Solar panel assembly at Maxeon’s facility in Mexico.
President Donald Trump announced a new 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% additional tariff on imports from China, effective February 4 at 12:01 a.m. ET. “Energy resources” from Canada will have a lower 10% tariff, but this rate is likely exclusive to oil and gas imports as defined by Trump’s Jan. 20 National Energy Emergency Executive Order, according to law firm White & Case.
The President’s executive order does not include a list of applicable products, but could apply to all imported merchandise. White & Case anticipates a full list of tariffed products will be released in a follow-up notice.
The increase will bring tariffs on some Chinese solar products up to as much as 60% and introduce tariffs on solar products from Canada and Mexico for the first time.
In December 2024, President Biden’ U.S. Trade Representative increased tariffs on certain tungsten products, wafers and polysilicon made in China. The rates for tungsten products increased to 25%, and the rates for solar wafers and polysilicon increased to 50%, effective Jan. 1, 2025. The new tariffs could bring those numbers up to 35% and 60%, respectively.
As Solar Power World previously reported, it’s unlikely U.S. solar panel assemblers interact much with Chinese solar wafers, as much of the supply to the United States comes from Southeast Asian countries instead — which now have their own antidumping and countervailing duties. Avoiding Chinese polysilicon may be harder — seven of the Top 10 global polysilicon producers are located within China.
Outside of China, a few major U.S. solar suppliers will be affected by new tariffs on Canada and Mexico, including solar panel manufacturers Heliene, Silfab and Maxeon and inverter manufacturer Hoymiles.
