Trump latest tariff raises duty on Chinese solar products to 60%

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Donald Trump
Following a conversation between US president Donald Trump and Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum, a 25% tariff on Mexican goods has been delayed for a month. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr.

US president Donald Trump has brought in new tariffs on China with 10% and Canada with 25%, while Mexico tariffs have been delayed for a month.

The executive order was announced over the weekend (1 February) and sees new, additional tariffs of 10% levied on all goods from China, and tariffs of 25% on all goods from Canada, however energy resources will have a lower tariff of 10% starting from Tuesday 4 February 2025.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

According to law firm White & Case, solar PV panels are not included in the definition of energy resources based on Trump’s January 20 National Energy Emergency Executive Order.

The president initially announced a 25% tariff applied to Mexican goods too, though these have been delayed for a month following a conversation between the US and Mexican presidents.

Regarding China specifically, the executive order appeared to be broader in scope: “In response to China’s intellectual property theft, forced technology transfer, and other unreasonable behavior, President Trump acted with conviction to impose tariffs on imports from China, using that leverage to reach a historic bilateral economic agreement.”

The measures are in response to what Trump claims is a national emergency and are being done under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). It primarily aims to prevent the import of products that are used in the production of the drug fentanyl, the centre of the country’s opioid crisis.

This move will increase tariffs on certain solar products coming from China to up to 60%, including solar cells, wafers and polysilicon. This comes only months after the Biden administration increased tariffs, under Section 301, for solar cells from 25% to 50% in September 2024 and later on did the same for wafers and polysilicon. These last two took effect at the beginning of the year.

This story was first published in full on our sister site Energy-storage.news.

11 March 2025
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.
17 June 2025
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 17-18 June 2025, will be our fourth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2026 and beyond.
7 October 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 7-8 October 2025 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023 and 2024 were a sell out success and 2025 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

February 18, 2025
Chinese solar manufacturer Tongwei has ended its plan to acquire a controlling stake in fellow Chinese manufacturer Runergy.
February 18, 2025
Sunnova said the job cuts are part of “an optimisation of its business" and the cuts will save around US$35 million.
February 18, 2025
Chinese solar manufacturer LONGi has filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas against Jinko Solar.
February 17, 2025
Round-up of community solar news with new legislations progressing in the US states of Missouri and Iowa, while New Mexico started construction on the first project in the state.
February 17, 2025
Lee Zeldin said the EPA should "reassume responsibility" for funds issued under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
Premium
February 14, 2025
Several distributors told PV Tech that they received messages from suppliers that some PV module manufacturers are considering increasing prices.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
February 19, 2025
Tokyo, Japan
Solar Media Events
March 11, 2025
Frankfurt, Germany
Solar Media Events
March 18, 2025
Sydney, Australia