The US Commerce Department has announced a new round of tariffs on solar panel imports from four Southeast Asian countries. The tariffs are in response to complaints from American manufacturers that companies in these countries are selling solar panels at unfairly low prices.
The tariffs will be imposed on solar panels from Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. The Commerce Department calculated dumping duties of between 21.31% and 271.2% on solar cells from these countries. The duties will vary depending on the company.
Jinko Solar, a Chinese company, will face duties of 21.31% for products made in Malaysia and 56.51% for those produced in Vietnam. Trina Solar, another Chinese company, will face duties of 77.85% for products made in Thailand and 54.46% for those produced in Vietnam. Hanwha Qcells, a Korean company, will not face any dumping duties for products made in Malaysia. However, the company was previously calculated to have a subsidy rate of 14.72%.
The Commerce Department’s decision is a preliminary one, and final determinations are expected to be made in April 2025. The International Trade Administration will finalize its determinations in June 2025, and final orders are expected to be issued on June 9, 2025.
The tariffs are intended to protect American solar manufacturers from unfair competition. The US solar industry has invested billions of dollars in new manufacturing facilities and supply chains. Most solar panels installed in the US are made overseas, with around 80% of imports coming from the four countries targeted in the Commerce Department’s probe. The US government has raised concerns about China’s large investment in clean energy production.
The Inflation Reduction Act, a landmark climate change law, includes incentives for companies to produce clean energy equipment in the US. This has led to a number of plans for new solar factories in the country. Dumping occurs when a company sells a product in the US at a price below its cost of production or lower than what it charges in its home country.
