Suniva
IndustryPhotovoltaic Manufacturing
Founded1 January 2006
2008 Edit this on Wikidata
FounderDr. Ajeet Rohatgi
Headquarters
Norcross, GA
,
US
Key people
Dr. Ajeet Rohatgi (Founder)
John Baumstark (CEO), Matt Card
ProductsPhotovoltaic Cells and Modules
ParentLion Point Capital LP
Websitewww.suniva.com

Suniva is a 100% American owned,[1] U.S. based manufacturer of high-efficiency crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. Headquartered in metropolitan Atlanta, with a state of the art cell manufacturing facility in Georgia, Suniva had sold its PV products globally.

Suniva's distribution network for solar panels covered over 53 distributors and wholesalers, across over seven different countries.[2]

History

Suniva spun out of Georgia Institute of Technology's University Center of Excellence in Photovoltaics and the work of Dr. Ajeet Rohatgi in 2007.[3] Dr. Rohatgi is the founder and director of the photovoltaic (PV) research program at Georgia Tech (since 1985) and the founding director of the U.S. Department of Energy-funded University Center of Excellence in Photovoltaics (UCEP).[4] Suniva built its first manufacturing plant in Norcross, GA in 2008, which had an initial production capacity of 32 MW and has since expanded to over 400 MW. In July 2014, Suniva announced its 200 MW module facility in Saginaw, MI.

Following a successful reorganization and exit from Bankruptcy in 2019, Suniva is now owned by Lion Point Capital, a New York based investment firm.

2017 Sections 201 & 202 Trade Complaint

In April 2017, Suniva filed for bankruptcy.[5] Then the company filed trade complaints against its international competitors under Sections 201 and 202 of the Trade Act of 1974 with the ITC eight days later.[6] It asks for “global safeguard relief” from imports of crystalline silicon solar PV cells and modules. SolarWorld joined the complaint a month later.[7]

Opposition within the industry was fierce, with opponents arguing forcefully that a favorable finding on the trade case would destroy the rooftop solar industry by raising the prices of solar modules to unaffordable levels.[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Suniva and SolarWorld disputed the claims, suggesting that not only would a favorable decision not harm the industry but in fact would create 114,800 jobs instead.[19][20] Initially only supported by the Congresspeople who represented Suniva and SolarWorld's districts,[21] as decision day got closer, more groups came to support the trade petition.[22][23]

The USITC rendered a unanimous (4/4) decision on Sept. 22 that imports of solar panels had injured domestic manufacturers.[24] Both Suniva and SolarWorld offered their suggestions to the USITC on September 28, 2017.[25]

On 22 January 2018, the Trump administration applied a tariff of 30 percent to imported solar panels. The tariff will last one year before stepping down to 25 percent in 2019, 20 percent in 2020, and 15 percent in 2021. The tariff will expire in 2022.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "Suniva Ch. 11 Plan, DIP Lender Deal Confirmed in del. - Law360".
  2. ↑ "ENF Ltd".
  3. ↑ "Solar start-up Suniva sees plenty of efficiency, cost innovations left in crystalline silicon PV | PV-Tech". Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2011-03-17.
  4. ↑ "Faculty/Staff Directory". School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
  5. ↑ Duncan, Todd (April 19, 2017). "Large solar company in Norcross files for bankruptcy". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Breaking: Suniva petition could start new global solar trade war". pv magazine USA. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  7. ↑ "Breaking: SolarWorld Americas joins Suniva's trade petition". pv magazine USA. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  8. ↑ "Potential disaster: Jigar Shah on Suniva's Section 201 petition". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  9. ↑ "Abigail Ross Hopper speaks out on Suniva". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  10. ↑ "Coalition coalesces around fighting Suniva's Section 201 trade case". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  11. ↑ "SEIA to the USITC: 'What's next?' as Suniva/SolarWorld decision looms". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  12. ↑ "Military vets beg USITC to dismiss trade petition". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  13. ↑ "69 legislators pressure USITC to reject trade petition". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  14. ↑ "Could The Solar Trade Petition Destroy The Industry? Not If It Fights Back". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  15. ↑ "Duke Energy to U.S. ITC: Trade case could "destabilize" the U.S. industry". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  16. ↑ "Why the trade petition is hurting solar financing – and what can save it". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  17. ↑ "Manufacturing and Section 201: An interview with PanelClaw CEO Costa Nicolaou (video)". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  18. ↑ "From the editor: Playing with fire". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  19. ↑ "Suniva, SolarWorld claim trade protections could generate 114,800 solar jobs". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  20. ↑ "The case for U.S. solar manufacturing". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  21. ↑ "Congressmen trumpet support for Suniva's trade petition (Read the full letter here)". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  22. ↑ "Steel industry throws support to SolarWorld, Suniva trade case". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  23. ↑ "Clash of the coalitions: Pro-petition alliance adds new member". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  24. ↑ "USITC finds serious injury in Section 201 trade case". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  25. ↑ "Suniva, SolarWorld offer revised proposals for trade action". pv magazine USA. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  26. ↑ "Trump's 30% tariff on imported solar panels may cost jobs". USA Today. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
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