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from the musk-sells-solar-cells-by-the-solar-shore dept.
Trump administration imposes tariffs on imported solar cells and modules at 30% and certain washing machines up to 50%:
This new determination sets tariffs on imported solar cells and modules at 30 percent with a gradual decrease of that tariff over the subsequent four years. In years two, three, and four, the tariff will be imposed at 25 percent, 20 percent, and 15 percent, respectively, of the value of the import. The first 2.5 gigawatts of imported solar cells imported are exempt from the tariff (but it seems that a similar provision was not made for solar modules). Though the executive branch has broad authority to impose whatever tariff it wants after the ITC finds that an industry has been harmed by imports, this tariff decision closely matches the middle-ground recommendation made by two of the four-person ITC's commissioners. Those commissioners recommended a 30-percent tariff on modules and a 30-percent tariff on imported solar cells in excess of 1GW, with declining rates after the first year.
Whirlpool shares rise after Trump tariff on washing machine imports
The new tax is expected to hit Trump's desk on Tuesday. The administration is imposing 20% tariffs on the first 1.2 million machines imported each year, and 50% on those after that. There will also be a 50% tariff on washing machine parts.
Naturally South Korea and China are upset and plan to argue their case at the WTO. From the articles I read this morning there should be a boost to US manufacturing but the gains may all be offset by the losses with people not wanting to pay more for solar. I think regardless of price people will do solar for solar's sake, but there is sure to be some impact on sales and installation jobs.
Guess I should have bought that 30% off washing machine at the Sears going out of business sale.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday January 24 2018, @08:25PM
True dat.
Remember Ohms law? Watt-for-Watt, the lower the voltage, the higher the current must be.
With 200W worth of solar panels @12v - which means something like this [ebay.com.au] at 1.5mx0.7m - the safe connection cables have the same thickness as one able to safely power a 2000W appliance on an 120V main (a decent-powered blender, I think. Definitely a good cooking hotplate. Almost 3HP). They'll need to be capable to carry 10A without breaking a sweat.
If you want to know what may happen if you fail to use appropriate cabling thickness, do the following experiment:
- take 4x1.5V new alkaline AA cells
- put them in a 4-series battery holder
- put on your protection goggles**
- take a 20cm jump wire [wikipedia.org] (if my memory serves, they are 22AWG, 0.6mm in diameter) and short the 6V battery group.
- observe how fast that plastic insulation starts to smoke and melt
After that, think how good you'd feel towards the nature when you get to live day-and-night in close contact with it; this for the case your (still under mortgage) home burns down due to your feel-green-without-proper-care fooling around with 12V.
Especially if you are tempted to think on the line of "Yeah, man, it's only 12V. Not like I'm gonna die electrocuted if I'm not insulating those connections to perfection".
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** the batteries will get how too. The protection glasses are just in case the batteries lose the race with the jump wire, start to boil and explode in your eyes before the shorting wire melts down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford