The US Congress has recently overturned solar tariff exemptions for imported solar panels and cells, which will lead to increased costs for solar power systems. In addition, the US has also announced a plan to re-impose anti-circumvention tariffs on solar cells and modules imported from Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The Trump administration first enacted tariffs on imported solar panels and cells in 2018 in an effort to boost the US solar manufacturing industry. However, certain countries were exempted from the tariff if their solar products were made with US-manufactured components. The recent action by Congress eliminates this exemption.
Moreover, the US has found evidence of companies circumventing the existing tariffs by using cells and modules manufactured in Southeast Asia but shipped to the US through other countries. To combat this, the US has announced that it plans to re-impose anti-circumvention tariffs on solar products from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The new measures have been met with criticism from the solar industry, which argues that they will increase costs for US consumers and businesses, as well as stifle the growth of the renewable energy industry. The Solar Energy Industries Association has expressed disappointment with the decision, stating that it will cause "significant harm" to the industry and "undermine progress towards a cleaner energy future".
