MUMBAI: India has launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) encapsulant material for solar modules from China, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand and Saudi Arabia.
The action from the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) came in response to a petition filed by India-based integrated PV manufacturer Renewsys India, the renewable energy arm of conglomerate, Enpee Group.
DGAD noted that Renewsys is the largest producer of EVA sheets in India and the petition was backed by two other domestic producers, Vishakha Renewables and Allied Glasses.
The period of investigation is from 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017. However, the financial years 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17 will also be considered in order to analyse whether there has been injury to the domestic industry.
According to DGAD, Renewsys has claimed that it can produce all the widths and all the thicknesses of EVA sheets required by India’s module manufacturers. It also claimed there are no known difference between its products and the imports from the five listed countries.
Stakeholders can make submissions to DGAD regarding the investigation within 40 days from the 4 April.
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate sheet is an essential component for encapsulation of solar PV cells performing adhesion and cushioning functions.
