The US has imposed new anti-dumping tariffs on solar panels imported from Southeast Asia, tightening restrictions on Chinese manufacturers accused of using these countries to avoid fair trade rules.
Most solar panels installed in the US are currently made abroad, and around 80% of those imported solar panels are made in Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia.
South Korean-headquartered Hanwha Qcells, which is building a major solar manufacturing supply chain in Georgia (pictured), joined forces with Arizona-based First Solar and other US manufacturers to file a petition in April. They urged the Biden administration to impose tariffs on solar panels and cells from the four Southeast Asian countries, accusing Chinese companies of solar panel dumping.
Solar panel dumping is when a company sells solar panels abroad for less than the cost to make them or below their fair market value. It’s a tactic to grab market share by undercutting local manufacturers, which can crush domestic competition, so governments often step in with tariffs to protect their industries from these unfair pricing moves.
Friday’s announcement marks the second preliminary decision in an ongoing US government investigation, which began after anti-subsidy duties were put in place in October. Reuters reports that the US Commerce Department posted on its website that “the agency calculated dumping duties of between 21.31% and 271.2%, depending on the company.” Affected companies include Chinese-headquartered Jinko Solar and Trina Solar. However, Hanwha Qcells’ Malaysia-made products received no dumping duties.
The US Commerce Department’s final determinations are set for April 18, 2025. The International Trade Administration will finalize its determinations on June 2, and final orders are expected a week later.