Solar Magazine – President Biden extends US tariff on solar panels for 4 years

The US President has decided to gradually reduce the import tax from 15 to 14 percent.

While Biden’s predecessor Trump allowed the import of 2.5 gigawatt peak solar cells per calendar year for assembly purposes without import duties, Biden raised the ceiling to a maximum of 5 gigawatts.

Trump decision
In 2018, then-President Donald Trump introduced a 30 percent import tax on foreign solar cells and solar panels for 4 years. Under the original plans, these import taxes would be reduced to 15 percent by 2021.

However, Trump signed in October 2020 A declaration Tariff waiver for bipolar solar panels and obtained in November 2020 Green light from US courtHe announced that he would only reduce import taxes by 2021 and actually raise them to 18 percent. Mid-November Judge Gary Katzman resigned However, the US International Trade Court ruled that Trump’s decision to introduce import tariffs on bipolar solar panels and reduce tariffs to 18 percent. Last January, the U.S. Justice Department said: Should have appealed Against that statement.

14.75 per cent
Advised last November USITC Chairman Biden to extend tariffs on solar panels. In response to that advice, the President decided that security measures were necessary to prevent serious damage to the domestic industry. However, he has decided to reduce the import duty to 14.75 per cent with immediate effect and reduce it as follows.

The USITC will continue to monitor the impact of tariffs, and based on the interim analysis, the President will decide whether to reduce, revise or revise tariffs within half of the term.

In addition, US Trade Representative (USDR) Catherine Toy is allowed to negotiate with Canada and Mexico to export their products to the United States duty free.

Partial support of the trade association SEIA
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), an American trade union, has mixed feelings about Biden’s decision. SEIA President and CEO Abigail Rose Hopper said: “Although we are disappointed with the decision to extend tariffs on solar cells and solar panels, we are grateful to the Biden management for clearly considering the issues we have raised. Authorities have reached a balanced solution. ‘

SEIA has been struggling for more than 3 years to eliminate two-sided solar panels as they are not widely available in the United States. Hopper said: “President Biden’s decision recognizes the importance of this innovative technology, helping to improve the installed capacity and lower costs in the utility segment. With this chapter behind us, it’s time to expand our t-shirts and help ensure long-term federal investment in domestic production and, in particular, the Solar Energy Production Act for the United States.