U.S. Slaps Massive Tariffs on Southeast Asian Solar Panel Imports
The U.S. is moving ahead with steep new tariffs on solar panel imports from four Southeast Asian countries after a yearlong investigation found companies were dodging earlier trade rules by shifting Chinese-made products through the region. The duties, which could reach as high as 3,521% for some Cambodian producers, are meant to crack down on what U.S. officials describe as unfair subsidies and underpriced exports that have hurt American manufacturers.
The decision is seen as a big win for U.S.-based solar makers like First Solar and Hanwha Qcells, who argued their businesses were being undercut by cheaper, government-backed products from factories in Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia. "This is a decisive victory for American manufacturing," said Tim Brightbill, the group's lead attorney, calling the findings long-overdue protection against Chinese companies "cheating the system."
But the move is also expected to drive up costs for U.S. solar developers who rely on imports for the bulk of their supplies. The final say on whether the tariffs will stick now rests with the International Trade Commission, which is expected to vote in June on whether U.S. companies were materially harmed by the imports.
