New US Solar Tariffs on Southeast Asia to Impact Prices and Profit Margins

A new round of US solar panel import tariffs targeting Southeast Asian producers is expected to raise consumer prices and reduce profit margins for solar manufacturers, according to Reuters. This move, announced by the US Commerce Department, extends anti-dumping tariffs to solar cells, which previously applied only to finished solar panels.

The tariff increase follows a trade case led by South Korea’s Hanwha Qcells and US-based First Solar. The case claims Chinese manufacturers unfairly sold solar components at below-market prices in the US. The new tariffs could impact the supply chain. In 2023, 80% of America’s solar imports came from Southeast Asian countries like Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.