The second Policy Focus piece will look at the impact of a number changes that have happened over the last month or so: the executive order banning certain power equipment, the latest anti-dumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) determinations for Indian solar products, the impact that Trump’s policies have had on US clean energy jobs and the reinstatement of a low-income solar grant.

On 26 August, president Donald Trump issued an emergency executive order banning the import of certain power equipment for grid-connected energy projects. It included grid-connected inverters, transformers and battery energy storage systems (BESS), alongside other equipment, and covered 24 countries on US embargo and sanctions lists. Obviously, for that equipment, China is the most pertinent country on the list.

The ultimate effects of the executive order are still unclear; the Department of Energy (DOE) has 120 days to issue rules on how to implement the order, though it seems that its framework will be similar to the Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) restrictions introduced last year, in focusing on the country of origin for specific components and materials. It will only affect transmission-grid scale products, leaving out smaller distributed energy sites.

The executive order said that certain products from certain countries pose an “unacceptable risk” to US grid security, largely on the grounds of cybersecurity risk, and declared a “national emergency”.

Legal experts from Norton Rose Fulbright have said the DOE may introduce “white lists” of permitted products, or develop a permitting system for developers wishing to use sensitive kit.

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