Trump Orders 15% Tariff on Imported Polysilicon
SingTao · 3 SOURCESabout 8 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
US President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order imposing a 15% tariff on imported polysilicon derivatives and setting minimum import prices for a range of solar-related products. The administration says the move is intended to rebuild domestic supply chains in polysilicon, semiconductors, and solar manufacturing, with implementation beginning on December 4.
Key Points
- The order was signed on August 6 under Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act, following a US Commerce Department national security review.
- Minimum import prices were set at US$21 per kilogram for polysilicon and US$100 per kilogram for polysilicon ingots and wafers.
- Solar cells will face a minimum import price of US$0.22 per watt, while solar modules will be subject to US$0.38 per watt.
- A 15% ad valorem tariff will apply to listed downstream polysilicon derivatives, with all measures taking effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on December 4.
- Commerce Secretary Lutnick said the price floor is meant to stop cheap Chinese dumping, while tariffs are designed to encourage production inside the United States.
Why It Matters
The order signals a sharper US industrial policy push in strategic clean-energy and semiconductor inputs, combining trade barriers with incentives for domestic investment. It may raise import costs for solar-related products while increasing pressure on overseas suppliers, especially as China dominates about 80% of global solar manufacturing capacity and the US share of global polysilicon capacity has fallen below 2%.