SolarWorld, others in Oregon hope to benefit from new "Buy America" law

[Fledermaus]

Managers of SolarWorld's Hillsboro plant say a new requirement for the Defense Department to buy U.S.-made solar panels could boost sales.

A "Buy America" provision buried in the $725 billion military appropriations law signed by President Barack Obama last week will give SolarWorld and other companies with U.S. factories some protection from Chinese solar companies, which have been undercutting their prices with low-cost panels.

But the clause is an irritant to U.S. Chinese relations as Obama prepares to host China's president, Hu Jintao, at the White House next week. U.S. trade officials are already investigating allegations that Beijing unfairly subsidizes clean-energy companies in China.

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2011/01/solarworld_others_in_oregon_ho.html