On 29 November, US trade officials announced a fresh round of tariffs on solar panel imports from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam following complaints by American manufacturers of market flooding with unfairly cheap goods.
The move marks the second preliminary decision in 2024 by President Joe Biden’s Commerce Department on a trade case initiated by Hanwha Qcells of South Korea, Arizona-based First Solar, and other US producers. The companies, represented by the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee, accuse major Chinese solar panel manufacturers of using factories in Southeast Asia to dump products at artificially low prices, destabilising global markets.
The Commerce Department’s preliminary findings outlined dumping duties ranging from 21.31% to 271.2%, depending on the company. For instance, Jinko Solar was assigned duties of 21.31% for products made in Malaysia and 56.51% for those made in Vietnam. China’s Trina Solar faces dumping margins of 77.85% for products from Thailand and 54.46% for those from Vietnam.
Conversely, Hanwha Qcells, which also manufactures in Malaysia, was not subject to a dumping margin. A separate subsidy rate of 14.72% had been calculated for the company in October.
The final determinations by the Commerce Department are expected on April 18, 2025, with the International Trade Administration set to issue its conclusions by 2 June, followed by final orders on 9 June.
Tim Brightbill, lead counsel for the petitioners, described the decision as a step toward rectifying “years of harmful unfair trade” and safeguarding billions in US solar manufacturing investments.
The case highlights tensions in the US clean energy market, where most installed solar panels are imported, with 80% sourced from the targeted countries. While the Biden administration has prioritised boosting domestic clean energy manufacturing through the Inflation Reduction Act, President-elect Donald Trump has criticized the law’s costs and pledged broader tariffs to protect US industries.
The decision also reflects growing concern over China’s dominance in clean energy manufacturing, which has led to significant investments in US-based solar production. Representatives from Jinko Solar and Trina Solar were unavailable for comment.
