How To Kill Solar In The US: File Under "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished" -- Especially in the USSA

This is a most incredible story.

A few days ago I mentioned that everyone (well, at least "everyone" on CNBC) is concerned about the "fiscal cliff" coming after the first of the year. I argue that Congress will dither because they have all year to deal with the issue, and even as late as December 31, 2013, can make changes retroactive for the entire year. It will be a profoundly miserable 2013 but no one said life would be easy ... or fair.

Retroactive, you say? Well, that's the operative word for killing solar in the US.

Remember the ObamaSolarTariff (OST) imposed on the Chinese for dumping cheap solar panels on the US. Well, it turns out that the administration made the tariff retroactive and this small company in Hawaii just received a tax bill to the tune of 250% more than what they paid for the panels:

Marco Mangelsdorf, who co-owns a company in Hawaii, ProVision Solar Inc., that designs and installs rooftop solar-panel systems, has been fuming since he received a tax bill in June from U.S. Customs, saying that he owed more than $138,000. That is 250% more than what he paid for a shipment of panels he received in February from a Chinese supplier.

This company bought the solar panels legally and was installing them, just as the president wanted.

For their good work, the company is now looking at a whopping tax bill. I cannot make this stuff up.

By the way, the drop in the price of oil and natural gas will do to solar and wind what these retroactive tariffs cannot do.