the US import-export bank EXIM to scale up manufacturing and meet BESS orders from the Caribbean region.
US lawmakers have accused lithium-ion battery OEMs CATL and Gotion High-Tech of having supply chain connections to forced labour and Uyghur oppression in China – a claim the firms adamantly deny – and called on an immediate block on shipments of their products.
Rapid technology improvements and trade policy risk pose a dilemma for US battery storage procurement decision-makers, write George Touloupas and Jeff Zwijack of consultancy and market intelligence firm Clean Energy Associates (CEA).
The BESS ‘land grab’ looks set to continue as Tier 2 companies vie for market share before countries potentially curb imports from China, with one developer suggesting the recent CATL-Duke Energy case will “not be unique”.
The July 2021 episode of the Solar Media Podcast, sponsored by Honeywell, is now available to stream, as we delve into everything you need to know about recent polysilicon trade sanctions in the US.
