US President reveals 30 % solar tariffs

President Trump has announced the tariff rates to be applied on global solar imports as a result of the Section 201 trade case. Modules and cells will face a tariff rate of 30 % in the first year declining 5 % in each of the three subsequent years. The first 2.5GW of cell imports will be exempt for the four-year duration of the tariffs. The US International Trade Commission (US ITC) had recommended three potential courses of action to the President that in aggregate equated to tariffs of around 30 %. The petitioners in the case, Suniva and SolarWorld Americas, had been pressing for tariffs closer to 50 %. In a statement, the administration said it would now look to open negotiations on existing anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on Chinese solar products and the reciprocal duties placed on US polysilicon by Beijing. Full fact sheet available here.