Protecting American Solar Jobs and Lowering Costs Act

To amend subchapter III of chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to repeal increases in duties and a tariff-rate quota on certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and to require the Secretary of Energy to establish and carry out a program to support and incentivize manufacturing of solar energy components in the United States, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting American Solar Jobs and Lowering Costs Act 2. Repeal of increases in duty and a tariff-rate quota on certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells (a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) According to the National Solar Jobs Census, the solar workforce increased by 167 percent between 2010 and 2020, adding approximately 156,000 jobs. (2) Nearly 90 percent of solar jobs in the United States are in the installation, operation and maintenance, sales, distribution, and project development sectors, all of which heavily depend on the availability of affordable solar panels. (3) In 2020, solar accounted for 43 percent of all new electricity-generating capacity in the United States, representing solar’s largest ever share of new generating capacity and ranking first among all technologies for the second year in a row. (4) According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the United States solar industry has lost almost 13,000 jobs since duties were imposed under chapter 1 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 ( 19 U.S.C. 2251 et seq. (b) Repeal Subchapter III of chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is amended— (1) by striking U.S. Note 18; and (2) by striking— (A) subheadings 9903.45.21 and 9903.45.22, and the superior text to such subheadings; and (B) subheading 9903.45.25. (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and apply with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after that date. 3. Support for domestic solar manufacturing (a) In general Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of Energy shall establish and carry out a program to support and incentivize manufacturing of solar energy components in the United States. (b) Emphasis The program required under subsection (a) may emphasize the following: (1) Research and development to expand and reduce the cost of manufacturing polysilicon, solar panels, encapsulants, backsheets, and inverters in the United States. (2) Development of new manufacturing capabilities for solar products not currently manufactured in the United States, including ingots, wafers, or cells. (3) Developing and deploying educational and skills training curricula needed to support the solar industry and ensure the United States can build and maintain a trusted and predictable talent pipeline for the manufacturing of solar products in the United States.

Summary: Protecting American Solar Jobs and Lowering Costs Act This bill repeals (1) the tariff-rate quota on imports of certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic (CSPV) cells; and (2) the increase in duties on imports of certain CSPV cells and other CSPV products, including modules. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Energy to carry out a program to support and incentivize manufacturing of solar energy components in the United States.