Influence Alley

CEO Update, the publication that covers association news, has the scoop on the solar panel manufacturer SolarWorld Industries America stepping down from the Solar Energy Industries Association board because the association stayed neutral in a trade dispute with China. SolarWorld is still a member of SEIA, but, as William Ehart reports, the association's companies are split over a trade complaint.

Ehart has more:

The largest U.S. manufacturer of solar panels has quit the Solar Energy Industries Association board because of a trade dispute with China in which SEIA--whose members include some Chinese-owned companies--opted to remain neutral.

"We are a longtime, active and core member of SEIA and have helped SEIA through at critical moments in its journey as the industry has grown," said Ben Santarris, a spokesman for German-owned SolarWorld Industries America. "We simply think that it no longer adequately represents the interests of domestic manufacturers, so we have stepped down our level of involvement." ...

But Jigar Shah, founder of solar energy services provider SunEdison, which is represented on the SEIA board, said SolarWorld has no other board support.

"The bottom line is no other SEIA board member would join SolarWorld, so the industry is not divided," he said.